Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-22

NOT GUILTY.,
BUT HASTY
JURY BRINGS IN INTERESTING
VERDICT
MALICIOUS PROFANITY CHARGE
NOT SUSTAINED
Pasadena Policeman Is Acquitted, but
Recommendation for Reprmand
Is Included In Verdlct-Wlt-
ness First Time In Court
Pasadena Agency.
n North Raymond Avenue.
Phones: Sunset 1907. Home 212i.


PASADENA, Aug. 21.-An acquittal
court sternly reprimand the defendant
for his conduct was the verdict returned
by the jury IN the case OF DR.. James
c. Campbell of Los Angeles against Off
Ger Z. w. Ste5eman of the Pasadena po-
lice force
1t was a remarkable verdict, one that
set the judge to thinking what were his
limitations. In the premises. 1t appeared,
as he said, like double verdict. If the
jury had found the defendant guilty and
recommended clemency, he would have
felt in honor bound by the recommends
ton But with verdict of not guilty, he
thought his legal power to reprimand was
terminated and the defendant was dis
missed
This was a peculiar case from the start.
On July 2S Officer Stegeman arrested a
chauffeur named Bente charging him
with speeding his automobile on the
streets of Pasadena. Charles G. Pratt,
the owner of the machine, and Dr. and
Mrs James G.. Campbell, all of Los An
geles were occupants of the automobile
at the time of the arrest
1t appears that there were some hot
words between Mr.. Pratt and the police
man, the former claiming to be deputy
sheriff, and finally arresting the police
man on the charge og using profane
language in the presence of woman on
the public street.
DIR. Campbell, whose wife was the wo-
man present, signed the complaint upon
which Officer Stegeman was tried in Po-
lice Judge McDonald's court today. A
Jury of twelve men being demanded the
following were selected: j. j. Sheppard,
foreman; Peter Orban, s. G. Hale, G. S.
Case, Charles Lawrence, A. j. Beacker,
L. A. Stone, George w. Johnson, G.. H
Vedder, E. W. Giddings and A. K. Nash,
City Attorney J. Perry Wood. assisted
by Mr.. Honberger. conducted the case
for the state, and Richard p Congdon OF
Los Angeles was attorney for the prose-
cution.
Several witnesses, including DR.. and
Mrs Campbell, for the prosecution, were
heard on each side, and the case occu-
pied most of the day. DR. Campbell is
nearly 60 years old, and yet this is the
first time he has ever appeared in a court
trial, either as a witness or otherwise.
When questioned as to the reason for
the peculiar verdict rendered. one of the
jurors explained it thus: 1--WE did not
believe the defendant was legally guilty
of maiciously disturbing the peace as
charged in the Indictment, but we thought
his conduct was unbeeoming an officer
we thought he swore and that he should
not have done It,. Or, at least, that is
what thought,'I said the juror.
The trial of Mr.. Bente for speeding
which was to have been held today, was
postponed to August 30
Today the office of City Auditor Kellogt
S which has heen as quiet as q wintel
tourist hotel for several weeks, sud
denly sprang into activity. small
army of clerks and copyists were pu
to work extending the taxes on the
hooks in accordance with the levies
adopted yesterday. This work ant
that of making out the tax receipts
which will be done In the office of Col.
lector S. M Munson, will require from
four to six weeks for completion. DC.
tober is set as the date when the
books will be ready for tax paying Is
begin, and not till after December %
will per cent penalty be added fol
non-p payment before that time.
Not later than October / can Chief
Engineer of the Government Roads De.
partment A. E. Loder be spared to the
good roads commission of Los An
geles county. This information was
conveyed in letter from the depart.
ment at Washington, which was re,
eeived by Mayor Farley yesterday
However, the work of planning for the
system of road improvements will be
well in hand by that time and the com.
mission can go ahead with the import
ant work as it will then be mapped out
without the personal direction of Mr.
Loder.
Work has at last been begun by the
Salt Lake railroad in lowering its
tracks to grade at the Pepper street
crossing. Teamsters will now soon be
expected to use chaste language ir
place of the brand which has beer
popular in this vicinity.
], P. Baumgartner, former editor OF
the Star of this city, will move witt
his family next month to Santa Ana
where he is the owner of a controlling
interest in the Santa Ana Daily Reg,
ister
A statement made up by City En-,
gineer Van Ornum in preparing his
annual report shows that the city Of
Pasadena has spent in the past yeal
s376,442.07. This amount was paid bs
the property owners as assessments or
account of various kinds of street i'm
provements. 1t is an increase OF s150,-
600 over the amount spent for similal
work in the previous fiscal year.
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