The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-09-06
DEVLIN TELLS
A QUESTIONER
TO co To HI"
Oath His Reply When Asked
If He Can Serve S. P.
and People, Too
IS HARTMAN LAWYER
Defends Aiding Railroad to
Grab Sacramento's
Water Front
PRESIDENT WILLING
Federal Prosecutor Cools
and Asserts His Con-
nection Was Known

Are you or Is the firm OF which you
are 2 member employed in a legal or
other capacity by the Southern Pacific
company or any other public service
corpora tion which might. under given
conditions. be subject 70 prosecution
by you in your official cspacity2
Is Il consistent with good legal ethics
for a federal district attorney to be
fn the employ Of such a corporation or
10 be member OF law firm accepting
or enjoying such employment?
Is there anything in the federal
statutes or IN the rules OF the depart
ment OF justice prohibiting United
states district attorneys accepting or
continsing in such employment
-.If you or your frm. as attorneys. are
the employm ent OF the Southern
Pacific company do you not think that
he public would De justified in doubt
fhg the sincerity or your prosecution
of TIE cattle shipping or other cases in
which the railroad company is a de-
PENDANT or is interested?
The foregoing list Of questions was
submitted 10 United States District At
torney Robert T Devlin yesterday by
a representative Of The Call. Devlin
flushed hotly as he read them. and when
ne had finished be was agitated az.
angry
who sent you here with those?" he
demanded.
The editor of The Call" was the
reply.
you can tell the editor Of The Call
10 60 TO H. announced Devlin-
After his passionate outburst the
federal district attorney calmed himself
somewhat
I don't care to enter into any con-
troversy about the matter" said Dew
lin. Il have a right to engage in law
cases outside OF my Office At this
moment Assistant United States Dis
trict Attorney Clark is trying an in
fringement of patent case in the Unite
states circuit court, which ne has q
right to DO. have opened a law Office
in the Crocker building with Stratton
and Kaufman. where l shall take pri-
vate law business"
AIDS HARTMAN GmB
The question which stirred the dis
trict attorneys anger was prompted by
his participation as q Southern Pacific
attorney IN a case in the United States
district court IN which the city OF Sac
ramento has been trying to keep the
Hartman corporation from gObbiins
a large part OF it's river front and ex-
cIuding the Western Pacific. Non Tues
dsy last Judge Van Fleet denied the
city's petition for temporary injunc-
fion against the Southern Pacific. AS
was stated IN The Call OF Wednesday
United States Attorney Devlin ap-
peared in the superior court OF Sacra-
mento county in behalf OF the Southern
Pacific when the case was heard at the
capital city some time ago
Later in the day, when his temper
sture was back to normal District At
torney Devun volunteered a further
statement, not desiring. he said, TO have
his refusal 10 answer the questions mis-
construed.
ENLARGES STATEMENT
Before was appointed to this Of
fee" said Devlin. I had cases from tho
Southern Pacific company. and some OF
these cases are yet pending. But was
never under salary. ] received fec
for each case took That matter oi
my acting as attorney for the railroad
company was thoroughly discussed be-
tween President Roosevelt and the at
torney general before my appointment
They had been advised that I had re-
ceived fees from the railroad company
for my services and that had never
been under salary to mat corporation
That Is all desire to say on the sub
sect"
These assurances from Devlin that
4 bis superiors have no objection to his
appearance in the courts as an attorney
hor the Southern Pacific take away mono
OF the edge OF some comment that is
Conttnued on Page 2, Column