The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-11
FLANNERYTRIAL
Will BE RUSHED
TOQUICk FINISH
Defense Will Interpose No OBJ
stacIes in the Way of the
Prosecution
Attorneys for Accused Former
Police Commissioner Expect
Prompt AcquittaI of Client

The formal test of the value of the
exposures in the Sausalito poolroom
cases and their bearing upon the local
police situation viii be gin today. when
Harry P. Flannery, former president OF
the san Francisco police commission
viii be brought to trial in Sausalito
upon the Indictment OF the Marin coun-
y grand jury charging him with grand
larceny in connection with the feecins
Of Robert \ Wood qfasSoO in the sausa-
Tito fake poolroom.
The actual trial gives promise OF
being short but sensational. Instead
Of being a battle OF legal technicalities
ii viii become an out and out fight or
the facts OF the case, if the statements
Of the opposing attorneys are TO be re-
lied upon. Each side has expresse ed
the opinion that jury can be selected
inside Of two days. and that the takine
of testimony will not consume any
great amount of time. The whole case
VIII hinge primarily upon the truth OF
falsity Of the statements made by Joe
Abbott, a member Of the gang OF pool
room operators, and upon the Legal
features of the connection shown be-
tween Flannery and the bunkomen In
the event that Abbott's declarations are
corToborated.
JIMMIE LAWLER DISCREDITED
The embryo sensation in the case oc-
casiOned by the declarations of Jimmie
LAWYER. a former prize fighter and sa-
loon keeper Of San Rafael, who asserted
that Abbott had made admissions to
IA
was q mere "frameup" TO save himself
and that il was made with Flannery
knowledge and consent, was stified yes
terday Ia a manner TO discredit LAWYER
Lawler declared Monday that after the
purpOrted admissions made to him by
Abbott. under most dramatic circum-
stances, he had gone Immediately To
Frank Gould. one of FIannery's at
torneys, and had made an affidavit re-
lating the facts of the alleged CONVEX
sation
Gould positively denied Monday that
he had received any affidavit from Law
Ter, and George A knight, Flannery's
chief attorney, went even further yes
terday-
we haven't any affidavit from Law
Ter in this Office, and If any of Elan
nery's attorneys had one I think l
would know about it." said Knight
In fact. I have never seen the man
and knew nothing about this story
until ] saw ii in the papers. He has
made no statement TO Gould, I feel sure.
Anyhow. il what he said were true,
what would it amount to- In any
event, ] don't think enough Of his story
even TO have him interviewed"
CLIMAX OF TRIAL
The direct and cross examination of
Joe Abbott promises to develop the eli
max Of the Flannery- trial. District At
torney Boyd Is known to have in re-
serve several witnesses whose names
and the nature Of whose testimony he
has refused TO make public. bat ii is
expected that the evidence thus
brought out viii be principally of a
corroboratiye nature On the other
hand George A. Knight declared yes
terday that there were palpable mac
curacies in Abbotts testimony as given
before the grand jury and that large
part Of it was too wild" to merit
serious consideration.
We know the truth about the case.
and I don't look upon the charges
against Flannery as Of serious conse-
qUence,' said Knight. "A short horse
doesn't need much currying. and 1
don't believe that the trial will take
very long. We are ready TO go right
10 the bat and ali we want is a fair,
square trial. It shouldn't take more
than a couple Of days to get the jury.
for we viii take the first u fair minded
men who come into the box. There will
be no gum shoe work about ii, either
] wouldn't have q gum shoe man about
me, for I'd be more afraid of him than
nay opponents.
FLANNERY MAY NOT TESTIFY
las 10 whether or not F-lannery will
take the stand in his own behalf will
-fvs-r
the results Of Abbott's testimony and
cross examination. 7 don't know yet
what he WIN testify to, but I do know
that a man who is lying can't stand
cross examination"
From the statements made by knight
ii is evident that the defense will rely
first upon breaking down Abbott's
statements, especially with reference
TO the meaning Of the telegram of No
vember from Flannery, in which oc-
CURED the phFase: Joe. my promise is
good" The contention win be made
that this admits Of any plumber of con-
structiOns and that Abbott's declara-
tion that it referred to a former prom
Use TO allow bunkomen to conduct their
operations in San Francisco unmolested
IS not borne out. 1t will be argued
further that even If this construction
was accepted no connection is shown
between Flannerys friendship for the
poolroom men and the actual robbery
Of Wood in the Sausalito poolroom.
upon which the specific grand larceny
charge against Flannery is based
II don't consider the telegram of
any consequence" said knight yester-
day. If il is actually such q trump
card as is claimed, why is so much
noise being made about 1t? Suppose
Il does show a friendship between Flan-
merry and Abbott? Isn't IL just possible
that we can show a much closer con-
nection between Abbott, Fremont older
ano the Marin county authorities? I
mean simply an arrangement, of course,
for / wouldn't say that the connection
rose to the dignity OF conspiracy"
THEORY OF PROSECUTION
District Attorney Boyd of Marin
county, who viii conduct the prosecu-
ton. viii rely first upon Abbott's tes-
timony as corroborated by that of Ro-
land J. Hazelton, Mrs. Abbott and other
witnesses he is understood TO have Sc
cured and also upon the theory that If
tiannery was a party TO the plans Of
the bunkomen to operate in San Fran
cisco he was guilty OF advising. en-
couragiDg and abetting them in anv
cromes committed in Sausalito. Boyd
viii take the stand that unless the
poolroom men were brought to San
Francisco at Flannerys invitation in