The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-04
Wife of a Mcnamara Jurymam
Makes Affidavit
To the Bribery of Her Husband
by the Defense.
BRIBE FUND $4,000
No More Arrests to Be Made at
Present
But Court Proceedings May Re-
veal Men Higher Up.

Los Angeles. Dec. 4.-District At
torney John d. Fredericks today in
formed the Associated Press that Bert
H Franklin. a detective employed by
the Mcnamara defense and now un-
der arrest on a charge of attempting
to bride George n. Lockwood.
venireman. with $4,000 actually paid
to Robert F. Balm. the first sworn
juror in the case. $500 and promised
$4,000 more at the end of the trial if
he would vote for an acquittai or Sc
cure a disagreement of the jury.
The district attorney produced a
sworn copy Of testimony by Mrs.
Robert +. Balm wife of the juror. In
his Office last Friday. Mrs. Balm not
only told of the first meeting but re-
lated in detail how Franklin came to
her house October 6. a few days be-
fore her husband was summoned to
serve on the jury.
The district attorney declared that
only one more case of bribery so far
as he knew had not yet been uncoN-
cred and that the amounts I'm II had
peen similar to the lockwood ana
Balm cases so that in all about S12,-
600 was promised by the defense to
influence jurymen.
He declared that examination OF witt
nesses in the Franklin case would re-
veal the details Of the alleged briberies
in which Franklin participated. He
declared that at present no more ar
rests were intended, but that court
revelations might make It necessary to
apprehend persons on whose orders
Franklin is supposed to have acted.
The district attorney showed a copy
or the sworn statement to an Associa-
ted Press reporter. 1t was a steno-
graphic report Of the conference be-
tween Mrs. Balm and J. A. Hill. "A dep
uty district attorney, last Friday. and
to it Mrs. Dora F. Balm signed her
name.
The Statement.
1t begins:
Mr.. Hiil-Have you ever met Bert
franklin"
Mrs. Hill-Yes. on October s.
Mr.. Hill-Give us the whole history
beginning with your connection prior
to October 81
Mrs. Bain-on Friday. October 6.
l got card from one Of my neighbors
with telephone number on IT, I went
over TO one of my neighbors and rang
up the mum Der. I said. This Is Mrs.
Balm I was told Mr.. Franklin was
not in. but that he would ring us up.
I said: He cannot ring us up as am
at my neighbor's house The woman
at the other end said she would tell
him when he came in. Then / went
home Later in the afternoon a man
came in an automobile. 1 did not
know then who it was. He said no
wanted TO speak to me. He wanted to
know where Mr.. Balm was and / toid
him and he wanted TO know when he
would get back. He said. Tn Bert
Franklin: don't YOU rerneu1 her MOI +
said no, that would not have rerner,,-
DereG him and he said. Don't you re-
m mber. I met you quite a while ago.
They Needed Money.
Then he asked me about Mrs.
Brainard and If she was married he
said, i have been to see Won several
times and have not found YOU at
nome. He then talked about "A news
paper contest over subscriptions and
ne got to talking about our house.
toid MN that we had bought the home
Tor $500 and We're paying SIS per
month. said. When MT Balm is 20
ne VIII get more pension money Well
ne said, I think, Mrs. Balm. I can helm
you. l think 1 can put you and Rob
IN position to pay for your little
nome nome ana live easy for the rest OF your
I said. You cam.
He said. Yes
says: How is that2' and he
says, j know that Bob has always .
been an honest man. 1 have worked
by the side OF him and / know him
well and /. too. have always been hon
est Ny record shows that ]. think
tnoush 1 can put Bob in position to
He kind Of hesitated and did not
seem to know how to get at IL and
then he finally said:
You know what 7 mean2' 7 said.
No. unless you want him to do cleo
ton work
He says:
mo. not that. You know that
Bob has been summoned on the
Mr. Hnl-'Did he use the word
summoned ?"
Mrs. Bain-''I don't know whether
he said summoned or subpoenaed.'
know he used the word 'subpoenaed'
and he asked if Bob had got his sub
Doena- ] said / did not want Bob to
serve and that I knew that he would
not be qualified and he said: 'Why?'
Never Spoke of the Case.
II said that in the first place Bob
was little hard of hearing. He asked
me if Bob had expressed any opinion
Of any kind / said. No. Bob is a
very quiet man and has never spoken
Of the case in that way
He says; Well, want him 10
serve on that jury. i will make Il
he Will serve on that jury win give
him $500 That Is to qualify. You
know they are going TO railroad thoss
men. They are spending all kinds Of
money buying up witnesses and jurors
and he says. 4 can put you and Mr..
Balm on Easy street and help myself
too. The rest are doing It and we
might as well do IL too
Then afterwards he said. Have
Bob qualify and vote an acquittal and
there will be plenty Of testimony TO
prove that they are innocent and he
need not have any conscientious
scruples or anything Of that kind and
money will be deposited and he will
receive 800 at the end OF the trial.