Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-24
TELLING THE
GRAFT STORY
CAUSING STATUE OF JUSTICE TO
BLUSH
SELLING PUBLIC RIGHTS FOR
PRIVATE GAIN
Shameful Account Shows How City
Officials Received Money from
Various Interests in Ex-
change for Votes
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 23.-At the
opening of the Glass trial today Mrs.
Anna Lonergan, the wife of Supervisor
Thomas A. Lonergan, was called to the
witness stand to corroborate the testi-
mony of her husband to the fact that he
had received $4,000 from T. V. Halsey.
Ibid your husband hand you in March,
| 1906, an envelope containing money!" she
was asked by Heney.
| Before Demas could make an objection
she answered in whisper: ''He did"
| Delmas had complaint to make about
the haste of the witness. His objection
was overruled and the examination pro-
| ceeded.
How much money was in the pack
age?"
There was $4,000"
"What kind of money was it?"
Currency"
This ended the examination. Delmas
| had no questions to ask and Mrs. Lon
ergan was escorted from the court room
by Detective Burns, her husband and
number of the supervisors.
Settles Coffee on Money Grounds
Supervisor M w. Coffey, who has been
in the carriage business for twenty years,
was the next member of the board to
| Y.
his cab stand at Fifth and Market streets
one night when he was approached by
John Krause, who was employed as agent
| for Halsey. Krause introduced himself
| by explaining that he had come to in
quire If Coffey had any complaint against
| the telephone service. Later. he SAID, ne
accepted $4,000 in currency from Halsey.
Coffey closed his statement by as
serting that he had committed no
crimes. While admitting that money
was accepted from any one willing 10
nav it, he declared that his judgment
was never Influenced by the acceptance
| of the Doodle. In this way he soughI
| to explain how he happened to sign
the affidavit in the proceedings brought
to oust Langdon in which ne aVerreu
he had never been bribed.
Timothy Hopkins, capitalist ana
member of the executive committee OF
the board of directors of the Paclnc
States Telephone company, testlneo
that he knew of no transaction be-
tween Glass, as acting president OF the
company, or his agent Halsey ana the
| supervisors.
Snperyisor Fred P Nicholas followed.
His relations with Halsey began, he
said. shortly after his nomination
| They went to a French dinner TO-
gether. Halsey talked about his com
| many. asked his guest whether MS
election expenses were heavy, ana on
an affirmative reply gave him eltner
| 5000 or $40O.
Just Wanted Friendship
Former Supervisor Andrew M. VIII
son. who is now state railroad com
missioner, was the first witness at the
afternoon session. ,
Mr.. Wilson testified that General
Agent Halsey of the Pacific states
Telenhone company had handed him
s6O00 and had stated that he wanted
wilson to be friend of the company
and to look out for its interests. Inc
ordinance granting franchlse 10 lne
Home Telephone company had not at
that time been passed. .o-oo ;.
In addition Halsey had PAID MIN Szoou IL
he would continue friendly 10 the Faciiic
States Telephone company.
On cross examination by Mr.. Delmas
for the defense, Mr.. Wilson testified that
he had been promised immunity by Cnalr-
man Gallagher of the board of supervisors
IL he would testify for the prosecution
This promise of immunity had peen maze
et a meeting of the board of supervisors.
On the 26th of February Wilson said he
voted for the franchise to the Home Tele-
phone company and received S35OO given
by Gallagher.
This was after he had received $4,000 for
his opposition to the granting of the same
franchise. He did not know from whom
Gallagher obtained the money, but had
been given to understand by Gallagher
that 1t would be political suicide If he
did not vote with the administration In
favor of the Home Telephone company
for the franchise.
Wilson Gets Money Variously
Wilson testified that he received $500 In
gold in January, 1906, for his vote in IA
yor of the granting of the license to the
so-called prize fight trust.
Wilson also said he was paid $3.50 for
his vote establishing the S5 cent gas rate.
In response to a question by Attorney
Delmas Mr.. Wilson said he had received
$4,000 for his vote in favor of the grant
ing of the trolley franchise at the time
that the United Railroads system was
electricized This money had been given
him by Gallagher in currency. He had
heard that the other supervisors were to
get $4,000.
w. w. Eaton, treasurer of the Pacific
States Telephone company, was then re-
called to the stand.
Heney asked him: "You testified that
Mr.. thinner brought checks to you
amounting to $4,000 or $50,0OO Was there
any memorandum kept?"
"Yes, but the memorandum was de-
stroyed in the fire"
Heney-"Were these checks entered on
a separate tag?"
This question brought about an ex-
tended argument between counsel as to |
the admissibility of such testimony. He
rey argued that the executive force In
1906 consisted of Glass as vice president |
and acting president, so that If the audit |
or signed any checks 1t was with the |