Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-30

Conspiracy Unearthed in San
Francisco, FOlIowej by Ar
rest and Confession of One
Of the Men.

SAN. FRANCISCO, March IA series
, OF burglaries committed upon the dis
trict attorneys office with the inten-
ton OF saving Patrick Calhoun from the
penitentiary. was exposed today IN the
arrest OF five men. two OF them employ
ees Of the district attorney and three
agents OF the United Railroad detective
bureau.
All five are now immured within sep
arate cells within the city prison.
The first OF the prisoners taken into
custody was r. y. Hamlin. for two years
private secretary to Special Agent VIII
liam ]. Burns. and the apprehension OF
others in the conspiracy. A. L McI<in-
ley, william Corbin. E. A Plat, and
Jerry vanwormer. followed in short or
der. Their criminal connection with the
United Railroads was quickly estab-
lished.
ConfeSses Conspiracy
After his arrest HamlIn broke down
and made a complete confession OF his
part IN the felonies, writing q statement
on the same typewriter he had used so
frequently TO transcrfbe confidential re-
ports to submit TO the inspection OF the
Calhoun defense.
For a long period Hamlin has been a
trusted employe OF District Attorney
Langdon and Detective Burns and was
the only man in the office who possessed
a key TO Burns desk and the combina-
ton to the safe.
But about the first OF last December
Calhoun agents succeeded in secretly
winning the man over to the SIDE Of the
defense. since when he has been on the
United Railroads payroll at a salary OF
500 a month,
How Hamlin Was Won
Hanlin's enlistment in CaIhoun's ser
vice came about in this way: He had
first been recommended 10 Burns by
Mckinley who was at the time in the
employ OF the prosecution But McKin-
ley later listened TO the overtures of Cal
houn's agents and became a sleutn in
their service
At their direction he thereupon began
10 work upon Hamlin and so successful
&, " that the latter agreed to accept Cal
hOun's 500 a month as the price OF
crimes to be committed within the dis
trict attorneys office, TO all the files OF
which he had fun access.
Since then IL has been his practice to
trasncribe confidential documents which
he thought would be OF Importance. turn
ing them over to Mckinley who In turn
submitted them to the inspection Of his
superIors-
Kept Close Watch
About two months ago Detective Burns
became aware OF Hamlin's broken trust
since when a close watch has been kept
on the man who has been allowed TO
handle nothing Of moment He was not
arrested until today so that nominating
evidence might be fully established
AGAINST those who hired him to perpe-
hate the series OF feIonies TO which he
has confessed. He was taken at his
typewriter while he was copying a long
affidavit which he no doubt intended to
pass along 10 Mckinley.
Mckinley and VanWormer were ar
rested at the Marathon apartments and
[, Corbin was taken into custody at the
hotel Brilliant. Plat who sold report
OF his Investigations OF members OF the
jury panel to John Helms. OF the C3l-
hOun detective agency. was placed I'M
der arrest a little later.
All the prisoners are already isolated
in separate cells in the city prison