Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-10-18
MAY CHOOSE
SPECIAL GRAFT
INVESTIGATION
BELIEVED GRAND JURY IS
DISSATISFIED
WooLWlNE's FRIENDS PREDICT
VICTORY
InquIsltors Have Lengthy Conference
with Presiding Judge James.
More Damage Suits
Filed

Fredericks and asked Tor the seAeSea0AA
of a special attorney to assist In a
thorough Investigations" The answer
among the knowing ones at the court
house was a guess in the affirmative.
Support of this view was furnished
in the statement OF District Attorney
Fredericks that he had nothing 10 pre-
sent to the grand jury and would not
be in attendance yesterday. On the
other hand. virtually all of yesterdays
two-hour session was taken up with a
consultation with Judge James, anu IL
was evident to the reporters ana otners
waiting in the hall that the discussion
was an Intensely earnest one. 1t Is ex-
pected that the decision VIII De re-
vealed at the grand jury session elther
Monday or Tuesday.
IT, as is freely prophesied at the
court house, this will amount to the ap-
pointment of special prosecutor Tor
the graft investigation, Mr.. Woolwlne
friends contend that 1t may be regarded
as a victory for him, as he has con-
tended. they say, solely for fair and
thorough investigation of conditions.
The grand jury session began at 10
O'Clock, and forty minutes later Presid-
sng Judge w. P. James entered the jury
room, remaining until almost noon.
trict attorney and Mr.. Woolwine,
which, 1t is believed. has also entered
the ranks of the grand Jurors them
selves, the visit of Judge James is re-
garded as of especial significance.
Fredericks Not Called
District Attorney Fredericks was not
called to take part In the deliberations,
and his absence and the presence of
Judge James has led to the belief that
the jury is endeavoring to discover
some way to proceed in the investiga-
ton of alleged graft without further
delay. That the body cannot proceed
with the investigation with District
Attorney Fredericks at the helm is the
belief expressed generally by persons
who have closely followed the happen
ings of the past two weeks.
When Judge James left the grand
jury room he would make no further
comment than that he had been called
to advise the body in his capacity as
presiding judge on matters of proceed
ure.
one of the deputy constables who lin
gered in the corridor in front of the
grand jury room during Its troublous
session Thursday was on hand again
yesterday, closely observing every APP
preaching person. What the object of
this supposed espionage is he would
not say, declaring that he was simply
resting"
Mr.. woolwine appeared in the hall
way at 1870, accompanied by Attorney
Edwin o. Edgerton. IT had an under
standing" he said. that 1 was to meet
the jury at this hour ! cannot state
my business, but I am not here as a
witness, and certainly not as a deputy
district attorney"
When questioned in regard to a state
ment published in an evening paper
d., MI hn irf n
was quoted as using a base epithet
when referring to Woolwine, the latter
said:
IF the newspapers correctly quote
him, this man has stopped to undigni-
fled vituperation. All that 1 have to
say is that 1t became necessary and
desirable for me to tell him to his face
and in such vigorous language as the
occasion demanded my personal i'm
pressions of him. His conduct has in
dicated that he Is as meek as d lamb
in the presence of an adversary and as
fierce as lion when several city blocks
intervene"
Capt. Fredericks, when questioned
about yesterdays meeting of the jury,
said he had nothing to do with 1t. Il
have no matters to present to the jury"
he said, so neither l nor any of my
deputies will be present"
The district attorney said he would
Mr.. Woolwine appears to show cause
why he should not be required to an
swer questions propounded to him by
Mr.. Fredericks in the grand jury room
Thursday Mr.. Woolwine will be rep
resented by Attorney Edwin o. Edger-
ton.
A significant fact developed yester-
day when 1t became known that none
of the defendants, Mr.. Woolwine, the
Evening Express nor Edwin I. Earl, its
publisher, had been served with papers
in the libel suits filed by Mayor A. G.
Harper and members of the police COM
mission.
Enters Appearance
w. H. Anderson. one of the attorneys
retained by Mr.. Earl, entered an APP
pearance yesterday in the two suits
filed by the mayor and Commissioner
Lewis 1.-THE only information we have
that these suits have been fled" he
said, has been gained by reading the
newspapers and the court records"
The fact that no papers were served
is proof according to Mr.. Woolwine's
friends that his statement that the
filing of these suits had for it's object
the intimidation of himself and the
members of the grand jury, and is
nothing more than bluff"
Two more suits charging libel were
filed yesterday, one against the Even
publisher, and the other against Mr..
Woolwine. The plaintiff in the former
case is FL. B. Woodill, a police commits
sioner who demands $150,000 on three
separate causes, while the action
against Woolwine was instituted by
Edward B. Tufts, also a police commits
sioner Tufts quotes the two articles
appearing in a Los Angeles morning
paper September q and October as
the basis for his complaint, and de-
mands 100000. or $4,000 on two separate
CLAUSES.
The editorials appearing in >the Ex-
press on October 8 and are made the
basis for part of Woodill's complaint.
THESE are also quoted in full in the suit
brought by Mayor Harper some days
ago. Woodill, however, adds another
charge OF libel against the Express be-
cause Of the publishing of a cartoon
on August IA. A copy of the cartoon
is made part of the complaint Con-
corning 1T Woodill In, his complaint
says:
Makes Complaint
THAT on August IA the Express did
depict and publish and cause to be
printed, depicted and published in a
conspicuous place in said newspaper,
Los Angeles Express, in it's daily issue
OF August Ia, the following scandalous
and defamatory words. caricatnre and