The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-22
Jury TAMPERING
IS REVEALED IN
CALHOUN TRIAL
Sensational Disclosures Bring
Exciting Climax in Big
Graft Case
Talesman Tells of Visit to Home
by Man Who Sought to
Learn Views
Heney Charges Efforts Made to
Bride Men to Steal
Burns Papers
By w. Russell Cole

behind the scenes in the Calhoun trial
forced climax yesterday In Judge
Lawlors court and whirled the case
in moment from the lethargy toward
which it had been drifting into stra-
tum of excitement Another case of
jury tampering came to light and the
incident brought to the surface an I'M
dercurrent of bitterness that carried
still more thrills in its train.
Howard T. Black, a talesman called
for examination just before the noon
hour, told of a visit to his home by
some unknown detective acting in di-
rect disobedience of the positive orders
of the court, and this second report
of forbidden activities being practiced
outside the courtroom raised the heat
within to fever pitch. A formal in
vestigation of the occurrence was. or
dered, and at the same time there
came the announcement from the pros
ecution that the former report of SINH
lar interference with justice had been
traced down and that the culprit had
penalty for his indiscretion.
DAY OF DEVELOPMENTS
Altogether it was day of develop
ments that sustained a tense interest.
The tedium that has marked the pro-
ceedings of jury impeachment for the
last few days was dissipated early in
the morning session and. fire flashed
more than once during the succeeding
hours of the day. There was none OF
the -perfunctory brand Of examination
that has wearied every one connected
with the case, but a dash and vim that
carried the case beyond the limits of
the ordinary. Judge Lawlor was
forced more than once to take hand
in the scrimmag es that occurred be-
tween the opposing attorneys, and both
prosecution and defense were made
targets at different times for his repri-
mands.
Measured in terms of the number of
talesmen examined, the day was
marked with more progress than any
since the beginning of the trial, for
% men were questioned as TO their
qualifications to serve. Actual advance
ment, however, was nil. for not a
single yenireman was passed to the
jury box and the fifth chair in the
rallied off corner still awaits a perina-
nent occupant. Talesmen were called,
fought over by the contending attor-
neys, forced into admissions that dis
qualified them and then sent on their
way. Back and forth the battle ragged.
but no man was found whose opinions
proved satisfactory to prosecution and
defense alike.
BATTLE BECOMES BITTER
So bitter has become this battle over
I 4 IL Il u.
lies the first great opportunity for de-
feat or victory-that few talesmen were
allowed to leave the box yesterday with
their real opinions or beliefs locked in
their own breasts. 1t was showdown
in every case, and a showdown that was
intensely interesting. Calhoun's face
was the barometer of his own interest
in the proceedings, and the change
that passed. over it as succeeding We
niremen declared for or against him
was study for psychologist Let a
talesman assert a belief in his inno-
cence, and Calhoun's expression turned
to serene confidence; let the opposite
opinion be voiced, and his eyes fell and
the color flushed his cheeks and his
forehead
In one respect the almost evenly di-
vided opinion as expressed by the score
of talesmen examined was slightly In
men declared q leaning toward him
than toward the prosecution, and more
challenges were consequently inter
posed By the prosecution than by the
defense. But these odds were qualified
| by two facts-first, the panel examined
yesterday was composed almost entire
| ly of corporation men and employers
and, second, the opinion expressed IL
his favor was not one that carried with
4 2 n Of faf in, 1T
cence. In almost every case in which q
talesman was held to the real issue
after admitting bias in the defendant
! favor the explanation was Forthcoming
that this opinion was based on a belief
that Calhoun had been held up by the
supervisors. There were few who were
willing to assert the olatm Of belief in
his innocence as bribe giver.
FIND FAULTY LOGIC
Time after time Assistant District
Attorney Heney challenged this ..hole
up bugaboo and cornered talesmen ii
| tangles of faulty logic. He showed
had been spread by the gutter pres.
and put forth arguments that caught
many talesmen speechless in defense
| of their own boosted opinions TIL,
| force of his attack was summed up By
one man seated near me in the NUT.
| tered CALCULATIONS:
I'D like to be held up for $40 Il
make $50
| That there is developing In the Cal
houn trial gradual return to the dirt,
tactics which have so influenced thu
results in former graft trials is be,
ing made plain from day to day Tw,
ex-convicts were seated yesterda,
among the spectators in the space a
| the left of the courtroom from the en-
| trance. and scattered through tn,
crowd were upward of half a dozer
recent arrivals from Los Angeles. who's,
visit to San Francisco seems to carr,
with 1t more of interest for them in :
study of criminal affairs than in al
inspection of the citys sights Con
! spicuous in one of the front seats, da,
| after day, since the beginning of tn,
trial. has been r. Fl. Hay Chapman, re
Gently of Los Angeles, but now chic
press agent of a number of the pur
! chased weeklies. At the close of eacl
afternoon session of the court a sea
| is reserved for him in the tonneau O
Calhouns own automobile.
/ BLACK REPEATS STORY
It was just before the noon hou
that Howard T. Black was called, an,
when his name was read Judge Law
lor asked him to repeat the statemen