The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-05-19
FRISCO GRAFT is
STILL UNDER FIRE
RUDOLPH sPRECkLES is NOW
TESTIFYlNc.
He Is Accused by Defense of Being Ma
licious in His Prosecution of Off
Gals to Get Control of Railways.

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, May 19.-
Rudolph Spreckles, the san Francisco
banker, who contributed 100000 to
prosecute an inquiry into municipal
conditions in 1906, has been called to
the witness stand in the bribery trial
OF Patrick Calhoun. He gave a de-
tailed account OF his reasons for op-
posing Mr.. Calhoun's plans for railway
development and of the manner IL
which he became a supporter of the
prosecution.
Assistant District Attorney Heney,
replying to a statement by one of the
attorneys for the defense, declared
he had thrown down the bars, had
summoned Mr.. Spreckles as a witness
for the first time in any of the bribery
trials, and that he stood ready to meet
any line of inquiry the defense might
choose.
w Z nave DtCA u rs WI. SoihChil
and no other" said Mr.. Heney, but
from the time we began the selection
of the jury the defense has endeavored
to try Rudolph Spreckles and James
d. Phelan at the same time. You have
insinuated times without number that
Mr. Spreckles was back of the prose
cution for a malicious purpose, for his
personal gain and profit and in an ell
fort to gain control of the United
railroads.
His First Clash.
You made this issue. Surely you
are not afraid to meet it now that he
is on the stand, prepared to answer
your questions"
Mr.. Spreckles testified that he first
came into conflict with the United
railroads in 1905, when he learned Of
proposal to substitute the overhead
trolley for the cable on the Suffer
street system. AS an owner of prop
erty on this systems lines and as a
member of the Suffer Street Improve
ment Club, Mr.. Spreckels said he
that he had consented three times to
meet Mr.. Calhoun for a discussion.
Mr.. Spreckles said he had stead
lastly refused to accept the street
railway presidents argument in sup
port of the overhead trolley and had
rejected offers of compromise that he
believed to be to the city's advantage.
Tunnel Was Suggested.
"On the occasion of our third inter,
view," said the witness, Mr.. Calhoun
said he would be willing to withdraw
the cable line from Pacific avenue,
where my residence is located, and
substitute an overhead trolley line on
Broadway in the same district. He
called my attention to the fact that in
common with many of my neighbors I
had carriages and automobiles and was
not dependent on the street cars. In
reply | said that my fight was not sell
fish, and that l was interested in be-
half of people who had no carriages
and automobiles. and that | would not
entertain the proposition.
Mr.. Calhoun at this interview said
he was ready to construct a tunnel
through Powell street hill and make
the entrance one OF the busiest trans
fer points in the city. l asked him
if this was because l owned property
at the corner of Powell and Suttei
streets, and he expressed surprise,
saying he did not know of it."
Mr.. Spreckels said he had tele-
graphed to his attorney in the east,
urging his immediate return, and had
directed the lawyer to prepare articles
of incorporation of a rival transporta-
ton company in an effort to defeat
the overhead trolley.