The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-06-24
CALHOUN JURY FAILS
TO REACH AGREEMENT
Famous Case Against President
OF United Railroads at
San Francisco.

san francisco, June DISCRIMINATING
~ q disagreement of the jury with ia
men determined on acquittal and two
essaulaslly resolved upon conviction.
eae tllal OF resident Patrick Calhoun.
OF the United railroads. ended at noon
yesterday. ooA
Five months and a week had
.ransplred since the wealthy street car
gna a descendant of Patrick
Henry, made his first appearances in
court to answer to the charge of Offer
ing a pribe of $4,000 to a supervisor to
opIaln a privilege for his corporation.
MOI until each juror had pronounced
was the order for their liberation made
9y Judge Lawlor, the prosecution and
ueIense giving assent to the discharge.
History of Case.
Patrick Calhoun was one Of a score
OF wealthy corporation officials indicted
as an outcome of the municipal up-
neaVal or 1907, when the administration
dominated by Mayor Eugene E. Schmitz
and Abraham Ruef was overthrown.
IN November. 1905, Francis j. Heney,
already we'll known as a public prose-
cutor, charged in a public address that
tue! and Schmitz were guilty of cor
ruption, and with w. j. Burns, for
merly q government secret service
agent, undertook an investigation of
privileges awarded several public serv-
ice corporations.
The Olivet grand jury, empaneled un-
DER the direction of Heney in October.
1905, in 4S hours, returned more than
$40 indictments against various persons
charged with completely in the brib-
cries.
Calhoun, together with Abraham Ruef
and three subordinate officials of the
United Railroads, was indicted on IA
H011nfc no ~ 80 -
by a later grand jury. 1t was charged
that the corporation had secured from
the supervisors on May 81, 1906, a per-
nit authorizing substitution Of the
overland trolley system for the cable
lines partially destroyed by the earth
quake and fire Of April Is, 1906.
Calhoun and the other defend
ants were accused of having paid
Ruef, Schmitz and the supervisors
curing the permit for the company,
and each indictment was based up
on the money received by one of
the supervisors.
The prosecution, during the several
trolley trials, has attempted to prove
that Calhoun, on the day following the
final passage Of the permit, SEN from
New York TO the mint here 5000, 900,
which he previously authorized the
min officials to pay to TREY L. Ford
attorney for the United Railroads. The
money, as is admitted, was withdrawn
in three installments by Ford, who pre-
scented orders signed by Calhoun. II
was alleged by the prosecution that
within a few days after each Of Ford's
visits to the mint, he received a cal
from Ruef. Following this assertion
James l.. Gallagher, chairman of the
supervisors, testified that Ruef ha6
paid him over $4,000 in July and ar
equal amount in the following month
Gallagher said he had retained SIS, 00(
for himself, had paid $4,000 to Andrew
NJ. Wilson, one Of his lieutenants, anC
had given $4,000 to each of the othel
supervisors. 1t was affirmed by thu
prosecution that Ruef and Schmitz di,
vidcd the balance of the fund, abour
$4,000.
The specific Indictment upon which
Calhoun was tried was the offer of {
bribe of $4,000 to Supervisor Fred P
Nicholas, to influence his action upor
the trolley permit. Nicholas admitte6
acceptance Of the money for that pur.
pose.
Warrants for Arrests.
In March, when the trial was nearl!
two months old, warrants were ISSUED
for the arrest of William J. Burns
special agent of the district attorney:
office. The list of defendants, headed
by M. NJ. Abbott and Luther G. Brown
included Rex Halnlin, secretary t.
Burns, and three other of Burns as,
! s%istants, who confessed that they hat
given private reports, letters and tele'
grams to John Fl. Helms and TIL
agents of the United Railroads.