The San Francisco call., 1909-03-19
ATTORNEYS CLASH
IN GRAFT TRIAL
San MateO Case Proving More
Interesting 10 Spec
tatOrS
[SeeeieI Di.patek 10 The Cali

REDWOOD CITY, March 18.-The
interest of the spectators during the
second day of the county graft trials
was centered in the testimony of Miss
Anna Gills. stenographer for District
Attorney Bullock; D. Z. Graham of San
Francisco. a steel expert, and Theodore
Kytka, the handwriting expert. There
We're hot clashes between the attor-
neys and the court II was evident
at the close of today's proceedings that
the accusation charges against Super
visors J. H. Coleman and D. Z. Black
burn will not be submitted to the jury
until some time next week.
Honest John" MaeBain testified on
cross examination that he was not
prejudiced against Architect Glenn Al
len. but that his only objection was to
the work of Allen on the courthouse.
MaeBain testified that he first knew
that the O'Brien company had been
awarded the $2,991 contract after he
was out of Office and reiterated that he
had not voted either for or against the
secret" contract. Although records
showed that MacBain had signed a
claim in common with Debenedetti and
Julius Caesar Eikerenkotter for Archi-
tect Aliens commission on the s2.991
contract. he stated that he certainly
would not have done so il he had no.
ticed it, as he was positive no such
contract had been passed.
SATISFIED WITH REDUCTION
The architect tried to force through
this work when 1 was sick last May
g. i
duction that 1 was satisfied as far as
the price went" further explained the
former supervisor.
Miss ellis was called and again tes-
titled that she did not know whether
the contract was the paper which she
had delivered to Deputy Clerk Lowe
with a message to hold back the filing
until Bullock had seen Nash.
The prosecutor, pointing to the
words, See Bullock" on the contract,
asked Miss ellis if it were her writ
ing
The witness Immediately developed
forgetfulness and was unable to state
whether il was or not.
Deputy Lowe testified that the con-
tract was the paper handed to him by
Miss ellis with q message to hold
back from Bullock TO Nash, and the
county clerk on being called gave
practically the same testimony as be-
fore. In all his conversations with
Coleman, Bullock and Blackburn in
reference TO the contract, the three
officials had never told him that the
contract had been filed, voted on or
passed. Nash testified.
WRITING EXPERT TESTIFIES
Theodore Kytka demonstrated that
certain crosses in the clerks rough
minute book overlaid the writing and
further confirmed the testimony of
Nash. while he stated unqualifedly
that the words See Bullock" on the
contract were in Miss Gillis writing.
Linforth's efforts to confuse the ex-
pert were unavailing.
D. Z. Graham kept the court and
attorneys going from anger to laughter
with his answers and comments Gra-
ham recited the facts regarding his
employment by the supervisors and
his report on the courthouse, for which
he received s400, adding that the frame
was badly in want of stiffening and
that the dome was out of plumb. With
three hats recklessIy grabbed from the
hands of the jurymen he gave a
graphic description of affairs at the
courthouse.
Prosecutor Benjamin showed techni-
cal knowledge of steel work, his ques-
tions leading to rapid fire objections
from Linforth. in which Judge Dooling
and Benjamin took part.
Graham said he thought that $4,000
was all right as a price for the work
done by the O'Brien company, but ad-
mitted at the end of lengthy exam
ination that he was not in a position
TO give the actual value of the work,
taking all details into consideration"