The San Francisco call., 1908-12-05
.LANGDON TELLS OF
BRIBERY ATTEMPT.
District Attorney Makes Open
ing Statement in Case of F. j.
Murphy, Ruef's Counsel
E. A. S. Blake, Who Tried to
Buy Venireman, Exchanges
Icy Stares With Defendant

The trial of Frank j. Murphy. former
associate of Henry Ach in the defense
of Abe Ruef on the charge of having
attempted to bribe- John Martin Kelly.
a talesman, began in earnest yesterday
morning before Judge Frank j. Muir
asky After succinct review of the
charges, gainst Murphy by District At
torney William H. Langdon, the taking
of record testimony Was begun. This
procedure of purely technical conse-
quence, to establish Murphy's official
connection with Ruef as an attorney
and to show that John Martin Kelly
was called as venireman consumed
the entire morning session. Judge
Murasky in order to preside at the
juvenile court, adjourned the trial at
noon. 1t will be resumed this morning
at o'clock.
District Attorney Langdon said that
important witnesses for the prosecution
would be called to thes stand this morn
ing. E. A. S. Blake, whose confession
implicated Murphy and his associate,
A. S. Newburgh, has been in constant
attendance at the trial, but whether he
will be called to testify during the
early stages of the case has not been
determined by the district attorneys
office
INDICTMENT ATTACKED
Slight differences arose between
counsel over the question as to whether
the Indictment against Ruef should be
admitted as evidence. Bert Schlesinger,
attorney for Murphy. contending that
the document was faulty drawn be-
cause it did not mention Calhoun and
Tirey L. Ford, also defendants. Schle-
singer took exception to the use of the
terms Offering" and receiving in re-
lation to bribes in the indictment
claiming that the use of the words was
confusing and misdescribed the offense.
! William Hoff Cook, assistant district
attorney, contended that the Indictment
was legally correct and was distin-
! guished by its number. The court held
a similar view. but a ruling from the
| pench was unnecessary, as the attor-
neys stipulated that if cause was found
ttts question might be thrashed out at
some future time during the progress
/ of the trial.
The original indictment was identified
| by h Alexander, clerk in Judge Sturte-
wants court, who established identified
tion by the number appearing on the
document-No. 1437. Larry Buckley
another attache of the county clerks
Office. was called for. but did not ap-
pear. Martin F. Welsh. clerk in Judge
Lawlor's court, was also called to
| identify the Indictment, but his testi-
nony was interrupted by the objection
made by Sehlesinger. Later Welsh pro-
duced his minute books in court and
traced the various stages of the present
Ruef trial. Judge Lawlor, during g
recess in his court, appeared as a. wit
ness, testifying that he had made ar
order July 16 of this year. summonina
| trial jurors, and that among the names
was that of James Martin Kelly. Harry
Mulcrevy, county clerk, produced Judge
Lawlor's order and exhibited Kelly;
name in the document
NO LOVING CHANCES
Blake and Murphy exchanged chilly
glances when District Attorney Lang.
don, in his review of the charges, spoke
of the formers confession The prose.
cutor laid stress upon that portion o.
the confession wherein Blake told o.
Murphys offers. According to thi.
offer, Blake, if convicted, was to re.
ceive $4,000 to remain silent, and i
acquitted he was to get $4,000. Murphy
displayed several notes of $4,000 de
! nomination signed by A. Ruef anC
| countersigned by the ex-boss' mother
and sister, so it is claimed. Langdor
told of the various meetings between
Blake, Murphy and Newburgh.
While Langdon was making his state
ment John Martin Kelly, whom Ruef'.
attorneys sought to bribe, strolled into
the courtroom apparently to be presen
in the event that he was called as
] witness. He departed, however, aftel
receiving permission from Langdon tc
| do So