Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-01
TRY TO PROVE
CALHOUN PAID
MONEY BRIDES
U. S. MINT OFFICERS TESTIFY
FOR PROSECUTION
CLAIM PRESIDENT OF COMPANY
ORDERED PAYMENTS
Former Supervisor Boxton Admits
Sum He Received Had Been Spent
"Down the Line" as Had
Other Amounts

CYAN FRANCISCO, April 30.-In the
~ effort to prove that Patrick CAL
~ houn, president of the United
Railroads, authorized various pay
ments to which members of the
Schmitz board of supervisors have tes-
tilted, two federal officers, formerly
connected with the United States mint
I in this city, were summoned today as
witnesses for the prosecution in the
Calhoun trial.
Frank A, Leach, former superinten-
dent of the branch mint In this city,
and Thomas 2. Burns, who was In
charge of the federal subtreaSury at
the time the latter institution took the
place of a clearing house for local
banks, were practically in agreement
as 30 their testimony to the effect that
Patrick Calhoun, after authorizing
payment of $200,000 to agents, previous
ly designated, sent to the mint written
and Geographic orders, presented by
TREY l.. Ford, general counsel for the
street railway company.
In addition, the prosecution sum-
moned James S. Tobin, a former di-
rector of the United Railroads, who
testified that during a period of six
months, following the fire in April,
1906, he had attended two or more
meetings of the directors and had
never heard mentioned any appropria-
tion for the overhead trolley permit or
any provision for disbursement of the
100000 that Mr.. Calhoun had ordered
paid to Mr.. Ford.
Did Not Know of Ruef
Mr. Tobin closed his testimony with
a statement to the effect that he never
had heard of the employment of Mr..
n 1ffnrnnV GAnf1nR the
corporation, of which he was direc-
tor
Charles Boxton, who was a dentist
before he was elected a supervisor,
was subjected to a severe cross exam
nation by the defense after he had
confessed his acceptance of bribes from
James l.. Gallagher.
"You were the first deform mayor
preceding Mayor Taylor, were you
not?" asked Earl Rogers.
II could not answer that" said the
witness, and an objection to pursuit
of this line of inquiry was sustained.
Boxton, who admitted that he had
been trapped in the original expose of
1908, when he accepted money from an
agent of the United Skating Rink pro-
prietors in the presence of attaches OF
the district attorneys office, was asked
by Mr.. Rogers how he expended this
particular sum. He was unable to
answer.
did it not go the way of all
money!" asked Mr.. Rogers. was it
not spent down the line?
II guess that is the way 1t went,
admitted the witness.
Boxton was still on the stand when
court ordered an adjournment until
next Monday.
Departing from the order established
in previous trials, the prosecution in
the case of Calhoun temporarily inter-
rupted the procession of confessing
supervisors today and called to the
witness stand Frank A. Leach, direc-
tor of the United States mint, and for
merly superintendent of the branch
mint in this city.
For the first time since the trial
commenced, the attorneys for the state
offered evidence tending to connect the
defendant president of the United
railroads with the payment of 100000,
part of which, as is alleged in the in
dictments, was paid to the former SUI
pervisors to influence the award of the
trolley permit.
Mr.. Leach testified that day or two
after the trolley ordinance was finally
passed. Mr.. Calhoun visited his office
in the mint and received directions
concerning the transfer of the sum of
100000, which Mr.. Calhoun desired to
have paid to other officers of the cor
poration in his absence.
Mr.. Leach stated he advised the de-
PENDANT to leave signed orders for the