Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-04
WIFE OF JUROR Balm :
WAS FIRST APPROACHED
Declares Franklin Offered $4O0 and
Promised $500 More.
MORE ARRESTS ARE EXPECTED
Detectives Active in Search for Men
Higher Up" Supposed to Have
knowledge Of Dynamit-
ing Plots.

l~OS aNSELES, December i.-Dfs-
trict Attorney John D. Fredericks to
day Informed the Associated Press thai
Bert II. Franklin. a detective employed
by the Mcnamara defense. and now
under arrest on a charge Of attempt
ing to bribe George N Lockwood, a
venireman. with $4,000. actually paid
to Robert f. Balm, the trst-sworn
juror in the case. s4O0. and promised
$4,000 more at the end of the trial
II he would vote for acquittal or cause 1
a disagreement of the jury
The district attorney produced
sworn copy Of testimony given by Mr.
Robert +. Balm. wife of the juror, last
Friday. Mrs. Balm not only told Of
the first meeting. but related in detail
how Franklin came to her house octo-
Der s. few days before her husband
was summoned to serve on the Jury
Details of Interview.
The district attorney showed copy
OF the stenographic report of the con
ference between Mrs. Balm and ]. A
Hill, deputy district attorney, last
Friday. and to it Mrs. Dora F. Balm
signed her name. 1t begins:
Mr.. Hill--Have you ever met Bert
II. Franklin?
Mrs. Bain--Yes. October s.
Mr.. Hill-Give us the whole history
beginning with your connection prior
to October g.
Mrs. Bain-Friday. October s, I got
card from one of my neighbors with
L n
the number. 1 said: This is Mrs
Balm" I was told that Mr.. Franklin
was not in, but that he would ring
up. said: He cannot ring US up, a.
/. 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. He said
I'm Bert Franklin; don't you remem-
Der me?" i said No" and he said
while ago."
''IIe said, I have been to see YOU sew
eral times. and have not found you at
home. He then talked about a news
paper contest over subscriptions, and got
to talking about our house. / told him
that we bought 1t for 81 $40, and were
paying $l5 q month / said, When Nj.
Balm is seventy he will get more pension
money
Could Pay for Their Home.
Well ne said, I think / can hel,
you l think l can put you and Bob In a
position to pay for your little home aud
i've easy for the rest Of your lives
Il said, How is that?' and he said. L
know that Bob has always been honest. !
can put him in d position 10 make 1t easy
for him. He hind Of he4itateo. and tneI
he sad, You know what | mean? /
S8id. No, unless you want him To do cleo
ton work. lie said. No, not that; you
know that Sob has been summoned Oh
the jury?
''IIe asked me if Bob had expressed an
opinion of any kind l said. No, Bob is
a very quiet man, and mas never spoken
of the case in that way. He said. Well.
l want him TO serve on that jury. | VIII
make II worth while. In the nrst place,
If he will serve on that jury 1 will give
him $JU-that is to qualify. You know
they are going to railroad those men.
They are spending all kinds of money.
buying up witnesses and jurors. and can
put you and Mr.. Balm on Easy street
and help myself too. The rest are doing
1t. and We might as well do il. too.
''AiueJ ara ..e sad: Have Bob qualify
and vote an acquittal and there will be
plenty OF testimony to prove that the1
are innocent. and he need NOT have any
conscientious scruples. Money will be de-
posted and he will receive $500 at the
end OF the trial He afterward told Bob
that it would be $500. but 1 am sure be
said $3.5OO''
Mr.. Hill-What was your answer?
Husband Agreed to Plan.
Mrs. Bain-Well. he says: You know
Bob. Do you think I dare to approach
him on the subject?" l says: NO, you
had better not" Then he asked me If /.
would do SO. and l was weak enough To
consent told him 1 did not know
,both hn,. poi, "A ~ h,rt tfaf
l would speak to him. He agreed 10
come that night and see Bob and in the
meantime l agreed to speak to Bob
He took out his pocke.hoCk and showed
me a roll of greenbacks.
Mr.. Hil-Dld he lell you who was
furnishing the money?
Mrs. Bain-No. | did not ask him, but
he spoke Of penty OF money to fight the
passed between me and my husband God
only knows l don't care to speak of IL.
Mr.. Hill-But he agreed?
Mrs. Bain-Yes, he finally agreed to
our plans and said he would accept Mr.
Franklins proposition.
Mr.. Hill-Then did Franklin come that
night?
Mrs. Bain--Yes. but was not at home.
was at lodge. =.
Regretted Taking Money.
Mr.. Hill-Now, was anything said to
you by Mr. Balm when you came home?
Mrs Bain-I asked him what had
and he was worried. He
said: II have $500; that was all he
brought He said he would bring the
other tomorrow. 1 wish to God l had
never gone into 1T
He would not talk about it any
more. told him he could disqualify
himself and be $400 to the good He
said, That will not give me my honor
back
SUNDAY he went to the c.. A II.
meeting, and Franklin came Sunday
evening. / was there. He merely re-
iterated what he said before and told
Bob that he did not have the extra
800 with him, but that il was in
bag ready for him when he stood pat"
Mr.. Hiil-Was anything else said that
evening?
Mrs. Bain-He spoke again about be-
Ing railroaded. and went over the same
ground only cauttonins US not to say.