The San Francisco call., 1907-02-08
.bEARDSLEY DENIES
WORD Of PRIEST

Facts of a sensational nature leaked
Der of the Marin County Grand Jury.
when it was learned that Rev. Father
Egan, beloved and respected pastor in
San Rafael, had been reluctantly
forced into the turgid current that sets
around the Taylor r-Cochrane quarrel. 1t
was learned also that Father Egan,
in response to the summons. had to
give testimony which reflected against
the Cochranes, and sustained the al
legation made recently against them by
Sheriff W. P. Taylor, who accused At
torney James W. Cochrane of having
taken $4,000 from Mrs. Mary Keefe.
ostensibly to be used as a jury bribe.
In connection with the statements
made to the inquisitorial body by the
clergyman, another fact has been
spread on the wings of San Rafael
rumor and is verif1ed. C. H Beardsley,
formerly administrator of the Keefe
estate. was stated by Father Egan to
have been his authority for the damag-
ing testimony submitted against the
Cochranes. Beardsley was summoned
by the Grand Jury and denied having
made any such statement to the priest.
Sheriff Taylor, however, declares he
will produce another witness who will
corroborate Father Egans statement
that Beardsley was the original author
of the accusation against Jim Coch-
rane.
There was no scene of anger and no
altercation following the fat contra
diction before the Grand Jury. rhe
priest swore that G. H. Beardsley, for
merly administrator of the Keefe es-
tate, but now employed in the Hibernia
Bank, had told him that he. Beardsley.
had taken money In the sum of about
$4,000 to P. H. Cochrane, at that time
a commission merchant of San Fran
cisco, with instructions to him to take
the coin to his brother in San Rafael,
Attorney ]. W. Cochrane. The latter,
who represented Mrs Mary Keefe and
her son, the latter charged with per-
jury, was to use the money, said
Beardsley, according to Father Egan,
in 4lxing the jury in the case. Boards
ley arose before the jurymen and swore
he had never told the priest any such
thing.
The bewilderment and CONSERVATION
of Father Egan are complete. II did
not dream this thing" he said yester-
day II could not have made it up, and
am utterly at a loss to account for
Beardsley's denial I have the highest
regard for him personally, and have
known him for many years His record
of honesty Is unimpeachable, 1 believe.
There is some fearful misunderstanding
somewhere"
This serious trouble between the
priest and Beardsley grew out of the
investigation now being made by the
Grand Jury into statement made by
Sheriff Taylor in a letter addressed last
month to M. F. Cochrane. This Is what
Taylor said:
Shades of the Keefe case where the
widow was compelled to part with $4,000
to fix the jury. which money was paid
TO Pat by BeardSley''
The letter said a good many other
things as we'll and roasted Cochrane
brothers to a condition approximating
complete cremation, put it was this
particular paragraph which has been
made the basis of two libel actions
and Grand Jury investigation.
The Keefe case was thrashed out
in the courts at San Rafael about
four years ago. John Keefe. when
under age, married vaudeville act
ress. He swore he was 21. but was
two years shy. When his mother,
| marriage annulled and send-her ar
dent son abroad the young wife and
her mother had him arrested and
charged with perjury. ]. w. Coch-
rane, the attorney, was secured after
the trial was we'll under way and the
boy was acquitted Then the tongue
of rumor, always on the trail of the
Cochrane brothers, began to wag.
Father Egan's testimony to the Grand
Jury, which convened Monday and
| Tuesday of this week, was to the effect
that shortly after the trial Beardsley
told him that he had taken packet
containing about $4,000 to Pat Cochrane,
with instructions to hand the same to
his brother. 1t was to be used as a
"lever'"with the jury and the District
Attorney.
Pat Cochrane was communicate IN