The San Francisco call., 1907-06-09
PLOT To FIX
SCHM|Tz
JURY
Bold Attempt Made
to Defeat Ends
of Justice
EIisor Biggy Accuses
Two Men OF the Crime
ReubenA. Wolf and
C.E VannattaAre
Involved
Evidence Is at Hand
EIisor Biggy Accuses
Two Men OF the Crime
Evidence Is at Hand
TO Sustain Allegation

That at least four men are inn
plicated in a comprehensive plot
to tamper with members of the
Schmitz trial jury, and that several
desperate attempts to approach
the jurors have been made, are
the sensational charges presented
by Elisor Biggy, custodian of the
jury.
Foundation for these charges is
found in a conversation heard by
Biggy last night over telephone
In the St. Francis hotel, where
the jury is housed; suspicious
scraps of conversation overheard
in the lobby Of the hotel few
minutes afterwards: the unaccountable
movements Of two guests OF the hotel
and a few words exchanged between a
couple OF strangers and two members
of the jury in a washroom Of the hotel
late Friday afternoon
Reuben A Wolf, g former police SER
geant who was discharged from the po-
lice force four years ago for extorting
protection money from saloon owners,
and Charles e. vannatta- the principal
Of a private divorce detective agency.
ere the two men against whom the bulk
of suspicion points. Biggy directly ac-
cused them last night of attempting TO
tarnper with members OF the jury.
threatened them with a criminal prose-
cusatious. Later both men denied in a
general way that they had any interest
in the Schmitz jury, yet they evaded an
explanation Of either the telephone con-
versation or the conversation I'm the
lobby, which Biggy says he overheard.
They also failed to account for their
movements during the last few days.
Wolf and vannatta, however, are
not the only two men believed by Eli
sor Biggy to be engaged in the at
tempt to bribe or otherwise influence
members Of the jury in behalf of
Mayor Schmitz Two other men,
whose identity is unknown. but Of
whom Biggy has a good description.
attempted Friday evening 10 draw two
of the jurors into conversation. and
when discovered left the hotel hur-
riedly.
II Biggy's suspicious are correct
Wolf and vannatta are the men in
trusted with the working out OF a
desperate plot to reach members of the
Jury and they have possibly a dozen
men working under their direction in
and about the ST Francis hotel and the
court where the trial Of Mayor Schmitz
is in progress.
The movements Of Wolf and vanpat-
IA have been of the most suspicious
character ever since Wednesday morn
ing. when they put in an appearance at
the st. Francis a few hours ahead OF
the jury and registered for separate
rooms. Wolf registered from Canine
and Vannatta from Nevada City. The
latter attempted 10 conceal his identity
nv signing his name c. E Van Etten.
Roth men have visited the court every
dav and listened TO the progress of
the Schnlitz trial; have followed the
fury closely on its way TO and from the
hotel and have remained about the
lobby and corridors during the even
ing and early morning hours while the
<.,--, nae fn its quarters conyersinR
with strangers who nave dropped into
the hotel
At O'Clock last night Elisor Biggy
stepped into room 1877, just OF the
lobby Of the hotel, to telephone. The
r.nftnued ON Page "A. Column