The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-12-31
KING Of WIRE
TAPPERs" FREED
ON LITTLE BAIL
Can Escape Trial for
Felony at Small
Expense
MAKES $3.50 DEPOSIT
Evidence Strong Against
Man Accused of Con-
fidence Game
FINDS MANY DUPEs
Deludes Victims With His
Promises of Much
Easy Money
FINDS MANY DUPES

James Davis, alias James MacDon-
aid, the self-exploited king of the
wire tappers," who was arrested at the
Louvre restaurant Sunday morning
charged with the robbing of Benja-
min Stone of 57A Haight street, was
given his freedom last night by Judge
Weller, on $1.25o cash bail The
money was furnished by the wire
tapper's attorney, Al Whalen, to whom
the receipt was made out
With but that nominal sum to hold
Davis to justice. there is little pros
pect that he viii ever face trial. for
should he choose liberty. he can escape
and at financial expense little greater
than what tho bills oI attorneys for his
defense would amount to- Judge
Weller literally gave Davis the oppor-
tunity he wanted. For $3.50 he can
escape what might be certain penalty
for a felony. Davis bail was but lit
tie higher than the sum out OF which
he is accused of having swindled Stone
by means of the wire tapping game
Ia game as old as telegraphH
GAME Is SIMPLE
1t is such a simple game. Davis him.
self has confided its secrets time and
time again to the police of half the
cities of the country. Davis is proud
of its simplicity. All that is necessary.
he is alleged to have said on more than
one occasion, is the sucker and a bit
of nerve to quote his own words.
In the present case-that of the al
legged flimhamming of Stone-the thing
was even easier than usual. according
to the tale told the police by the
victim himself 1T looked like a good
thing" Stone confessed TO Detectives
Driscoll and Matheson. to whom his
case was conhded by the police au-
thorities. 4 was sure that I had the
money in my hand, but somehow it
always slipped up just at the i'm
portant moment"
ssMoNEY FOR AskINGv
Davis told Stone, whom he met some
months ago, that money-easy money
was to be had for the asking There
in little barn at colma, Stone says,
Davis told him, was complete outfit
for tapping the wires leading from the
race track. The peniese might run
never so crooked, Jockeys might pull
their mounts never so wisely and wei,
owners might issue their little instruc-
tions-nothing could possibly get away
from the click-click OF the little tap
ping telegraph instrument in that
barn. Once let the horses fash by the
winning post and before the news
could reach the city the information
would be theirs to do with as they
pleased. Surely the game was worth
81. .oo0
Stone asserts that he thought. it was,
and handed over the money. Somehow
there was slip even then. The game
would not work, and the money van
ished where so much more had gone.
Stone complained and the police took
hand. The detectives assigned to the
case found Davis sitting in the Louvre,
pottte OF VINE IN cooler and a
pretty chorus girl in the opposite seat.
GOES QUIETLY
Davis went quietly, asking only per-
mission TO communicate with some
friends and a lawyer. Lawyer Al Wha-
Ian appeared and held a long confer
ence with the prisoner. There was
nothing TO be done on Sunday, the
day of the arrest. but yesterday after
noon, when the lawyer found that no
specific charge had been made against
Davis. although the police asserted
that they knew all about his record
in Bunalo, Saratoga and sheepshead
bay, together with half the tracks of
the country, Whalan, assisted by Billy
Lyons, appeared and demanded writ
of habeas corpus for their client on the
ground that there was nothing against
him. Hearing of this move the police
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