The San Francisco call., 1907-03-24
@on on your salad. Miss smith7'

"on on your salad, Miss SMITH"
Just a trihe, Mr.. Burns"
And you say DetwiIer referred to
bribesg"
He did. Mr.. Burns. Please pass the
salt"
where were the letters dictated2"
IN Oakland. Waiter. a little more
cream"
And reference was made to the su-
Tt was. Isn't this roast delicious?"
"Exouisitel And how about Ruef."
Pm not quite certain"
Snatches OF dialogue very similar to
this came from q table dazzling with
napery and French glass IN a corner
OF the Cafe Francisco on Van Ness ave-
nue. at noon yesterday
The occupants Of the table were Spe-
cisl Agent William Burns, graft In
vestigator. and Nellie Smith, stenog-
rapher Of Thomas, Gerstle. Frick &
Beedy, attorneys for the Home Tele-
phone Company.
Nellie Smiths luncheon-table confes-
sion TO Burns was later made before
the Grand Jury and constituted one OF
the most important links in the chain
OF evidence which the graft prose-
cutors have built up against Detwiler.
the man who passed the Doodle 20 Ruef
and Gallagher by which the Super
visors were bribed 10 vote for the
Home Telephone Company's franchise
Burns. as he announced early In the
week. forced Nellie Smith into making
her confession yesterday because ne
knew as much as she knew. But he
accomplished Il very delicately and
with the grace Of a cavalier.
II was on July 20, while she was en-
aHr,v-
Company OF Oakland. one OF the asso-
ciate enterprises Of the Home Tele-
phone Company, that Nellie Smith took
dictatiOn from Detwiler in which he
made open reference TO having "hxed'
the Board OF Supervisors to grant the
franchise he was seeking.
,etwiler had become so accustomed
20 thinking about bribes ana bribe-
giving that he considered there was no
danger in putting his most intimate
thoughts on paper. So he called Nellie
Smith to his desk and dictated letters
20 the branches Of the Home Telephone
Company in Los Angeles and the East
and told them all about how wen
things We're going in San Francisco
and what he was getting for the money
lie was paying out
Nellie Smith has no stenographic rec
ord CT these discriminating letters, but
the matter contained in them is still
vivid in her memory and her testimony
concerning the bribery tactics Of the
company is much more valuable than
that OF the Supervisors who were ac-
completes in the felony for which Det-
wfler and other members OF the com
pany may have TO pass through the
wicket OF San Quentin.
Burns. before taking Nellie Smith 20
luncheon and getting her to make the
confession for the Grand Jury. took her
he
gree" fs development OF the graft
Investigation IN San Francisco When
Burns wants TO prepare witnesses TO
confess he takes them out motoring
and plies them with questions while
the chauffeur OF his big red chariot is
using up gasoline. He has found from
experience that this IS a very efficaciOus
method OF making witnesses unburden
themselves. the impossibility OF third
persons hiding behind a folding door
or arras and overhesring the revela-
tions inspiring them with unusual can
dor.
Burns and Nellie Smith whizzed
through the streets for more than an
hour. Then the speeding confessional
headed for the Cafe Francisco and Mel
lie came through with all her secrets
between courses.
Nellie wore blue tailor-made gown
and a walking hat with wings and
yelling that eddied over her shoulder.
She was very correctly gloved and car
ried a thin leather handbag and an
umbrella
She appeared very much at ease with
herself when the automobile finally
stopped IN front OF Native Sons Hall
and Burns assisted her to step from
the tonneau.
II took Nellie about twenty minutes