The San Francisco call., 1908-07-23
IS
GOLD MAD, SAYS
ATTORNEY SCOTT
Withdraws From Defense of
Alleged Dynamiter After
Confessions
Satisfied That Prisoner Is Fa-
miliar With Facts in
the Outrages
Case Practically Hinges on Ar
rest of Peter and Felix
Pauduveris

Attorney ]. w. Scott, retained by
John Claudianes as his attorney to
represent him in the cases growing
out of the Gallagher dynarniting
charges, repudiated his client yester-
day by Withdrawing from the case
The feel of gold piece in his palm
means more to John Claudianes than
the truth; more than the hope of ex-
culpation; more than anything else on
earth," said Scott. "He has failed alb
solutely to follow my advice in respect
to maintaining silence in this case,
has otherwise acted against my in
structions, and l feel that l can no
longer appear as his legal representa-
tive"
Scott served notice of his withdrawal
from the case on the district attorney
in a written communicate yesterday
afternoon and also sent letter to
/ Claudianes, in which he told the pris-
oner that he could no longer act in
his behalf. In his letter to the district
attorney Scott asked that the hearing
of the case set for this morning be
continued for a sufficient length of
time to allow the prisoner to procure
other counsel, and it is probable that
no action will be taken today, in court.
Scott's withdrawal came, he says,
after several conferences with his eli
! ent and after a careful consideration
of the case as it now stands. Scott re-
fused to discuss the case at any length.
on the ground that it would be a be-
trayal Of confidence, but at the same
i time asserted his belief that John
Claudianes is not the man who planted
the bombs with which the Scheck home
in Oakland and the Gallagher houses
at Adams point were dynamited.
Il am convinced that John Claudianes
knows something of this case" said
Scott, yet l am equally as certain that
/ he had no part in the actual perpetra-
/ tiOn of the crimes. l have had several
talks with him and have found him TO
/ be liar to whom the truth is hard
proposition. His stories have been
contradictory and flighty, yet they have
been such that l feel sure that he him
self was not directly responsible Tor
! the planting of the dynamite bombs,
/ He knows something about it, however,
and on that l would stake almost any
thing
/ IMPLICATES ONLY PETER
There have been many reports to
the effect that John Claudianes has
! implicated several of the defendants in
the graft cases in his purported con-
fessions, but from all he has told me
! this is not so. SO far as his personal
knowledge extends it does not impli-
cate any person except his brother
Peter He does involve Peter in the
case, but he has made no statement
which drags the name of Felix Paudu-
vers Abe Ruef or any other person
into the matter Had he followed my
i instructions and refrained from talk
ing about this case l think that l could
have got John off. for L do not believe
that he was directly implicated But
he has insisted upon talking of the
matter and l can do nothing further
for him under the circumsta tances."
Scott also said that he did not believe
that John Claudianes was of sound
mind and that his accounts of the dyna-
hitting, in which he claims to have had
a part were largely fictitious. At the
same time he did not attempt to defend
his recent client from the charge of
completely in the dynamiting cases, but
/ admitted that the latter's statements to
! him in regard to the matter were of a
nature to implicate him in the case as
an accomplice.
John Claudianes holds all records OF
| the local police department for confes-
sions. He has made no less than three
complete ones. to say nothing of several
| piecemeal narratives, and each has been