Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-06-05
SAYS RAILROAD PRESIDENT is
PARTY TO PLOT
BITTER CONTROVERSY BEGUN
IN GRAFT CASE
Witness Festfies He Was Told to In
voIVe Heney and SpreckeIs in
Nocturnal Visit to Myth
lcaI House
tBy Associated Press.l

~ TO plot to manufacture evidence
favorable to officials of the United
Railroads. Assistant District Attorney
Francis j. Heney introduced into the
trial of the United Railroads president
a new issue.
Samuel f. Scott, during a period of
three years successfully employed by
the United Railroads, the Southern Pa
citic and w. J. Burns, agent for the
prosecution, in positions of confidence,
was the witness who made the accusa-
tion. His testimony, although received
by the defense with ridicule and con-
tempt, opened up one of the bitterest
controversies of the long trial.
Scott, who admitted he had become
an agent cf the prosecution since the
trial began, said he had been ap-
preached by Joseph H. Handlon, claims
agent of the United Railroads in 1907,
and had been requested to repeat be-
fore Mr.. Calhoun story manufactured
by Handlon.
Scott said Handlon asked him to tell
Calhoun that he (Scott) had not only
been in the employ of Burns, but he
had accompanied Rudolph Spreckels
and Francis ]. Heney in an automo-
bile ride to a house, the location of
which was not defined, and that Mr..
Spreckels had watched through a tran
tered an adjoining room. The witness
said he had been requested to tell Mr..
Calhoun that Mr.. Spreckels had subse-
quently joined the two men in the ad-
joining room and departed in their COM
pany.
Says Scott Originated Story
Stanley Moore, attorney for the de-
fendant, who conducted the cross-ex-
animation of Scott, admitted the story
of the witness was no surprise to the
defense, but insinuated by his questions
that Scott had originated the narrative
and tried in vain to sell it to the de-
fense, after which he entered the en-
ploy of the prosecution.
The attorneys for Calhoun vigorously
opposed an application made today by
Heney for an order directing the pro-
duction of vouchers representing pay
ments to detectives and other employees
of the corporations. The order was
| finally made.
Adam Dahler. acting treasurer of the
United Railroads, was the witness
asked to furnish the vouchers de-
scribed by Mr.. Heney. He admitted he
had paid out money for services rem
dered by John Fl. Helms and the
Helms detective agency, Luther Brown,
Louis NJ. Hoefler and other persons
whose names have figured prominently
in allegations relating to detectives
and attorneys.
When Mr.. Heney asked for the
vouchers Stanley Moore of counsel for
the defense. interposed an objection,
characterizing the prosecutions move
as dragnet proceeding and a fishing
expedition.
"That sort of thing is not counte-
nanced by any law" said the attor-
ney. "It is an inquisitorial proposal
| ka1 AI,n 20
and would permit the enemies of this
corporation to give publicity to all Its
financial plans and secrets"
Shows Payments Made
| Heney was requested by Judge Law
lor to lay a more definite foundation,
and he proceeded to show the system of
payments to William M. Abbott, Lu-
| ther Brown and otker employees SINH
larly engaged.
According to testimony given by
Treasurer Dahler it was the practice
of Luther Brown, who is alleged to
have bribed an agent of the district at
| torney's office, to give the treasurer
cash tags 'for services rendered" F"
which were not itemized and which did
not define the services mentioned. Dah-
Ter said that payments to Brown were
authorized by Mr.. Calhoun, by Thorn
we'll Mutually, assistant to the presl-
dent. or by the secretary or stenogra-
pher of Mr.. Calhoun. He added it was
the general custom to return in few
days the cash tags in question to
Brown or any person who received
money under similar circumstances.
Occupying seats among the specta-
tors at the early session of the trial
today were DIR. Henry Gibbon, Alex
ander Goldstein and other members of
citizens committee appointed few
weeks ago by Mayor Taylor to investi-
g.te the methods and status OF the
graft prosecution.
Charging that Norman w Melrose,
detective for the United Railroads,
had attempted to influence the testl-
mony of witness in the court ROOM
Mr.. Heney recalled Mrs. Mike Morgan,
wife of an assistant to Melrose, who
testified last Wednesday she had sent
her husband money to leave the juris-
diction of the court where Morgan is
wanted as a witness.
Woman Fails to Recollect
Mrs. Morgan was asked if Melrose,
who had conversed with her while she
was seated among the spectators, mad
said to her anything including men
tion of money offered or mot say
what it was for, that's all" Mrs. Nor
statement and Heney called Miss Mar
garet Cooley, member of the Citizens
League of Justice, who said she had
been seated next to Mrs. Morgan dur
ing the conversation with Melrose and
that the latter made use of the words
mentioned.
Heney charged the testimony was Of
fered to show that Melrose and the
woman had conspired to keep Morgan
out of reach of a subpoena. Al Nc
Kinley, one of seven men charged with
completely in the theft of documents
from the Office of w. j. Burns, was
asked to identify certain papers seized
when the desk of Luther Brown was
searched last March.
w. d. Hume, attorney for the wit
ness, advised him not to testify on the
ground he might incriminate himself,
and the question was unanswered.
Samuel Scott, detective who has
worked in turn for the United Rail-
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