Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-17
NICHOLAS TELLS,
SULLENLY, ABOUT
BRIDES OFFERED
FORMER SUPERVISOR TESTl-
FlES IN CALHOUN CASE
is ALLEGED TO HAVE ACCEPTED
$4,000 FROM COMPANY
Attorney for United Railroads Conn
peIs Witness to Admit He Knew
He Was Accepting Extor-
ton Money
tBy Associated Press. !

Cf AN FRANCISCO, April lS.-sunlnlt-
ting with sullen resignation to an
~ ordeal that appears more disagree
able with each repetition, Ferdinand T.
Nicholas. first of the procession OF Tor
mer supervisors who composed the
boodling board of the Schmitz admlnis-
tration, gave to the jury today his ac-
count of the transaction in which ne is
alleged to have accepted $4,000 onereo
nv Patrick Calhoun, president OF the
United Railroads, as bride for per-
nit to erect the overhead trolley on
certain cable lines owned by the COM
pany. a,o,,s dow
Nicholas occupied the stand, passing
from the interrogations OF the prose.
cution to the less tender questioning OF
fl,e defense with the people again Ill
recting the examination when the trial
was adjourned to next MONDAY.
Assistant District Attorney trancls
]. Heney conducted the examination,
disclosing the relations of Nicholas
with James l.. Gallagher, who, accord
ing to the testimony, paid him S4ooo IN
two equal installments as a bride Ior
his vote on the trolley permit.
Mr.. Heney, departing from the prece-
dent established in former cases. coIl-
fined his interrogations to the trolley
case hut when Nicholas was turned
over to Earl Rogers of the Calnoun
stair for cross-examination the inquiry
was enlarged to include the allegations
relating to payment of brides by the
gas company, the prize fight trust. the
Home and Pacific States Telephone
companies and the Parkside Realty
company.
Time and again Mr.. Rogers Iorceo
Nicholas tn admit that he knew ne was
receiving a bride when he took the
money from Gallagher; that he would
have voted for the trolley without any
underhand consideration II he had been
left to the dictates of his own con-
science. and that he confidently expect
ed to escape the legal consequences Oh
any of the crimes he had confessed.
Mr.. Rogers drew from the witness
the omen and definite admission he was
guilty of bribery on two counts, ana
that he had committed perjury.
"Don't you understand that TINS
pending indictment is held over you by
the prosecution as a menace to insure
that your testimony shall conform with
what the prosecution expects?' asked
Mr.. Rogers.
said Nicholas, YEARLY; that is no
worse than the rest of it."
Probes Into Immunity
Mr.. Rogers went far into the mat
ter of immunity granted the former
Supervisors. and Nicholas, after many
evasive replies, stated his understand
ing of the agreement was to the effect
that "Rudolph SpreckelS was handling
the matter of immunity" adding that
he had once interviewed Mr.. Spreckels
after being given Gallagher's assurance
that the contract would apply to all the
members of the board who confessed.
Nicholas was asked to account for
the $13,725 he admitted having received.
He said that he had lent $4,000 on
note; that he had paid an attorney
1920 and that he still had $1,000.
How about the rest?" asked Mr..
Rogers.
''I cannot recall how 1t went" re-
piled the witness, nervously. Il spent
it about town for car fare and things"
do you want to be understood as
saying that you spent $4,000 for car
fare?" asked Rogers. but an objection
to the question was upheld.
Half dozen times during the day
the opposing attorneys engaged in
long wrangles over points of law and
on these occasions Alexander S. King
of Georgia and A. A. Moore of the de-
Tense alternated in presenting their
side of the issue to the court
Judge Lawlor once warned A. A.
Moore that he must refrain from ask
ing any questions that appeared in
sulting but on the whole the session
was tame and orderly by comparison
with the opening of preceding trials.
Mr.. Heney created something of a
stir by addressing the court at the end
of the day and declaring he had been
advised by his physician not to en-
gage in the trial. He registered an OBJ
lection to prolonged sessions of court
and Judge Lawlor stated that it was
not his present intention to sit beyond
the usual hours.
Mr.. Heney was attended during the
day by two body guards, and the squad
of police on duty at Carpenter hall was
increased by six officers in plain
clothes who were seated among the
attorneys and spectators.