The San Francisco call., 1907-03-24

political storm Of the last munlclpal
election swirled around the endeavors
OF this company 10 assure the granting
OF its franchise and found fits very cen
ter in the company's offices was the
most interesting feature Of the evil
dence secured during the afternoon,
aside from tho further testimony Of
Nellie Smith. the mysterious stem
ographer
Miss Smith was in the inner cham
Der for nearly an hour. answering the
searching questions put TO her by As
sistant District Attorney Heney con-
cerning her intimacy with the affairs Of
her employers, Thomas, Gerstle, Frick
e. Beedy. and when dismissed from the
room was rushed through the crowd
in the hallway under escort Of Special
Agent Burns and whirled away in an
automobile.
GODDARD APPROACHED BOARD
Joseph Goddard, at present courtroom
clerk for Superior Judge Graham, but
who was for several months a solicitor
for the Home Telephone Company, was
the next 10 undergo examination. His
testimony concerned the political in
trigues Of the company and divulged
the fact Of the close connection OF As
semblyman Nathan c. COghlan and Su-
pervisor Gallagher TO the company
which was substantiated later when
Coghlan himself was put on the grill
Goddard told Heney that he had been
employed by the Home Telephone Com
pany in the capacity of a solicitor and
demonstrator for six or seven months
prior to March or April, 1906, and that
he had approached the Supervisors af-
ter their election TO Office in the inter-
ests OF the telephone company. Cod
dard stated that he had been given his
position with the company upon the
strength OF a recommendation from
Richard Hotaling. and that he came
into contact with the chief officials Of
the company almost daily. Detwiler
handled all the salary demands OF the
solicitors and certain other employees
when he was in the city and signed all
pay checks. When he was away these
duties were performed by Wachter.
APPEARANCE OF wACHTER
what was Wachter's connection
with the company" inquired Heney.
He was q sort OF general manager
and outside man for the company" was
the answer. He is quite wealthy,
believe. and came here from Toledo to
help get the company started, and then
was in Los Angeles and Oakland at
different times. He is manager of the
Oakland division now, I think"
Were there others of these outside
men or officials besides Wachter2"
Yes, A. J. Graves was with the COM
pany at that time. He is an organizer
and does not stay in one locality very
much, but moves around from place TO
place"
Heney turned suddenly from this line
OF inquiry into that Of politics. He
developed the fact that Goddard was an
ardent supporter of the Labor party
ticket at the last municipal election.
when the Home Telephone Company
was in the bitterest part Of its fight
TO secure the franchise and when its
officials were fighting tooth and nail
for the fusion candidates. Marcus
Gerstle was himself a candidate for
delegate TO the Republican convention
from the FOrtieth district, and was
elected. Heney drew out these facts
and then asked a question intended to
strike home.
GAVE COMPANY SOME ADVICE
Did not Gerstle call you into his
Office" he demanded, and tell you that
you must quit lighting the Republican
ticket for Supervisors; that all the
Republican candidates had been seen
in the interests Of the Home Telephone
Company and had pledged themselves
to grant its franchise in the event that
they were elected7"
No. sir; I was not told that by Mr.
Gerstle," answered Goddard. I did
have a conversation with him in which
I told him that the company was on
the wrong side Of the fence, for they
were going to be licked and that I be-
lieved in being on the side with the
winners.