The San Francisco call., 1908-08-21
CRIME IS
PLACEDON
PLOTTFRS
John and Peter CIaudianes and
Felix Pauduveris Are Quick.
ly Indicted
Alameda County Grand Jury
Hears Plenty of Evidence
Without Confessions
One Brother Remains Mute.
While the Other Adds to
Long List of Lies
Two Prisoners Booked in Oak
land on Charge of Dynamiting
GalIagher Houses

John and Peter Claudianes and
Felix Pauduveris, the Greeks ac-
cused of the attempts to assassi-
nate James L. Gallagher with dy-
Mantle, were jointly indicted yes
terday afternoon by the grand
jury of Alameda county under
section COL of the penal code
which names Imprisonment OF
from one year to life as the penal
| ty for using explosives to wreck
building or endanger human
life.
The true bill, charging the de-
PENDANTS with felony, was re-
turned before Judge Melvin in depart
ment of the superior court Of Ala
media county at o'clock last evening.
after the inquisitors had listened all
day to the testimony OF witnesses
called to corroborate the principal de-
tails OF the confessions made by John
and Peter Claudianes. the two defend
ants already under arrest.
| So convincing was the testimony
amassed by District Attorney Langdon
and William j. Burns of this city and
ICaptain of Detectives Petersen Of Oak
| land that 1t took the grand jury Jess
than Is minutes to vote and prepare
the indictment after the last of the
testimony had been received. and this
he "a
absolutely den1ed his prior confession
when called as witness and that Pete
remained mute, refusing TO affirm or
deny anything.
SECRECY MAINTAINED
The greatest of secrecy was main
| tanned by the prosecuting officials dur
| ing the investigation. and even after
the indictment was returned and the
Claudianes brothers arrested on the
new charge. the indictment was
placed on secret file and positive in
structions were given by Judge Mel
vim to the grand jurors and prosecut-
ing officials not to divulge the names
/ of the defendants or the number of
persons accused This was due. largely,
to the fact that the grand jury may
again delve into the case at a later
date in an attempt to connect the real
| dynamiters with the higher up San
Francisco graft defendant in whose
mind the plot to kill Gallagher. Lang
don, Heney. Burns and Spreckels origi-
mated.
John and Pete C1audianes were taken
to Oakland early yesterday morning
by Captain of Detectives Petersen of
Oakland and Detective Thomas Muir
ply of the San Francisco department.
were held in the Alameda county jail
all day, were taken late in the after
noon before the grand jury and then
were rearrested in the office OF District
lAttorney Brown and booked in the Ala
media county jail on the new charge
growing out of the indictment. Bonds
for each Of the prisoners. as well as for
Felix Pauduveris, were set by the court
at $40, 1000. or $4,000 cash bail.
EVIDENCE IS POSITIVE
Evidence of the most positive and
discriminating character against all
three defendants was put before the
| grand jury, the most sensational new
feature of the day being the introduc-
ton in evidence Of three letters relat-
ing to the plot to kill Gallagher, which
were written by Pauduveris to stPete
i Claudianes at the time the plot to
dynamite the Schenck home was being
Matched. Though these letters contain
no mention of the name of any person
behind the wholesale murder scheme
and no definite details of the plot it,
self, their contents are of a nature
j to establish perfect corroboration OF
some Of the most important details OF
L Pete Claudianes confession and TO
4 greatly strengthen the chain OF In
crimination against both Pete and
4 Felix.
FELIX'S LETTERS TO PETE
The first letter was written by Felix
i to Pete several weeks before the first
dynamiting occurred Pete was then
/ in Chico and Felix instructed him in
i the letter to come to San Francisco
at once. as he had job for him to
do which would mean big money"
4 The letter also warned Pete to say
i nothing of his intentions and TO keep
| his whereabouts as secret as possible.
The other two letters were Of the same
i nature. and all three bear Felix's own
/ signature. The genuineness of the sig
/ natures was established by Carl Eisen-
/ schiInel the handwriting expert, who
! compared them with verified exemplars
produced by the prosecution and de-
clared that they were written by the
same hand that wrote the exemplars-
The case made out yesterday before
the grand jury does not depend upon
the confessions Of either John or Pete
Claudianes- With these as a basis.
Langdon. Burns and Petersen have
made a complete case Of corroboration
that win cfrcumvent any attempt BY
either OF the young Greeks to deny the