The San Francisco call., 1908-05-29
M|NIONS OF
HIGHER ups
FACE PRISON
Thugs Who Followed Burns
Will Be Indicted on
Felony Charge
Courts to Check Attempts to
Thwart Efforts of Graft
Prosecution
Mysterious "Sleuth" May Give
CIew to Dynamiting
Outrages

Francisco have finally determined to
check with a firm hand the efforts of
the higher ups to thwart the investi-
cation of the Gallagher dynamiting
outrages by hiring swarms OF private
detectives to harass and annoy the Of
hcers of the law, was evidenced yester-
day when District Attorney Langdon
appeared in police court personally to
file complaint for conspiracy against
the four thugs arrested Wednesday
night after they had followed William
]. Burns and City Detective Goff all
over Oakland and San Francisco. Lang
don announced that he would prose-
cute the men for conspiracy for will
fully obstructing the administration of
justice, and declared to the court that
from information he had receive the
presence of these men betokened harm
to the men prominent in the graft
prosecution. He asked that they be
placed under heavy bail and Judge
shortan responded by fixing the figure
at $1,000 bonds or $500 cash.
The attorneys for the four men. who
gave the names of Frank Shaw, Harry
Smith. John R. JohQson and Cliff Mid
dIemass, made an attempt during the
morning to have the men released on
smaller bail by waiting on Judge
Cabaniss. without informing him that
Judge shortaIl had already issued baH
they secured an order from him for
the release of the men on $500 bonds
or 500 cash. The money was promptly
deposited with the bond and warrant
clerk, but before the men had left the
building Judge Cabaniss learned of the
trick that had been played and issued
bench warrants for them. He then
raised the bail TO the same amount as
that set by Judge Shortall.
The crime of conspiracy, for which
the men will be prosecuted. is an in
dictahle offense and one punishable by
fine of $4,000 and Imprisonment for
five years. An attempt will be made by
the district attorneys Office to have
the men given the limit of the law.
The men under arrest are the same
that have been following Burns. Lang
don, Heney and Spreckels ever since
the first Gallagher outrage. The men
are known as desperate characters and
in order to be able to identify them in
case of any further trouble the police
forced them to be photographed for the
rogue's gallery.
Late last evening 1900 in cash was
deposited for bail for the men by At
torney Peery, who has been retained
to represent them. After the men had
been released they reported to Helms
private detective agency, and late in
the night attempted to again take up
Burns trail. but he gave them the
! slip.
/ 1t was declared yesterday that the
men are all employees of the Helms de-
tective agency and that the entire
agency has been chartered by the
higher ups" 1t is known that the
entire staff of the agency, consisting
of more than half a hundred men, had
been at work following members of the
graft investigation.
Evidence that may be direct con-
Meeting link with the perpetrators of
the Gallagher dynamiting outrage has
been unuearthed, 1t is believed. as a
result of tracing the movements of a
mysterious private detective" who has
been prowling about the scene of the
affair ever since the explosion Yester-
day morning this individual attempted
to make an inspection of the wrecked
! house, but was refused admission to
the premises by the police. He stayed
about the place all day. however, per-
sisting in questioning everyone he
could engage in conversation about the
nature and trend of the investigation
and the movements of the local police
He was finally warned from the neigh
borhood. When he left he was fol-
lowed. Those who talked with him
are convinced that he was not novice
and the opinion prevails that he was
the hired emissary of some one vitality
interested in the movements of the po-
] lice in connection with the case.
All Wednesday and all day YESTERDAY v
Special Agent William j. Burns was
working on the case in Oakland with
Captain of Detectives Petersen and De-
tectives Gor and Murphy of San Fran
cisco.
1--WE have abandoned the Wilhelm
theory said Burns after a lengthy
examination of the premises again late
yesterday afternoon. I'VE have come
to the conclusion that some one much
more skilled in the use of explosives
than Wilhelm was concerned In the
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