The San Francisco call., 1908-12-01

The relative credIbility as witnesses
of Frank j. Murphy: the defendant and
I A. :. Blake. chief: witness forrthe
state has become an important issue at
-Iae Murphy trial which is proceeding
before Judge Murasky
one juror was excused from service
yesterday. because he declared that he
c0uid not give sufficient credence 10
The testimony Of the go-hetween. who
p las been already convicted. of bribing
ii Rucf case .yenireman at tie Instance
~ Murphy and \. =. Newburgh. and an
other. viii be further examined this
iifornng because he has expressed Sc
rious' doubts Regarding his ability TO
1isterr with an open mind 10 Murphy
when HE goes on the stand in his own
behalf.
sIX CONDITIoNALLY PASSED
Bus iH spite Of the dubious. character
of the important figures III the case,
the examination Of jurors. proceeded
were co0ditionally passed to- sit in
Judgment ons Abe .Ruefs former attor-
neyc The jury box was filled when
court adjourned. and the perefnptorY
challenges win be. promptly exercised
at Q o'clock this morning unless Viii
liam a. Tyrrell. tlle man suspicious of
Murphy. is excused for ca4lse..
rom LIe' LLenUs OF li.e 4LtcLlq qtlS. put
yesterday by District Attorney Lang
don to John II. Curley. the first Of Jhe
six To be passed. il seemed that. at the
Murphy trial the entire: conspiracy to
iK jurors in the graft cases would be
laid bare .Curlex is a retired merchant
tailor. living at 1892 Feb street Cur
ley said.h he knew William Abbott of the
United Railroads.
IF it should appear" .Langdon
asrr
~ the United Railroads was interested
in the. defense of Murphy, would you be
affected -favorably TO the. 'defendant2"
sCHLEsfNGER CASTS sI.UR
schlesinger replied. that Murphy
wouid indeed be fortunate to be backed
up by this company, and added that
its officers had never been brought to
trial
Langdon met the slur quickly One
Of them lCalhoun) is in New York
now and we are trying TO bring him
back" he retOrted.
do YOU know the Banjo Eyed Kid'2
Tie VIII be quite a figure here" said
LanEdon. significantly.
n know All that kind. of characters .
replied Curley.
schlesinger said that BIake's credi-
bility as a witness would be attacked.
and went further in his comments on
the graft prosecution. Langdon finally
checked the diversion by asking of
Curlev III it should appear that the
counsel for the defense IS making copy
for the Globe would it affect your
II have no more 10 do with the Globe
than you have" replied Schlesinger
"I might have something official TO do
with it if I have time" Langdon said
sharply.
a n 4 u
Louis Peterson. who had been en-
gagged in selling surety bonds and who
lives at AZ Alpine street, was passed
readily. as was William Schroeder, presi-
dent Of the California art glass COM
pany OF 9S Howard street and who lives
AZ 745 Clayton street
William A. Tyrrell. a builder living at
522 Fifth avenue, was the subject OF a
long controversy. He said that he
would not have good opinion of an
attorney ike Murphy, who would de-
fend a bsC man like Ruef Schlesinger
challenged him on the ground that he
was not impartial The challenge was
denied, but Judge Murasky said later
that Schlesinger could reopen the ex-
animation
Richard Flaherty, a builder Of 667
Third avenue, declared it against his
principles 10 believe any one giving
testimony as Blake is to give and that
under no circumstances could he be-
lfeTe Blake. He was excused in the
face Of Schlesinger's protest
Frederick Heitmyer. a builder OF z716
Bush street, who formerly conducted a
delicatessen near Langdons home and
who had been patrODized by Langdon.
was passed, as was William Fahey. for
merly proprietor Of the COSMOPOLITAN
hotel. A. A. Michaletti and Thomas J.
Fanning were excused for cause