The San Francisco call., 1908-03-29
DROP FOR Lift"
MADE BY SLEUTH
Private Detective Employed to
Trap Policemen Makes
Sensational Sneak
Rather Than Face Accused After
Trial, Jumps From
Second Story

i
J The drop for life" was the sensa-
tional means adopted by -Sleuth" En-
mis-. special detective in the employ of
the board of police commissioners, in
making safe exit from the second
moor OF the hall of justice in Eddy
street yesterday afternon when Ennis
had finished testifying in the investi-
cation being made into the charge of
accepting a bribe preferred against Po-
/ liceman Maurice Behan.
Ennis was accompanied in his drop
by Detective Charles Goff of the regu-
! lar force. After Ennis and Goff had
done the parachuteless drop into yawn-
ing space they fed across a lot full of
twisted iron and caught an Ellis street
car.
To make Ennis part more interest
ing. he was beautifully disguised in a
pair OF ''phony9 whiskers and blue Cog
giles He wanted to avoid reporters and
policemen who thronged the hallway.
Parker, pal of Ennis. made his es
cape from the commissioners room in
similar way half an hour later.
Policeman Maurice Behan was on
trial on a charge of receiving a bribe
of IS from Samuelson. keeper of an al
legged questionable lodging house at
tlZ hearny street. The night of the al
legged bribery Policeman John W. Evatt
was also suspected of taking s5 from
Ssmuelson.
After the commissioners had con-
suited for about half an hour yesterday
Commissioner Kiel, who is not sitting
on the case. as he is an important wit
ness, was sent for Soon he hurriedly
LETT the building, returning in a few
minutes with talL bewhiskered and
spectacled man whom he slipped quietly
into the commissioners private room
kiel, it was said, brought him from his
office in the Flood building, where. the
mans partner was also waiting to be
called il necessary. Half an hour later
the commissioners returned with Chief
Biggy TO the trial room, when Behan
was recalled by President Cutler and
questioned. After the board adjourned
the sleuth made his exit in the manner
described rather than face the police
men and others in the corridor.
At the trial Thursday night both
Commissioner Kiel and Chief Biggy, in
giving their testimony, when asked by
Attorney Joseph J.. Dunno for the
names of the two sleuths, refused to
give the Information, but it was
learned yesterday that their names
were Parker and Ennis.
Policeman Peter Mitchell testified
yesterday that 712 Kearny street was
freauented by bad women. Behan tes-
tified that Samuefson had seen him the
morning of March Il and had asked
him to call upon him that night He
did so, when Samuelson slipped a SIS
gold piece into his hand, telling him
it was a present and to buy a hat with
it. Behan. had never received a coin
from Samuelson before. he said, and
that he and Evatt went to the chiefs
Office Sunday afternoon intending to
explain about the receipt of the coin,
and that it was Shisziate4l tfon tc=sftand
It over to the. property clerk bat that
the chief would not listen to an ex-
PLANTATION, saying il was a matter for
the commissioners to deal with. When
recalled he denied drinking any liquor
with Samuelson when handed the
money.
Evatt's case was called and Attorney
Dunno agreed that all of the evidence
/ in the Behan case would apply TO
Evatts case. Evatt testified that Sam
uelson had followed him from Clay
street to Montgomery avenue, where
he tapped him on the shoulder, slipped
a IS gold piece into his hand and say
I ing. That is a present to buy a pair
of shoes for one Of the kids" hurried
away. His accuser had not been men
toned to him when taken before the
chief. said Evatt. nor was any ex-
planation asked as to where and from
whom he had got the coin Like Be-
han. he called upon the chief on the
Sunday afternoon n ma Ixa oxraIar1a