The San Francisco call., 1909-07-28
CALHOUN FEARS
MAN FAVOR|NG
CIVIC REFORM
Objects to Prospective Juror
Who Belongs to Good Gov
ernment League
Challenge Denied and Carl Haas
Is Passed Temporarily
Into the Box

Haas. a general woodworker living
and conducting a shop at 81 Minna
street. the two hundred and ninety
third talesman to be examined since the
beginning OF the trial, was passed into
the jury box as temporary juror yes
terday, subject TO peremptory chal-
lenge. Judge Lawlor seated the juror
despite the loud voiced. and impudent
protests Of the defense attorneys. who,
one after another, rose and called into
question the courts ruling. Attorney
John J. Barrett. indeed, persisted in
demurring. in strident tones, despite
the order Of the court that he be
seated.
Haas was the twenty third juror to
be examined yesterday, and the
''skidoo" number very probably will be
operative in his case, for the defense,
judging by its actions, surely will re-
move him from the jury by peremptory
challenge. OF these they are entitled
TO ten, and the prosecution to but five.
COULD PUT ASIDE OPINION
The juror a citizen of German par
entage, past middle age, and the father
of grown sons, proved to be the most
Intelligent man the net of the sheriff
has as yet brought before Judge Law
lor He admitted frankly having an
opinion, but declared il TO be purely
an impersonal one, formed entirely
by newspaper reading, and one, as he
repeatedly declared. he could put aside
utterly if he were sworn as a juror
lie did not wish TO serve, and frankly
said SO. declaring that his business
would suffer badly If he were COM
PEELED TO be absent so long from it, but
nevertheless. he was ready TO do his
duty AS a citizen. and leave all his pre-
conceived notions without the jury box.
The defense discovered that Haas had
Joined the good government league,
an organization for the promotion of
good government. but not, like the
league of justice. formed for the sole
purpose Of aiding the graft prosecu-
tiOn. and the knowledge that the man
was he stated il. doing what he
could to aid good government" seemed
10 incite them TO rid the panel of him.
Again and again, through a repeated
attack OF grilling questions, Stanley
Moore. aided by remarks from Bying-
ton and Barrett, attempted to secure
from Haas some statement that would
form a proper ground for his disquali-
dcation, but the quiet voiced business
man told the story of his views in the
matter each time with the same frank
ness that formed the very foil to the
.defense's thrusts. He could serve as
juror in an unbiased, unprejudiced
way, calling upon the prosecution. as
he said repeatedly, TO prove CaIhoun's
guilt beyond a doubt. But the de-
fense did not want him.
MAIN POINT AT ISSUE
Call in April. 1907, of the testimony
given by the Doodle supervisors before
the grand jury, played a very import
ant part in Haas examination. and.
indeed. formed the main point at issue
IN the examination when the decision
finally was made. Haas said that he
remembered glancing at that issue of
Ihe Call, and then laying the paper
aside 10 read the testimony But this
latter, he declared. he had never done.
The defense attempted to secure from
hlm the statement that he had read a
part Of The Call of April 20. but was
unable to do so. The i'll success in this
endeavor, however, did not prevent
the attorneys for Calhoun from max
ing the facts connected with the read
lnS OF the issue main feature of their
objections
BARRETT NOT SURDUED
Attorney Barrett was on his feet
shouting TO Judge Lawlor that he
should take into consideration the fact
that Haas belonged TO the good govern
ment league, a few moments after his
honor had given his decision disallow-
ing the challenge Of the defense and
barrett persisted in his outcry. DESPITE
the repeated order of the judge to take
dis seat.
4 desire to state" his honor re-
marked. that this practice Of first one
attorney and then another rising to
object to ruling is no proper manner
in which to present an objection.
There is some law in the land
You viii have to prove to me be-
yond a doubt that the defendant is
guilty" Haas stated to District At
torAey Langdon, "or 1 will vote for
his acquittaL 1 understand perfectly
that the defendant need not prove his
innocence; you must prove his guilt"
The end of yesterdays session left
the fate of two talesmen in doubt
John Q. A. Patterson. a builder. living
at 4719 Nineteenth street, made some
references as to whether or not there
was bribery among the board of su-
pervisOrs that were needed later on in
his protracted examination Judge
Lawlor wishes to look over the entire
transcript at this point, however. and
Patterson viii be recalled for exam
ination today, and his sentiments. as
expressed at the time he was first
queried, be read to the attorneys for
both sides. Then he will be aues-
toned further. and a ruling made bv
the judge on whether or not he shall
sit beside Haas in the jury box
MAY HAVE MEANT "BRIBERYv
Patterson was certain. he said, that
there was something wrong going on
among the supervisors" and on
one occasion made an almost inaudible
remark to the effect that by some
thing wrong" he meant bribery" If
he stated anywhere that he believed
the United Railroads bribed the super
visors he viii be excused with haste
and II is to look over the testimony
and determine this that Judge Laxlor
postponed ruling on Patterson until to-
day.
The mysterious men who quiz pros
pective jurors in the guise of magazine
writer's. and what not. appeared again
in the testimony of Patterson, who de-
clared there had been many of them
TO visit him They got little satisflc-
tion from him. according to his state
ment, and so kept coming One man
described in particular by Patterson
appeared about six or eight months