Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-14
AID,
ALSO INDICTED.
DENIES BRIBES
TO MAN ON TRIAL
SEEMS IGNORANT
DECLARES DID NOT KNOW RUFF
WAS AGENT or COMPANY
connor, Former Supervisor, Also on
Stand, Denied Going to Mint
with TREY L. Ford to
Draw 100000
GE. Associated Press

[ AN fRANC4OCO, May 10'-l HOII-
we'll Mutually, assistant to the
~ president of the United Railroads,
under indictment himself for alleged
offenses similar to that charged against
his chief, was the most important wit
ness examined during the trial of Pat
rick Calhoun today.
Mr.. Mutually never has appeared be-
fore on the stand in any of the bribery
graft cases and has never been sum
moned to give testimony since his re-
fusal to answer any questions put to
him before the grand jury in 1907 when
the first steps in the investigation were
taken He occupied the stand during
the greater part of the day and his evil
dence went into many matters related
to the trolley franchises on which the
present case hinges.
From first to last Mr.. Mullally denied
knowledge of the offer of any bribes to
supervisors or the employment of Abra-
ham Ruef as an agent to offer bribes,
as charged by the prosecution.
His evidence for the most part re-
lated to the time of the fire and the
struggle to rehabilitate the transporta-
ton lines of the city.
Knew Nothing of Money Drawn
The most important part of his ex-
| animation from the standpoint of the
| prosecution was his admission that he
had no knowledge, either as director
or officer of the company, of thet with
drawal of 100000 from the mint by
! Tirey L. Ford, general counsel of the
| road in 1906, nor of which the prosecu-
tion claims to have proved in Its effort
| to show that this money was used 10
bribe the supervisors.
Mr.. Mutually was preceded on the
stand by John Connor, member OF the
Supervisors street committee In l9o5,
| fYao fNV. ~ ~
pany. but the evidence secured was
merely of accumulative nature. Rlchafd
| Cornelius, president and business agent
| of the Car Mems union before and after
the fire. followed Mr.. Mutually, and the
main feature of his testimony was the
| recounting of a visit to Mr.. Calhoun
| Office. lust before the fire, and the ex-
hihition bv Mr.. Calhoun of blue prints
of a proposed overhead trolley system
on Market and Sutter streets. The wit
ness said he had been summoned to the
| office by Mr.. Calhoun and was asked
by him to use his influence in behaif or
the passage of a permit for such a
system.
connor Is First Witness
John Connor. chairman of the street
| COMMITTED of the board of supervisors
In 1905 was the first witness called
when the trial of Calhoun was resumed
today. 1t was before this committee
and in relation to the conversion of the
Sutter street cable road to an electric
system that brought about the con-
troyersies between the corporation ana
various civic bodies, mentioned on the
stand by former Mayor James d. Phe-
Ian yesterday. Under the questioning
of Assistant District Attorney Heney
the witness recounted the discussions
before the committee which led to the
rejection of the company's application
for an overhead trolley franchise on
Sutter street. Again, as yesterday the
main issue in the Interrogation ap-
peared to be the bringing out of all the
matters relating to the system of cleo
tric propulsion that was to be employed
on the converted cable lines
The only fact of any Importance
brought out by Mr.. Connor's cross-ex-
animation was that the application of
the company for the overhead trolley
franchise on Suffer street was made
originally by Tirey L. Ford, general
counsel for the corporation, after con-
ference with the committee on COM
plants against the cable road then in
operation. The witness stated the ap-
plication was made in order to allow
the discussion to go on, as there was
nothing before the committee for action.
Wanted Overhead Trolley
Describing the incidents which, to his
memory, led up to the rejection of the
petition, Mr.. Connor said that Mr.. Cal
houn, in reply to a question from Mr..
Phelan at one of these meetings, stated
he would certainly want an overhead
franchise for Market street, 'if he could
get it."
"Mr. Phelan made the speech of his
life in reply to that" said the witness,
land the committees papers took it up
next day and created sentiment
against trolley wires on Market street"
J. H. Meyer, director of the United
Railroads company, followed Mr.. Con-
nor on the stand. Under Interrogation
by Mr. O'Gara he said he held one share
of stock in the company by virtue of
which he was elected a director. This
share, the witness said. he had indorsed
and returned it to the company because
he "believed it belonged to the COM
pany" Mr.. Meyers said he had no
knowledge of the employment of Abra-
ham Ruef by the company or of the
withdrawal of 100000 from the mint by
TREY l.. Ford.
Thornwell Mutually, assistant to the
president and a director of the United
Railroads, who is under indictment in
connection with the bribery graft in
vestigation, was the next witness
called. He said he became assistant to
the president OF the united railroads
at Mr.. Calhoun's request, and that he
met Abe Ruef in Franklin hall while
the big fire of 1906 was burning.
Did Not Go to Mint with Ford
"Did you ever go to the mint vita
Mr. Ford?"
mo"
Did you receive s5O,OoO from Mr.
Ford?"
81 did, not"
O'Gara asked If the witness had ever
gone to a meeting of the finance COM
mittee with Mr. Ford.
81 do not think so. 1t is not in my
mind that I ever called on Ruef with
Mr. Ford and we talked in a bath room,
as some boy has"
At this point Mr.. OGara objected
that the answer was not responsive to
his question.
This occurred several times and re-
suited i'm a statement by Mr.. Rogers,
who said
"Under the circumstances that Mr..
Continued ON Page rNOl