Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-31
SEALED, WILL BE READ THIS
MORNING
SEVEN TO FIVE FOR AcoulTTAL,
SAYS JURYMAN
Defense Strives to Show Arrests Were
for cause-crowds Attend Trial
of Former Police Conn
missioner


schenck. charged with false imprison-
ment was returned by the jury last
night and will be read by Police Justice
Rose at the opening of court at o'clock
this morning.
According to juryman, the result was
Z to for acquittal
The case went to the jury shortly be-
fore 1890 o'clock last night. The jury
was out but a short time.
During the night session the court
room was crowded with people who had
gathered to listen to the arguments of
the attorneys and to the charge to the
jury.
without calling a single witness in be-.
half of the defense, the taking of evil
dence in the trial of Sam Schenck, former
police commissioner, charged with false
imprisonment by Attorney Bradner w.
Lee, was completed at 8 o'clock yesterday
afternoon, and when court reconvened at
1880 the attorneys began their argu-
ments to the jury.
At IL o clock yesterday noon the jury
box had been filed with jurors accept
able to the attorneys for both sides, and
shortly after the opening of the after
noon session at o'clock the first witness,
Bradner w. Lee, was placed on the stand
for the prosecution.
Lee is the man who was with Kenneth
Preuss when the latter was arrested, and
went to the police station for the pur-
pose of offering bail for Preuss
II entered the station and asked Lieu
tenant Williams If man named Preuss
had been arrested said Lee on the wit
ness stand.
Preuss Appears
''He told men he did not Know, and
then went to the main hall and found
Desk Sergeant George Sparks. 1 APP
proacAed him, but as l did so Preuss was
brought in through the door.
81 tiien told Sparks / wished to de-
post bail for Preuss, but he told me
that no bail would be accepted l asked
him who had so instructed him, and he
refused to tell me.
Sam Schenck was standing few feet
away, and / turned and asked If he were
responsible for the order that Preuss
should be denied bail. He asked me who
was and l told him l was an attorney
acting for Mr.. Preuss
HE told me that he was responsible
for the order, and when / demanded to
know his reasons he ordered patrolman
who was standing near to arrest me for
disorderly conduct
II was searched and thrown into what
is known as the 'bull-pen' with Mr..
Preuss There were about sixty men in
there. A little later we were taken into
the hall by the jailer and there met Mr..
Schenck. He asked If we wished to see
him, and we told him we did not. He
x then ordered us placed back in the cell,
but about fifteen minutes later had us
brought out again.
He then asked my name and said
Mayor IHerr,er had heard of the trouble
asIi wished to know the names Of the
men arrested.
Ordered Back
81 told him my name and he then
ordered us taken back again. About
fifteen minutes later he and several COM
panions passed our cell. They stopped
and Schenck said:
There are two good fellows, but they
are both drunk
HE then went away, but about fifteen
minutes later he had us brought out
again and attempted to apologize We
were then released and he offered to buy
us a bottle of wine If we would call it
square, but Mr.. Preuss and myself re-
fused to accept his offer, despite the fact
that he followed us as far as First and
Broadway
Attorney Earl Rogers. representing Sam
Schenck, then endeavored to have a
transcript of the proceedings before the
police EOHlIllSSlOlli WHICH, lIiSutCAdHL WI
liams and Sergeant Sparks were sus-
pended owing to their connection. with
the affair, and in which Lee testified,
placed before the witness, but this was
denied.
1t was claimed that the transcript was
not an official one, and after great deal
of arguing between the attorneys, Rogers
ceased making the attempt
Lieutenant George Williams, the man
who was in command of the station the
night of June 20, when the trouble took
place, was then called to the stand
Lieutenant Williams explained that he
did not have any conversation with any
of those interested except when Lee Of
fered to deposit bail for Preuss.
Talked BoisterousIy
Sergeant Sparks testified that Lee had
been arrested while the latter was stand
ing in front of the desk sergeants office
He explained that Lee had threatened to
get the stars of several officers and was
using loud language.
Sparks also testified that he had ques-
toned Patrolman Barnes, the arresting
officer, in regard to the evidence against
Preuss.
''Barnes told me he had good case"
said Sparks, "and that he had several
witnesses. In view of his statements
felt justified in sending Preuss to jail
Lee was arrested little later while IN
my presence. was busy at the time
and did not pay much attention to Lees
remarks, but heard him say he would
get somebody's STAR
Patrolman Boise, the jailer on duty at
the time, was then called to the stand.
Bots admitted admitting Schenck and his
companions to the jail on an order signed
by Lieutenant Williams. He denied hear
ing any conversations between the men.
Patrolman Bots, the iailer on duty at
rested Preuss and who afterward lost his
position on the department then testi-
fled that he was in the police station at
the time Lee was arrested and that he
had heard Lee making threats Accord
ing to the book used in the desk ser
geant's office Barnes was the one who
arrested Lee. but this the former officer
denied, and said tho man must have been
booked to him by mistake.
In their arguments to the jury the at
torneys called attention to the many pc
culiar features of the case.
Asserts Cause
According to Attorney Rogers the fact
g.