Evening star., 1909-06-20
suited, and in two subsequent trials Ford

suited, and in two subsequent tr1alS ora
was acquitted.
Ruefs trial upon one of the so-called
trolley indictments began August q, 1898
There was an Interruption of SeVeral
days subsequent to- November IL, when
Francis j. Heney was shot down in the
courtroom by an ex-convict, who after
ward committed suicide in the county
Jail. Three volunteer prosecutors then
took u7 the case, and December TO, l3te,
a jury returned a verdict of guilty De
cember - Ruef was sentenced to four
teen years in San Quentin pententiary.
and since then has been confined in the
county Jail awaiting action on an appeal
Charge Against Calhoun.
The prosecution during the several troll
ley trials attempted to prove that Cal
houn, on the day following the final pas
sag" Of the permit, sent from New York
to the mint here 100000, which he pre-
viously authorized the mint officials to
pay to TREY L. Ford The money, as Is
admitted, was Withdrawn in three INSTALL
ments by Ford who presented orders
signed by Calhoun. 1t was alleged by the
prosecution that within few days after
each of Ford's visits to the mint he re-
ceiVed a call from Ruef. Following this
assertion James l.. Gallagher, chairman
of the supervisors, testified that Ruef had
paid him over $4,000 in July and an equal
amount in the following month Gal
lasher said he had retained $4,000 for
himself. had paid $4,000 to Andrew NJ
Wilson, one of his lieutenants, and had
given $4,000 to each of the other super
vlsors 1t was affimed by the prosecution
that Ruef and Schmitz divided the bal
ance of the fund. about $1,000.
The specific Indictment upon which Cal
houn was tried was the offer of a bride
OF $4,000 to Supervisor Fred P Nicholas
to influence his action upon the trolley
permit Nicholas admitted acceptance of
fn hot
Alleged Theft of Papers.
Since the trial began many new issues
more or less important have been pre-
sented for the jury's consideration.
In March, when the trial was nearly
two months old, warrants were issued for
the arrest of several men charged with
stealing documents from the office of
William ]. Burns, special agent of the
district attorneys office. The list Of de-
PENDANTS, headed by NJ NJ. Abbott and
Luther G. Brown, included Rex Hamlin
secretary to Burns, and three other of
Burns assistants, who confessed that
they had given private reports, letters
and kilograms to John H. Helms and the
agents of the United Railroads.
Saturday and Sunday, March % and
2I, the offices of Abbott. Brown, Calhoun
and Mullaly We're raided by the police
upon q SedFcH warrant secured DIV Burns,
who professed to have information that
the men named were in possession of
his stolen papers. Safes and desks were
forcibly opened in the presence of pro-
testing attorneys and officials and 1900
documents We're seized and delivered into
the custody of the police judge who grant
ed the warrant. Before the raiders had
completed their task attorneys for the
United Railroads secured an injunction
forbidding further search.
Another order was secured to forbid the
police judge from opening the sealed
packages, and after days of argument
Superior Judge F. J. Murasky took under
advisement an application for an order
adjudging Assistant District Attorney E.
J. Heney and two detectives. who par
ticipated in the raids, guilty of contempt
of court.
Giving the "Double-Cross."
No end of complication has been created
through the activity of private detectives.
several of whom are admitted to have
been privately in the employ of one side
while secretly furnishing information to
the other.
A fortnight was added to the length of
the proceedings by the testimony of John
H. Helms, once detective of the United
Railroads. who was later secretly added
to the force of Burns to obtain evidence
Of alleged Illegal activity by United Rail-
road agents.
Helms testified he had paid Platt and
other Burns men to secure papers and
had turned them over to Abbott. Prior
to his appearance as witness, he
charged, several attempts were made to
prevent his testifying for the prosecution.
Another Burns agent produced In court
sums aggregating $3.50, which he alleged
had been paid him by Luther G. Brown
to betray secrets of the district attorneys
Office.
witness called during the trial was
Rudolph Spreckels, president of the First
National Bank. who instituted the graft
prosecution. 1t developed that s234, 600
had been raised and expended. and. Mr..
Spreckels' accounts, voluntarily produced
in court, showed he had contributed ap-