The San Francisco call., 1909-06-04
STOLEN REPORTS
AGAIN FIGURE IN
CALHOUN TRIAL
Methods of Burns Office Are
Explained by Many
Witnesses
Bench Warrant Issued for Re-
turn of Woman Witness
Who Has Vanished
By w. RUSSELL COLE


identification Of stolen jury reports
and a renewed inquiry into the manner
in which the business of the prosecu-
ton is conducted in the office of Specia
Agent Burns were the chief subjects Of
testimony and discussion in the Cal
houn trial yesterday. Most of the direct
examination Of witnesses by the prose
cution was devoted TO the picking up
OF loose ends of evidence, and the day
was unusually free from wrangling
among the attorneys. This was chiefly
due TO the fact that the testimony taken,
though essential to the completion OF
the case was OF a cOrrOborative nature.
Late IN the afternoon q statement was
made by the prosecution that Mrs. Min
ME Morgan, who testified Wednesday,
was wanted again as a witness, but
GOULD not be found. Mrs. Morgan stated
Wednesday that she had aided her hus-
band. mike" Morgan. to evade a sub
pena that had been out for him for
severed days, and at the conclusion Of
her testimony was instructed to re-
main under the order OF court in the
event that either side should wish to
recall her. Assistant District Attorney
Heney said that efforts had been made
all day yesterday 10 locate her, but that
she could not be found He admitted
that the witness might have misunder-
stood the instructions of the court, but
al the same time asked that a bench
warrant be issued to cause her return,
and such an order was made.
STOLEN REPORTS AGAIN
The bundle of reports stolen from
William J. Burns Office ane later recov-
cred from William NJ Abbott's safe
under a search warrant formed the
theme Of much OF the testimony taken
yesterday Raymond SCHNEIDER and ".
II. Russell. two Of the assistant special
agents connected with Burns office.
Identified certain individual reports
taken from the pile as copies of orig
8nals on file among the records OF the
prosecution and produced the originals
for comparison In order TO save time
II was agreed that the comparison Of
documents should be made outside Of
open court by representatives Of the
prosecution and defense, and that du-
plicates should be alphabetically ar
ranged and numbered before being Of
fered as exhibits for the examination
Of the jury. This occupied several
hours, and neither SCHNEIDER nor Rus
sell was recalled to the stand
Miss Il H. Harper. the stenographer
times to John H. Helms while the lat
ter was in charge Of the Calhoun de-
tective bureau, and whose assistants
were engaged in the copying Of the
stolen reports, was recalled to the wit
ness stand for a short time. She pro-
duced the memorandum books which
she was ordered on Wednesday to
bring into court. and by reference to
them gave the dates on which her en-
ployes had been sent to work under
Helms instructions.
DYNAmITTNG
The Gallagher dynamfting matter
was reverted to briefly by the calling
20 the witness stand of George H
Stoeffel. a contractor, who took a pic
ture OF the wreck of the Schenck
house in Oakland Immediately after the
The witness told of the
condition Of the house at the time he
Inspected 1t. and the photograph was
Introduced IN evidence. George E Nc
Rae. an architect who was engaged
afth Gallagher In building the houses
~ Adams point in Oakland at the time
hey were wrecked by the second
3ynamftipg outrage. was Also called to
he stand. He described the results
u the explosion and gave the details
lf the business relations between him
Fek and Gallagher.
Perciyal 7. Scales, private secretary
Tor Rudolph Spreckels, described the
original trapping of former Supervisors
Walsh, Boxton and Lonergan in the
act Of accepting bribes from Golden
w. Roy IN connection with the matter
u a fake skating ordinance. Scales
,old how the money had been marked
before Roy handed it to the super
Tisors and how Burns. Reeves and him
elf watched the elimination of the
bribery transactions through ginnIet
holes in the folding doors at Roy's
house Scales testimony fully sub
stantiated' that given by Reeves. who
vas a witness few days ago
The first reference that has been
brought into the trial concerning the
sffort instituted by the defense to
hold UP the salaries and expense ac-
counts Of William J. Burns and all the
employees of his Office occurred during
he examination OF Raymond Burns
The witness, VINO is son of William
]. Burns and the book keeper in charge
u all the special agents accounts. was !
,siled by the prosecution TO explain an
TEN OF expenditure included in the ac-
count recently presented IN court hv |
Rudolph Spreckels. The item referred |
o a payment OF SI2715 to Policeman |
Charles Goff which the witness de- |
lared was for the latter's expenses on
wo trips to Trinity county, where he |
vent to meet John Fl. Helms
Is that amount charged to the city?'' |
inquired Heney
1T is, answered Burns
And why. then. does il appear
;harged to Mr.. Spreckels?" III
That is because the money was ad
by him for expenses. When If
s paid by the city it is credited TO |
lie account
20 ADVANCE EXPENSES
Does your Office receive money from