Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-04
ALLOW
W0OLWINE TO
TAKE CHARGE
FREDERICKS DECLINES TO AC-
CEDE TO WISH
ASSERTS HE HAS MADE OTHER
ARRANGEMENTS
Gives Out Singing Interview in Which
He Declares Himself Satisfied
Prosecuting Attorney Is
Incompetent
A FTER long drawn out deliberation

n LIN iOl6 uldWtl OuI utilbGIdIlOh
II and consultation with leading ma
"a chine politicians District Attorney
Fredericks has formally repudiated
Prosecuting Attorney Woolwine. The
latter sent another letter to the district
attorney yesterday reconsidering the
offer of Captain Fredericks and saying
that he had decided to take charge of
the investigation before the grand
jury.
But Captain Fredericks said at mid
night last night that he had made other
arrangements. What these were he
would not detail, but he said some one
else would be secured in Woolwine's
place.
"The time for Woolwine to act has
passed." declared the district attor-
ney 81 have made other arrangements.
when I asked him to take this
matter in hand l supposed as a matter
of course he had some evidence to
back his charges; when I later passed
by his surprising and insulting letter
to urge him to reconsider l still felt
he must have some evidence which
would justify a thorough investiga-
ton, no matter how expensive.
81 have since heard his story from
beginning to end and know that he
has absolutely no evidence or shadow
of evidence, and if he had he would
not know how to use it. 1 presume he
told the same story to the grand jury.
What they may think of it / do not
know. All his loud charges were backed
by not one little fact.
"There are other reasons why, after
hearing his story, / cannot intrust
him with these large powers. I listened
to- him carefully for some hours Fri
day and thoroughly satisfied myself
that the young man, however earnest,
was thoroughly incompetent as an at
4D.rr- s.e.1~ fS1.trs
1 think, he realizes himself from the
fact that he stipulates that he shall
have the assistance of three attorneys.
Cites San Francisco
"San Franciscos great graft expos
ures with it's hundreds of indict-
ments, was handled by but one attor-
ney, assisted by many detectives but
by no other lawyer even from the
/ regular force of the district attorney
| there. The young man knows, if he
! knows any law at all, that extra dep
uty district attorneys cannot be paid
by the county else the county would
have had a good man in his place long
ago. We can spend thousands for de-
tectives. ETC.. but the law provides the
number of deputies who can be paid
by the county. So even this wise con-
dition of necessity bars his acceptance.
'I am extremely sorry that he has
not De6n dDle TO enforce the SldCS laws
in the city. Mr.. Fleming, who was his
predecessor. seemed to have reasonable
success. He closed the gambling
houses and bucketshopS and was
steadily driving out the prostitutes,
and had the cooperation of the police.
1t will handicap me greatly to take
up this city work again, but L shall
be compelled to do so unless a more
capable man is selected by the city
authorities.
Can Understand Failure
"After listening to Woolwine Friday
can readily understand the reason he
has failed He not only lacks logical
mind and is unframed IN the criminal
law, but he is visionary, jumps at
conclusions and does not reason well.
Another reason why the WoolWine
incident is closed is that no self-re-
specting man could be expected to re-
tain the services of a subordinate who
used such foolish and diSrespectful
language to his superior.
"Another reason is because, having
heard his story. there does not appear
to be any need for his services. He
has no information which could not be
impaired in two minutes to any law
yer. If there was ever any necessity for
going outside the district attorneys
office to find one.
'If there are any really representa-
doubt, and they feel there is a need
of special help in such matters, they
must select another man than Wool
wine."
WooIwine's Letter
Captain Fredercks made the above
reply to the following letter from
Woolwine, sent to him yesterday after
noon:
~ have deliberated long and care
fully over your letter to me of the End
inst, and while I do not wish to re-
tract any of the statements made to
you in my answer of the same date,
in which 1 state that do not believe
you are sincere in your offer I have
made up my mind to reconsider the
same, and the reasons which actuate
me in this conclusion are as follows:
"I am satisfied that vice has been
and is being protected i'll the city of
Los Angeles by the mayor and police
are such that the public interests de-
mand that the above charges be
probed to the end and that action be
taken looking to the correction of this
deplorable evil.
81 am so deeply interested in the pub
lie welfare of this city that I have de-
cided to yield to the great pressure
that is being brought to bear upon me
to take charge of this investigation be-
fore the grand jury.
For these reasons I have decided to
put your offer to the test. and will ac-
cept the same upon the following con-
ditions:
THAT I be allowed four detectives
and three assistant attorneys, who
shall be commissioned by you as dep
uty district attorneys, all of which
said detectives and assistants to be
absolutely subject to my orders and
commands to the absolute exclusion OF
yourself.
Further. that be allowed an expert
stenographer of my own choosing. That
all these persons be allowed reason
able compensation for their services;
and also a reasonable expense account
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