Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-16
GRAND JURY AT
END OF INQUIRY;
RESULT IN DOUBT
INDICTMENTS DELAYED; LACK
OF PROOF HINTED
FINAL REPORT MAY BE SUBMIT
TED EARLY NEXT WEEK
Harper, Kern and Redmond, Who
Were Accused in oswald's
Testimony, Decline to
Answer Charges

VII HEN the special grand jury ap-
w James to Investigate vice pro-
lection charges adjourned at 4:5o O'CLOCK
yesterday it was admitted on all Sues
that the investigation was practically
at an end. and that nothing remained
hut to return indictments-f any can
he based on the testimony so far ihtro-
duced-and to make final report:
Indictments, If any, will, 1t Is ex-
pected, be returned today or tomorrow,
while the making of maj Teport -
conceded to be Impossible peIore TIC
middle of the coming week.
Eip,it witnesses were examined yes
terday. Three other persons went into
the Jury room, but emerged Wlthin
minute or two, after refusing 10 take
advantage of the opportunity TO vlnol-
cate themselves, If possible, or the ac-
cusations made against them py Nics
Oswald and included in the publisneo
testimony of Edwin I. Earl The men
who refused to testify were A. =: Har-
per. former mayor; Ed Kern, FORMER
chief of police, and C. j. Redmond, Tor
mer sergeant of police in charge OF the
squad doing duty in the tenderloin.
Redmond Summoned
Redmond responded to an early fore
noon summons, remaining in the cor
ridor near the grand jury room oooI
for an hour and half before pelnS
called. His entrance was followed al
most Immediately by his exit. Harper
and Kern went to the jury room after
receiving an imperative command 10
apnear. They were accompanied by At
torney H. II. Appel, who stated the
appearance of his clients was a mere
formaiity, as they would refuse 10 an
swer any questions propounded 10 Them
In this he was correct, for both FORMER
officials were in the secret chamber less
than two minutes.
Nick oswald was the first witness
yesterday, explaining In fuller detail
some of the testimony he has already
given. He was followed by Herbert
G. Dow, county auditor, who carried
q large number of demands from the
district attorneys office, the purpose
being to show that District Attorney
Fredericks and his force of detectives
under S. L. Browne had been indus
triousIy working to uncover official
misconduct for several months prior
to the time when the last preceding
grand jury began its work. Detective
Browne was also a witness, explain
ing how the money shown in the de-
mands had been spent
George La Couer, an Also street
saloonkeeper; Leslie r. Hewitt, city at
torney; o. NJ Salzer, an employe OF
the United States National bank;
Tracy @. Hall, assistant cashier OF the
Securities Savings bank, and r. v.
Miner of the Security Land and Loan
company, were also witnesses, the pur-
pose in examining several of these
persons being to discover, If possible,
the source from which Thomas Broad
head procured money to purchase 24O
acres of land at Corcoran.
Say Loan Was Made
Part of the money, 1t was stated by
one witness, had been loaned to Broad
head from the funds of the Occidental
Insurance company, while another wit
ness said money had also been bor-
rowed from his banker father to be
loaned to the former police chief
Regarding the question of indict-
ments. 1t is difficult to fathom the
minds of the grand jurors, and Wheth-
err or no they will return true bills is
puzzling many persons. There is no
getting around the fact that the tes-
timony already given is of such a
character that it will be no easy mat
ter for the district attorney to carry
indictments to successful conclusion In
the courts. A number of the jurymen.
H. is understood, realize this condi-
ton, while others are strongly of the
opinion that sufficient evidence has
been shown on which to file charges
and bring several persons to trial. This
conflict of opinion may result in the
filing of a majority and a minority
report, as was the case when the for
mer grand jury adjourned in February,
but this action is regarded as improba-
BILE.
The jury will resume it's sessions to-
day. No further witnesses, 1t was
stated yesterday, would be called, and
the time will be spent, for the most
part, in discussing the testimony al
ready introduced.