The San Francisco call., 1909-05-27
John G. LawIOr Tells of Sums
Given Him TO Betray
the Prosecution
Makes Pretense of Accepting
Gold, But Works Under
Burns Direction
By w. RUSSELL COLE

yesterday laid at the door oi
Calhoun's lieutenants, by John G.
Lawlor. a special agent on the staff of
William J. Burns Brown was accused
by Lawlor Of having paid him various
sums Of money TO betray the secrets
Of the district attorneys Office, and the
money paid by Brown was introduced
as an exhibit in the Calhoun trial.
Lawlor's testimony as a witness in
the Calhoun trial furnished the sensa-
tion Of the day. He described in detail
several meetings with Luther Brown.
who admitted while on the witness
stand Tuesday that he was an agent of
Calhoun. The witness told of offers
made to him by Brown 10 enter Cal
houn's employ and then explained how
he had made a pretense Of accepting
the proposition and how the money
was handed 10 him.
The exposures made by Lawlor were
in line with those divulged several
weeks ago. when it became known that
some OF Burns assistants had sold him
out to the defense. Lawlor's story,
however. was brand new, and added
another accusation to those which the
defense will be forced TO answer.
Browns 0VertureS
1t was ia September or October of
last year. according TO Lawlor's testi-
mony. that he first met Luther Brown.
The meeting was arranged by Jack
, Crawford. one Of the detectives working
under instructions from william N. Alb
bott. aud occurred in Fruitvale- The
preliminaries having been arranged,
I.awlor met Crawford and BrowL at the
very depot and followed the latter
across the bay as previously instructed.
At Fruitvale he was introduced by
Crawford 10 Brown and the three Wis
tied several saloons in an effort to find
one with private room
The villa saloon was finally selected
as q place for the conference, and Gran
ford was instructed by Brown to leave
the room after the trio had indulged in
one or two drinks. Then, according
10 IawIor. Brown made the statement
that be was no longer in the employ Of
the United Railroads.
Il told him." testified the witness.
that I had heard he had been dis
charged. but he said that was not so.
He told me he had resigned from the
companys employ. intending to leave
the city. and that although whatever
he said to me should not be considered
as coming from the company, he was
iu 3 position to assure me that what
ever overtures he might make would be
sanctioned by the company. Then he
asked me IL ] would go TO work for the
company at a salary of $40 a day and
expenses, and il l would be willing, in
case the work on the graft cases did
not last longer than three or four
months. to take a position in the claims
department Of the road IN some eastern
city.
Calhoun as Employer
Brown told me what fine man Mr..
Calhoun was to work FOR and how he
Hpuld be sure to retain me in the COM
psny's employ if he found out I was do
ing that kind Of work I told him
didn't think that was so IL he had fired
Brown and Spencer. as had heard he
had done. Brown said that this wasn't
true and that they had resigned. Be
fore leaving ne urged me again to ac-
cept his offer and said he would like
10 meet me again. He said he would
send word to me by Jack Crawford"
Luther Brown he had told Burns of
the appointment, and that he after
wards made a report to him in writing
concerning the conversation, as he did
in the case Of all other meetings which
he subsequently, had with Brown. A
week or so after this first meeting the
witness met Brown again and was told.
he asserted, that the matter of his en-.
ployment was to be left undecided
untip after election.
II was about a year later, declared
Lawlor that he next met Brown. He
received a telephone message to meet
Brown at San Leandro and Joined the
latter at hotel at that place. Brown
took him for buggy ride, during the
course Of which he said that he had
changed his mind since talking with
him a year before, and instead of
merely wanting him to leave. Burns
desired that he should enter the en-
ploH of the United Railroads and keep
the aOficers Of the company posted
concerning what Burns was doing.
Would Not Aid Ruef
He told me-" declared Lawlor. that
he had changed his mind since his first
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