The San Francisco call., 1908-09-04
Confined from Page 1, Column

IiddNl Is rendered worthless prl-
marily on the testimony of Kelly,
which was fully substantiated. and also
by the disappearance of the afiant i'm
mediately after he had received a mes
sage from Murphy over the telephone
telling him that the matter would be
brought up in court in the afternoon
and that he would be needed as a wit
ness.
The affidavit made by Blake was pre-
pared by his attorney. Martin Stevens.
who acquired much notoriety during
the Investigations Of the Oliver grand
jury into the French restaurant ex-
tOrtiOn cases. According TO testimony
before the grand jury. Stevens was a
20 between for Marchand in his deal
ings with Abe Ruef.
The afternoon session of the court
was occupied with the examination of
Murphy and Newburgh, the reading of
Blake's discredited af1davit. the brief
testimony of Presiding Judge Sturte-
want. the testimony of Miss Iyda
Eutchjns, Blake's stenographer; Samuel
y. Snyder, real estate broker of 7S7
Market street, Kelly's employer. and
Mrs. Laura NJ. Cowan. Snyder's stenog-
rapher.
Kelly's story was told at night. Few
persons Were in the courtroom be-
yond the array Of attorneys on each
side and people who are vitaIly inter-
ested in the graft prosecution. In the
not too bright courtroom sat District
Attorney Langdon, Assistant District
Attorneys Heney, O'Gara and Harri-
son. Special Agent Burns and full
corps of his men. With Ruef Were
Murphy. Newburgh, Henry Ach and
several other attendants. Judge Law
lor swore Kelly as a witness. The
venireman came into court late, as he
had been before Police Judge Caban-
iss 10 swear 10 a warrant for the ar
rest OF Blake
KELLY GIVES TESTIMONY
IN opening his testimony Kelly stated
that he lived at 13S Carl street and was
employed in the real estate Office of
s. y Snyder at 7S7 Market street. I'm
der questions by Heney, which were
prompted by Kelly's statement which
the assistant district attorney held in
his hand, complete tale of attempted
corruption on the part Of Blake or
the persons he acted for was told by
fhe witness.
HAD WORKED TOGETHER
Kelly said that he had known z. A
S. Blake for from seven to IA years
Blake's Office address had previously
been given as room 704 Pacific build
ing. and Kelly said that Blake was a
building contractor. The two men
had worked together in the engraving
department of Shreve's, the jewelers.
After leaving Shreve's at the time of
the FIRE the witness had spent two sea-
sons IN Alaska with the Northern COM
nlercial company. Business relations
with Blake had been resumed indiffer-
entity during the summer when the two
men found themselves both interested
in real estate.
Did you see Blake since you were
on the jury panel% asked Heney.
i saw him on July 81" the witness
replied, and previous to that 1 saw
him in Market street. He was very
anxious then that come to see him.
On July 81 he came into the Office about
five minutes of o'clock. Mr. Butler.
a salesman. and Mr.. Elder. customer
OF the Office, were present at the time
)snd Mr.. Blake said he wanted to see
me privately. He and went into an
inner Office and I closed the door.
MAKES PROPOSITION
Now, John he said, 7 have a prop
osition TO make to you. I don't know
how you VIII take it. If you like st
al right; If not, don't say anything
There is money in it for you. You are
summoned on the Ruef jury and there
is $500 in il for you If you get on the
jury and vote to acQuit Ruef.
No. I said, I'd never do anything
like that
INFORMS LANGDoN
Il thought it was my duty" the wit
ness continued. TO inform the district
attorney OF the attempt made to bribe
me. asked Blake TO give me until
the next day 10 think 1t over. AS he
left the Office. Snyder came in. I told
Snyder Of the proposal he had made and
Snyder advised me to report it to the
-, -. -
afternoon I told the story to Langdon.
He said that he would like to have
me report the story 70 Burns. He'll be
glad 10 hear st. Langdon said
Burns told me TO tell Blake that
$500 was not enough for a Job of that
kind That I should take no less than
81 0O0."
Did Burns say anything about cut
ting rates2" asked Heney.
Yes; Burns said They are cutting
rates on YOU Blake will get $4,000
FOR it,
The next day. Saturday. August 1,
Blake came in about noon." continued
Kelly. we stepped into the inner Of
fee told him that $1,000 was a fair
price. He said that he would have to
take the matter up with the proper
persons He added that he was COM
Ing 10 me merely as a friend.
7 am acting between two friends .
he said, yourself and an attorney who
once did me q favor, defending case
FOR me without cost other than the
court fees. Think what you could do
with nice fat bunch of twenties right
now"
He told me that at the previous Ruef
trial jurors hsd been fixed and had had
no trouble"
PROMISED BIGGER sum
Kelly continued that he had seen
Blake several times after that and a
raise had been promised him The
raise was TO be to 1900, but Blake
thought that $500 should be enough for
the witness.
Several times during the last two
days the veniremen telephoned to
Blake, but Blake could not be found
The real story OF the bribery came
after all the details had been made pub
lie Indirectly in court. The excitement
was AT its highest when Murphy para
ooxically brought on the exposure be-
hind a veil Of virtue.
The theory OF the graft prosecution is
that when the attorneys for the defense
saw Kelly in the court on Friday last
they suspected that their plans were
going wrong and that an exposure was
imminent. At that time Kelly went up