The San Francisco call., 1909-03-03
COFFEY
! GIVEN 7 YEARS
IN San QUENTIN
Prosecutor Hoff Cook Asks for
Leniency and Court
Grants 1t
Says Tool OF Higher Ups Should
Not Be Punished Like
His Tenpters
Points Out How Jury's Verdict
Proves the Falsity of
"H0ldup' Plea

A sentence of seven years in San
Quentin was imposed by Judge Dunno
yesterday on Michael w, Coffey, the
boodling supervisor. who was con-
victed of receiving a bribe of $4,000
from Abe Ruef. TREY L. Ford and
James Gallagher to vote in favor of
the United Railroads overhead. fran
chise. The term is just one-half the
maximum as fixed by law. BY uniform
good behavior the boodler may reduce
his actual term of Imprisonment to
four years and nine months
COFFEY REMAINS MUTE
Coffey, who was unaccompanied by
the numerous relatives who sat by him
throughout the trial, made no demon
stration when the Judge gave punish
ment. He stood up in obedience to the
behest of the bailjf, heard the SEN
tence and sat down. A few moments
later he was coolly assisting Attorney
Robert Ferral to put on his overcoat.
Coffey seemed to realize that he had
been leniently treated
the denial by Judge Dunno of a motion
for new trial, which had been argued
at length by Franklin P. Bull, Robert
Ferral and Carroll Cook in behalf of
the defendant and by Prosecutor Hoff
Cook in behalf of the people. The
point upon which the defendants law
yers relied was their contention that
n of "a
defendant and that therefore his testi-
monX should have been corroborated.
COOK ASKS LENIENCY
While answering their arguments,
Prosecutor Cook took occasion to ask
for leniency for Coffey in awarding
punishment.
1T has been disagreeable matter
for me to prosecute Mr.. Coffey." said
Hoff Cook. Il have known him many
years. L officiated in his case in an
entirely impersonal manner. do not
think he should be punished as severely
as those who paid him the bribe money
tunity that made him fall"
Cook also referred to the verdict in
the Coffey case as proof of the un-
truthfulness of the assertions made in
behalf of Calhoun that he was 'held
up The jury that tried Coffey found
that he had been offered bribe by an
official of the United Railroads and
others. If the jury had believed that
Coffey was holding up" the United
Railroads they would have had to ac-
quit him, under the instructions of
court, said Cook. He was found guilty
of receiving a bribe, but not of solicit
ing bribe.
THERE WAS NO "HOLD UP,
'It is high time that the community
is disabused of the idea that the brib-
ing corporations were held up, the
prosecutor went on. "A great crime
against this community was committed
when the street railroad and other cor
porations began to bribe the super
visors. The result of this corruption
by the wealthy was that an appetite
for bribe money was created, and when
a poor man came along and applied for
permit to which he was entitled the
supervisors held him up. The jurors
having found Coffey guilty of receiving
must have concluded that the tempta-
ton came from the United Railroads.
Therefore. j Go not believe his punish
ment should be as great as that of
those who corrupted him."
1t was the opinion of those in court
that Cooks talk had the effect of miti-
eating somewhat the punishment that
would have been meted out to Coffey.
The attorneys for the defense asked
and were granted 10 days stay of
execution. They will appeal from the
judgment and sentence.