Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-20
GRAFT CHARGES
TAKEN IN HAND
MANY WITNESSES EXAMINED
BY GRAND JURY
Sugar Corporation Secretary and For
mer Police Commissioner Ques-
tioned-E. 3. Tufts Files
Suit for Libel

Yesterday mornings session of the
grand jury lasted four and a half
hours. Investigation of alleged graft
took up the time of the body and a
large number of witnesse- were exam
ined. Many of these persons are said
to have furnished information to Wool
wine and his charges are believed to
have been based partly on what he has
learned from them.
w. C. Petchner, secretary of the Pa
clfic Sugar corporation of Visalia, was
the first man called. This corporation
was formed in June, 1907, the directors
being M. G. Fogg, A. L. Dewey, l.. L.
Miller I. d. Brett, Nathan Cole, jr.,
e. s. Field and w. G. Petchner. On a
certificate of bonded indebtedness, filed
with the county clerk a month later,
appear the names of A. G. Harper and
Samuel Schenck as directors. Rumor
had it that stock in this corporation
was sold to a certain element in Los
Angeles and that protection was given
to this class as a result. Petchner re-
mained in the jury room almost the
entire forenoon and was a witness
again in the afternoon.
G. H. Fuller, former police commits
sioner, now head of the Pioneer Truck
company, was the second witness. 1t
is said he resigned from the commits
sion as a result of charges that he
owned property rented for immoral
purposes.
Newspaper Men Called
w. H. Durham, a former newspaper
man, was the next witness, remaining
in the grand jury room a short time.
lie was followed by Eugene Germain,
president of the Democratic club. Pitt
p. Hand, formerly a newspaper man,
was before the jury twice during the
day, and Albert l.. Searl another news
paper man, was witness for a short
time. Another reporter to go before
the jury was Earl Strachan, and fol-
lowing him was I. G. Hearst, head of
a detective agency, whose name ap-
pears in Mr. Woolwine's affidavit.
Other persons who were called before
the investigating body or told to report
at a later date were Alfret Tridens,
believed to have made some investiga-
tions in the "redlight" district. L..
Bartlett, formerly a newspaper report
er; Tim Spellacy, president of the Mas
cot Oil company; r. d. Peck, a news
paper circulator; J. ]. Lonergan and
John Roster, owners and proprietors of
the Imperial cafe. Two women, Gladys
Rice, 405 Commercial street, and Ray
Devoe, living on New High street, were
also among those waiting to be called.
'I don't know why they want me-"
connection with sugar stock. But L
didn't buy any. They must have made
a mistake and thought I was Levon
White, whom bought out"
None of the witnesses or members of
the grand jury would say anything as
they left the room. District Attorney
Fredericks was also secretive.
The jury adjourned until 10 o'clock
Wednesday and all witnesses waiting
at the time of adjournment were in
structed to be on hand again at that
time.
Another Libel Suit
Another suit, charging libel, was filed
yesterday against the Evening Express
and Edwin T. Earl its publisher. The
Plaintiff is Edward B. Tufts. police
commissioner, and the complaint is
based on the two editorials of October
and October 8, respectively, which
have already been made the cause for
other suits against the paper. Com
missioner Tufts asks for damages of
$4,000 on each count, or a total of
100000.
An early trial is apparentl- desired
by the Express, and to secure this an
important step was taken yesterday,
when Earl Rogers and Anderson &
Anderson, attorneys representing the
evening paper and it's publisher, OBJ
tained from Judge Bordwell an order
directing Mayor Harper to give his
deposition before Edward F. Wehrle,
a notary public, Saturday at a. m.