The San Francisco call., 1909-05-28
CALHOUN MAN
Is DISCRFDITFD
BY OWN LETTER
Document Proves BOmbsheII in
Camp of Defense and Con-
tradicts Witness
Former City Attorney of Eureka
Leaves Stand With Doubt
CIouding Statements
By w. RUSSELL COLE

Discredited in one Of the most essen
tisl features OF the testimony given
by him as a witness in the Calhoun
trial yesterday afternoon. A. ]. Monroe
former district attorney OF Humboldt
county and former city attorney OF
Eureka was temporarily withdrawn
from the stand last night with a big
shadow OF doubt clouding the entire
substance OF his sworn statements.
Monroe. who was one OF the men
charged by John Helms with having
been involved in the attempt of the
defense TO keep him from testifying,
made il plain from the beginning Of
his testimony that he had a decided
,animus against the prosecution. He
vas an adverse witness in every sense
OF the word. and il was not until AS
.sistant District Attorney Heney con-
fronted him with a damaging letter
written by hts own hand that he was
forced into admissions corroborative
OF much that Helms had already told.
LETTER PROVES BOMB
The production Of the Monroe letter
OF the witness. 1t was surprise of
the most genuine sort for Calhouns
attorneys as well as for the witness,
and Monroe was clearly disconnected
when the document was drawn from
Heney's pocket and handed to him for
inspection. 1t was a letter written by
Monroe April 20 10 Henry Marvel of
Brldgeviiie. directly concerning the
effort 10 prevent Helms from taking
the witness stand, and in addition 10
contrsdicting declarations already
made by Monroe il contained an In
struction 10 Marvel to burn ii at once
so that il could not fall into other
hands.
Previous TO the introduction OF the
letter Monroe had admitted that on
April p he had sent an agent TO Helms
at the 1atters home in Ruth, Trinity
county, with an offer Of legal aid and
advice The reason for this. according
10 the witness original testimony, was
that he understood that Helms had
been arrested by the forest rangers.
and that in Offering this assistance he
did not know that his prospective
client was IN any way involved in The
san Francisco graft cases.
The letter written a week prior to
the time Monroe declared he had taken
this action, contradicted his statement
fatty In the letter Monroe spoke OF
Policeman Charles Goff. who was then
with Helms. made reference TO the
possibility OF the latter coming
through" and showed a decided knowl-
edge OF exactly why and for what
reason he had been dragged into the
affair. Heney withheld the letter un-
II Monroe had completed his state
ment and verified it's details by several
repetitions. and then handed the wit
ness the letter without warning.
STRANGER TO HELMS
Monroe stated at the beginning of his
tstimony that he was not acquainted
with John Helms and had never met
him personally. although he declared
frankly that Wingfield S Lamb was
close personal friend and that he had
IN acquaintance of long standing with
Attorney William H. Metson OF this
city Then the witness testified that
he had sent Lamb into Trinity county
10 see Helms on April q.
How did you come to do that?"
asked Heney.
ON April Is Il l. Jackman, su-
perintendent Of the North Mountain
power company, told me that Mr.. Met
son wanted me 20 see Helms" an
swered Monroe. Il understood that he
had been arrested by the forest
rangers, and on April q / sent Mr..
Lamb to see him ] told him to see IL
Helms wanted counsel or would desire
us TO get out writ Of ~habeas corpus
in his behalf and to make all the in
Quiries that he could-"
Heney,s answer to this statement was
the introduction OF the letter which,
II Monroe's written instructions had
been carried out by his correspond
ent, would have been destroyed several
weeks ago. Heney identified the let
Ter and then read it into the record
over the objections OF the defense, max
ing q special point concerning the fact
that il was written on May 20, seven
DAYS before the time that Monroe had
said he sent Lamb to Helms with the
understanding that the latter was in
the custody Of forest rangers. The
letter, addressed to Henry Marvel at
Rridgeville, was as follows;
nv Dear Henry: II either Charles
CsoI or Helms comes through. please
Telephone at once at my expense.
II you can give me any information
that you possess about Helms or
Csoff. wnat either one has said about
their occupation or otherwise, or
who they We're employed by, write
me fully at once and Will pay you
for your trouble. / want all the
information ] can get about them
or their proposed or past move
ments. j VIII keep StrlCtly conn
Dental what you write. and ask
you TO keep my. inquiries con6den-
tial Burn this letter, so that Il
will not be seen by others.
And at the time you wrote that you
thought Il was something regarding the
forestry service. did your" demanded
Heney as he finished the reading of the
letter.
didn't so testify" denied Monroe.
Take the witness" said Heney with
out further comment
RELATES CONVERSATION
on cross examination by Attorney
Earl Rogers. Monroe related the details
OF a subsequent conversation with Met
son. which he said he had in this city
May 2.
Lamb also reported that Helms said
lie wouldn't become a witness for the
prosecution" continued Monroe. He
told Lamo that it would take $4,000 TO
clear of a mortgage which he had on
his property and provide for his wife
and child He said that If ne could get
that $4,000 he would go to jail, or go to
hell il necessary.
What did Mr.. Metson say when you