Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1909-06-03
Displays Of III Feeling in The
Trial Of Calhoun
HENEY DEFIED THE COURT
He Had as a Witness a Ste
nographer With a Quick
Tongue and a Readiness
to Volunteer Information
Not Sought.

San Francisco, Cal, June "A doz-
en- witnesses who contributed discon-
nected portions of the testimony pass
ed in review today before the jury ir
the case of Patrick Calhoun, president
of the United Railroads. Virtually al
of the testimony submitted was cor
rOborative or contradictory of evidence
already presented and it was appar-
ent that the case of the prosecution
which was opened on April 10, is draw
ing to a close.
John H. Helms, formerly employed
by the defense as a detective, identi-
fled number of documents previouh
introduced in evidence as reports stol-
en- from the office of William J. Burns.
and incidentally precipitated the first
of two angry conflicts that necessi-
tated the intervention of Judge Will
liam P. Lawlor.
The first breach of decorum occur
red when Helms testified that he had
delivered TO Calhoun copies of some
stolen reports. Earl Rogers, attorney
for the defendant intimated that the
witness had committed perjury. Helms
jumped to his feet, ignoring Judge
Lawlor and the states attorney, and
defied Rogers to substantiate his
charge and warning him not to re-
peat il.
Before the wrangle was terminated
Judge LawIof threatened to send to
Jail any attorney who addressed an in
sulting question or remark to a wit
ness. Later in the day Heney declared
himself willing to take a position an
tagonistic to the court and accept the
consequences resultant upon such an
attitude. The impending storm blew
over, but not until the prosecution had
voiced his opinion of the treatment
accorded some of the witnesses he had
produced in court.
Heney had called as a witness Miss
Henrietta Harper a stenographer who
transcribed certain documents for
Helms while the latter was in the
employ of the United Railroads. Heney
was attempting to show that the work
included some of the stolen reports,
and asked:
DO you know Helms the gentleman
with the light suit?"
Gentleman? inquired the witness,
with a rising infection.
We'll, we won't discuss that" said
Heney DO you draw a distinction
between Helms and Abbott?"
a decided distinction" said Miss
Harper.
so do l." said Heney. and the sub
ject was dropped until Miss Harper,
after appealing in vain to the court to
uphold her refusal to testify on the
ground that she was a guardian of
confidential information, was asked:
Did you ever send Miss Doyle, one
Of your assistants, to Helms office to
do some work?"
Il did send her on one occasion"
said the witness, but have never had
any use for her services since"
Heney took exception to this reply,
informing Judge LawlOr that he would
not proceed with the examination un-
less the witness was Instructed not to
volunteer any information not called
for in the question.
1t developed that Miss Harper was
inclined to distrust Miss Boyle, after
learning that her assistant had once
been a stenographer in the employ of
w ]. Burns agent Of the prosecution.
1t was at. this point that Heney was
warned by the court to refrain from
taking a belligerent attitude. Judge
Lawlor finally ordered a record of the
testimony read and the subject of the
quarrel was eliminated by the dis
covery that neither judge nor attor-
ney had grasped the full reply of the
witness.
Rogers of the defense, during the
examination of Helms. reviewed every
feature Of the alleged affiliation of the
witness with the Masonic order, and
the resultant testimony was primary
education in the tenets Of the order
In his further investigation into the
past of Helms, it developed that the
witness had served in the American
and British navies and armies, in the
United states postal service as in
spector and as a secret service agent
Henev added to the record state
ments to the effect that Helms speaks
seven languages: that ne IS the recipi-
enr of a congressional medal for eX-
traordinary bravery and that he had
been decorated b. the car of Russia.
RAYMOND c. Shindler, an agent of
the district attorneys office was tell
ing of his knowledge and connection
with the reports alleged to have been
stolen when the session ended for the
day.