The San Francisco call., 1907-03-12
RAILROAD LOBBYISTS IN
DANCER OF INDICTMENT
Sacramento Grand Jury In
quiring Into Capital Re
noval Vote
LEGISLATORS CALLED
Burke, Hatton and Parker
Accused of Criminal
Manipulation
CALL HEADQUARTERS,
1907 EIGHTH STREET.

SACRAMENTO, March 1.-The Sac
ramento County Grand Jury has taken
a hand in the capital removal matter
and indictments are threatened against
Jere Burke Walter L. Parker, George
+. Hatton and others charged with
having manipulated legislation in be-
half of the removal project The Grand
Jury met tonight and heard the testi-
mony Of several Assembly men, An ad-
journment was taken until tomorrow
morning, when the investigation will
be resumed with vigor.
Tonight a session of the Grand Jury
was the climax of day of surprises.
1t became known early in the day that
committee of the Bar Association.
made up of a group of the cleverest
lawyers in town, had resolved on
campaign of reprisal against Burke,
Hatton and Parker for their share in
the capital removal scheme. The law
yers believed they had evidence SUM-
cient to indict the three politicians for
the crime of lobbying. which the con-
stitution makes a felony. The aid OF
District Attorney Wachhorst was Sc
cured and a session of the Grand jury
was called. When the jurors filed into
the Superior Court this afternoon, SUI
perior Judge Post delivered remark
able series of instructions, advising
them that 'ff the declarations made by
Hatton and others alleged to repre-
sent the Southern Pacific Company
were true, that corporation and its
representatives commanded and con-
trolled a sufficient humber of votes in
the Legislature to pass or defeat bilis
at will" and concluded by saying, 1T
is a startling condition of affairs, and
marks the destruction of popular gov
ernment in this State"
Judge Post told the Grand Jury that
it was its duty to ascertain whether the
Southern Pacific Company or its repre-
sentatives in the campaign to remove
the capital from Sacramento had vio-
lated the provisions of the constitution
and Penal Code against influencing
legislation and, If so, TO return indict-
ments.
The jury sent the Sheriff to the As
sembly chamber at once after Assem-
blymen Devlin, MCGUIRE, Drew and
Chandler TO appear before 1T and tes-
tify. The Assembly. as a body, re-
sented the intrusion by refusing on roll
call to excuse the Assemblymen for
the purpose. The Sheriff returned to
the Courthouse, where a conference be-
tween the Grand Jury and the three
Superior Judges was held, and other
tactics were decided upon. Members
of the jury visited the Assemblymen
in person and readily obtained their
consent to appear at tonight's session
and give their testimony
Assemblymen Drew said that when
the capital removal bill was before
the Assembly, Hatton came to him on
three occasions and told him that IL he
would support the capital removal
measure, he would guarantee to kill
the Mcclure county division bill in the
Senate. Drew testified that the same
offer was made by other persons, claim
ing to represent the Southern Pacific,
and he gave the jury their names.
Assemblymen Devlin, MCGUIRE and
Chandler furnished like testimony with
regard to legislation in which they
were interested.
The Grand Jury is made up of deter
mined men. and in the present state
of public sentiment over the removal
measure it is not likely that much con-
sideration will be shown the lobbyists
f0nOrrow