The San Francisco call., 1908-08-26
TREADWELL TRIES
TO PROVE BIAS
Cross Examination of Assistant
District Attorney Hoff
Cook Continues

Assistant District Attorney William
Hoff Cook, under cross examination.
was on the witness stand during most
of the day in the trial of the Tread
well case yesterday. In questioning
him the defense. showed that it would
try to prove three things-bias on the
part of the prosecution because Tread
well would not plead guilty of en-
bezzlement; ignorance Of what securi-
ties he was pawning when he got
money on the Cotton bonds, and that
he was trapped before the grand jury
into answering the question on which
the perjury indictment rested. This
question, on which the case hinges, is;
Were any of the following securi-
ties, known as the Cotton bonds, ever
hypothecated by you. or sold by you, or
delivered by you to any other person
or corporation to sell or hypothecate.
viz" (Then follows a list of the bonds
of the Cotton estate.)
Treadwell answered NO sir"
James Coming, secretary of the Cali
fornia safe deposit and trust company,
had testified that Treadwell was treas
urer
His office was merely nominal.
wasn't It," queried Judge Lindley. The
witness said that Treadwell was in
frequent consultation with other bank
officials.
Questioned by Assistant District At
torney Henley, Cook said Treadwell
had denied any knowledge of the
pawning of the bonds.
Byington tried to show bias, on the
ground that Cook had refused to have
a stenographer when Treadwell testi-
fed. Cook explained that only once
had a stenographer been employed in
the bank investigation, that being the
occasion of Browns detailed confession.
Byington .then dwelt on the fact that
Cook had written the question. The
witness said that he did this to be
able to specify just what securities
were meant, that Treadwell might not
misunderstood
you went there with the purpose Of
getting a particular answer to that
particular question, didn't your asked
Byington. Cooks answer was aff1rma
tive.
II believed at that time Treadwell
was guilty of perjury, though had no
legal proof until Browns confession"
he said later, while being questioned
along the same lines.
Then Byington asked whether Cook
had not said to him after the Brown
plea of guilty:
You see what Brown got--1S
months. You see the judge is in a
good frame of mind at present. Hadn't
you better consult your client?"
Il came to you. Mr.. Byington, relying
on your confidence, because a friend
of Mr.. TreadwelPs son had come to
me asking that ! do so, to the end that
Treadwell by pleading guilty to the
embezzlement indictment might get a
light sentence. / told you the circum-
stances of my coming. You promised
to consult with your client and give
me his answer. You never gave me
that answer" retorted Cook hotly.
Judge Lindley had asked that no
further indictments be brought, that
Treadwell might get bail and in his
question he spoke of having said that
Treadwell was willing to tell the grand
jury everything he knew, being inno-
cent.
II went to Judge Dunn with you and
tried to get lower ball." said Cook.
AT the outset of the case yesterday
morning Judge Conley delivered an
ultimatum, which stopped cross fire on
the part of attorneys.
ANY one addressing his objections
to other than the court will be dealt
with by the court" he said
At times the courtesy of counsel was
well nigh punctilious.