The San Francisco call., 1910-05-15
CONVICT REFUSES
TO AID PISTOLESI
Frank MaCSherry Declines to
Sign Affidavit Denying Re-
port of BIaCkmaiIing
Flannery Deposits Balance of
Bail Money and Abbott
COnfers With Boyd

SOUtClS Win DUyU
Clad in a suit Of prison stripes. his
head c loosely cropped. and his manner
contemptuous. Frank MacSherry, erst-
while dapper bunkoman and wire tap
per" stood in the Office of the San
Quentin penitentiary yesterday and re-
fused to give Supervisor Louis c. Pts
tolesi Of Marin county the clean bill of
health which he sought
with intense earnestness the public
official argued with the convict TO per-
suade him TO sign an affidavit declar-
ing that he had never paid Pistolesi any
money for protection" in the opera
tion Of the sausalito bunko game. He
wanted the convict to deny the report
which has been in general circulation
to the effect that Pistolesi not only
levied blackmau on the swindlers for
himself bat also extorted $500 week.
which was supposed to be divided
equally in the fixing Of District At
uorney Thomas Boyd and Sheriff VIII
liam p. Taylor. Pistolesi did not sue
ceed in his purpose and left the peni-
tertiary much disturbed.
MANNER INDICATES HATRED
Pistolesi arrived at the penitentiary
shortly after 3 o'clock yesterday after
noon and requested that he be allowed
To see MacSlerry- The necessar per-
mission was granted. and the convict
was led to meet the man whom he had
bitterly cursed as he was departing
from san Rafael two weeks ago 10
begin service Of his terms of one year.
The meeting on the part of Pistolesi
was almost cordial, but AIacSherry's
manner plainly indicated that he still
retained his hatred for the man who.
he declared, took money for 'protec-
tior' he could not furnish.
Pistolesi conversed with AIacSherry
for 20 minutes, the limit allowed by the
prison rules. lie used all his resources
10 persuade the convict to sign the affi-
davit he had prepared. but without sue
cess NacSherry reminded Pistolesi
that he was paying for his share in the
swindie with a term at penal serNitude.
and expressed no sympathy at all for
the others involved.
OPPOSITION FROM ABBOTT
Several times McSherry signifed an
intention to cut the interview short
but he continued TO listen TO his call
er's pleadings. until the time limit had
expired. He was then led back TO his
place inside the prison while the Wis
itor left san Quentin 10 return to his
home in SausaIito.
The official did not seem to consider
his visit Of any particular interest to
the public, but in San Rafael a rumor
soon became current that PiStolesi's call
was made in the hope Of OffSetting
conference between Joe Abbott. ring
leader Of the bunkomen, and MacSherry
earlier in the day. Abbott had called
AT the prison for the purpose Of eXhort-
ing his former partner and associate
To tell what he knew of the connection
with the gang OF higher ups" who
demanded an interest in the profits be-
cause Of their political power.
Abbott arrived at the penitentiary
shortly before g o'clock yesterday morn
ing. in company with John Mccarthy
the detective with whom he has been
constantly since his release from the
Marin county Jail under bond. He
spent 20 minutes in converse tion with
MacSherrE, and then returned to San
Rafael. where he was in conference
U ith District Attorney Boyd and Sheriff
Taylor for more than three hours. In
reply TO inquiries concerning his call
on MacSherry Abbott stated that he was
not AT liberty TO talk and the authori-
ties declared that in the interest of
Justice hey could make no statement.
FLANNERY DEPOSITS CHECK
Leaving the conference with BOYD
about o'clock, Abbott and Nc
Carthy made the return trip To Mark
West Springs. where the bunkoman
VIII be held until tomorrow, when he
probably viii follow Sheriff Taylor on
the witness stand in the trial of
Harry p Flannery, former president
of the san Francisco police commits
sion.
Flannery also appeared in san Ra-
fael Yesterday about 10 O'Clock in
company with his attorney. George A.
Knight. They arrived about 10
o'clock and went directly TO the Of
fees Of state Senator Z. B. Marti-
nelli, associated in the defense. The
three later called at the Office of the
county clerk and deposited a certi-
fed check for $4,000, the balance of the
$4,000 bail required by Judge Thomas
Lennon after the impanelment
Of the jury. After depositing the
check FIannery returned TO San Fran
cisco.
SHERIFF WANTS BASsITY
While Flannery was in san Rafael
District Attorney Boyd and Sheriff
Taylor were in San Francisco on
business connected with the case, the
nature of which they refused to dis
close They left Marin county early
I'm the morning and did not return
until / o'clock. when they went into
a conference which lasted all the
afternoon. Both refused to make any
statements for publication They
were aware of the visit Of Pistolesi
10 the penitentiary and discussed it at
the conference. but refused to COM
ment on its significance.
In spite of their reticence however,