The San Francisco call., 1908-11-15


Yesterday afternoon Biggy called in
the reporters at police headquarters
and gave them a statement that was
intended from foreword to hnis 10
absolve any and all persons other than
Haas from possible implication in the
Heney murder plot. It was a brief
drawn in defense of the very interests
that have debauched the city, that have
placed Heney under the lash and thai
now must answer for the attempt TO
take his life.
Bigg's statement was TO the effect
that after a careful investigation he
and Captain Of Detectives Kelly had
come to the conclusion that the shoot
ing Of Heney by Haas was the indi-
vidual act Of the latter and that there
existed no conspiracy He said he
based this opinion in great measure
on the report submitted by Detective
Sergeant T. T. Burke
BURKE's REPORT
This report. which he handed out
with his own statement, was as fol-
lows:
TO James Kelly. Captain of Detect
ives-Sir: / respectfully report the
following:
AS per your instructions, I attended
the shooting Of the Hon. Francis J.
Heney in Judge Lawlor's court yester-
day afternoon at about 4:20 p. m,
where I found the prisoner, Norris
Haas, in charge Of Captain Of Police
Duke, who stayed with him there until
he was transferred TO county jail No. 2
Il went with him to the county jail
and remained there until a. m, this
date. November Il, 1908. Officers
Charles Kelly and Frank Ward We're
there with me.
While ] was with him Haas admitted
to me that he had done the shooting
and that IL grew out Of a grievance
since Mr.. Heney exposed his convict
career. Haas admits that he was ar
rested in the city Of Philadelphia, al
the request of the San Bernardino
officers for felony embezzlement, for
which he was brought back for trial
by Detective COhey Of this department
Haas pleaded guilty 10 the offense and
was sentenced TO two years in San
Quentin prison. He served 20 months
OF this sentence and was pardoned by
Governor Waterman and restored to all
the rights Of q citizen.
During the month of April of this
year he was selected as juror during
the trial Of Abe Ruef in the Parkside
bribery case. He was called out of his
bed at ] o'clock in the morning by a
deputy sheriff and served with a sum-
mons 10 appear in court at 10 a. m
that day. He appeared in court and
was selected as a Juror and sat in the
5ury box for one week, at the end OF
which time Heney exposed to the Jury
and the public his convict career. also
producing photograph Of Haas in
convict garb. He says he never got
over the humiliation resulting from the
exposure which brought disgrace on
his family, that he has not been him
self since and does not eat a square
meal IN week, although he sits at the
table with his family regularly with
out eating anything.
TELLS OF HIS OFFENSE
Explanation: The extradition papers
were made out in this city. He then
worked for John Schlessinger and WI
liam Green, 406 Market street. He was
brought from Philadelphia TO this citv
and when the case came up in our po-
lice court it was dismissed by Judge
Lawlor as il was discovered from the
evidence that the transaction took place
in San Bernardino. He was then re-
arrested and taken to san Bernardino
by Detective Coffey. where he pleaded
guilty and received a sentence Of two
years.
Haas says he had made UP his mind
TO get revenge and says that he didn't
want TO do any shooting until after the
election, as II he did it before then it
would be looked upon as q political
scheme. He says the election is now
over and SO is the shooting now over.
He says:
I went to Judge Lawlor's court
room yesterday afternoon and when
I got there there were no court in
session. I walked in and stood
against the wall on the right hand
side Of the room. One of the people
left their chair and ] then went
and sat down on it. had not
been there more than 10 minutes when
] began to think to myself that I was
q coward, and I felt that I didn't have
nerve enough TO shoot him
He says he never told a soul about
his intentions Of carrying on the shoot