Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-12-05
HUSBAND IS BRIBED
BY W|LES OF WOMAN
TO HELP NJ INANARAs
District Attorney Declares Ex.
U. S. Official Now Under Ar
rest, Actually Paid Juror
$4,000 as Bride
CBy Associated Press. ,


torney John d. Fredericks today in
formed the Associated Press that Bert
Franklin, a detective employed by the
Mcnamara defense and. now under ar
rest on a charge OF attempting to bride
George N. Lockwood, a venireman. with
$4,000. actually paid to Robert F. Balm,
the first sworn Juror in the case 500
and promised 5000 more at the end Of
the trial II he would vote for acquittal
or cause disagreement Of the jury.
ONE MORE CASE.
The district attorney declared that
only one more case OF bribery so far as
he knew had not yet been uncovered
and that the amounts In it had been
similar to the Lockwood and Balm cases
so that In all about $4,000 was prom
Used by the defense to influence jury
men.
He said that examination of witnesses
in the Franklin case would reveal the
details of the alleged bribery in which
Franklin took part He said that at
present no more arrests were intended.
but that court revelations might make
1t necessary 20 arrest persons upon
whose orders Franklin is supposed to
have acted.
The district attorney showed a copy OF
stenosraphic report of the conferences
between Bain's wife and deputy dis
trict attorney.
IN EASA STREET"
This document purported to report
conversation getween Balm and the De-
tective Franklin. It went on to show
that Franklin called at the Balm home.
and inquired about the Balm family A.
nances, then announced that he could
put the Bains on easy street for the
rest OF their lives.
From this point the report shows
Franklin said Balm had been summoned
for the (McNamara) Jury. and that IL
he would serve. It would be made worth
his while"
Franklin told Mrs. Balm. "They (the
prosecution were spending all kinds Of
money to buy witnesses and jurors, and
we may as well do It. too"
! OFFEREQ $1,000,
Franklin is quoted as having offered to
give Balm $500 IL he would qualify as a
juror and $500 more If he would vote
for acQuittaL
Mrs. Balm was told to assure her hus-
scruples in voting acquittal, for there
win be plenty of testimony to prove that
they (the McNamaras) are innocent."
Then Franklin is alleged to have ask
ed whether he would dare approach"
Balm. Mrs. Balm says she advised him
not to attempt it, then. she said, she
was weak enough to consent" to try
to bride her husband.
Mrs. Balm said that what passed be-
tween her and her husband God only
knows" but that finally Balm agreed to
the plans.
REGRETTED YIELDING.
Franklin came to her house that night,
but she was not there When she came
home. she said, she asked her husband
what had happened. He replied, the re-
port says, that he had $500, but that he
wished he had never gone into Frank
Inns proposition.
Mrs. Balm says she told her spouse he
could be disqualified and be $40 OTTO the
good; and Balm replied that such a pro-
ceeding would not give him back his
honor
Mrs. Bains statement about the Bains
relations with Franklin was made a few
hours before the Mcnamara jury was
discharged It is said the district attor-
ney has promised the Bains they will not
be arrested or involved beyond testifying
in proceedings against rankin.
CIVIL WAR VETERAN.
Balm is a veteran of the civ war. He
was the first. juror sworn in the McNa-
mara case.
District Attorney Fredericks says his
Information concerning the bribing OF
another juror is as well established as
that in the Balm case.
Further details were learned today Of
the alleged plot to influence~the McNama-
ia jury. thhe supposed Illustration of
which by the arrest of Burt Franklin, a
detective of the Mcnamara defense, is
said to have beer an important factor
in forcing a confession of guilt from the
Mcnamara brothers.
A signed statement was declared to
be M the hands Of District Attorney John
D. Fredericks, made by Mrs. Robert +.
Balm, wife of the first sworn Juror i'm the
case. charging that $500 was paid to her
by an agent of the Mcnamara defense
to influence her husband to secure a dis
agreement, IL not an acquittal, by the
jury OF James B. Mcnamara, then on
trial for the fatalities growing out Of
the Los Angeles Times explosion.
Eyes, it is true" Balm himself is quot
ed as saying, ''and the money given to
my wife has been given, to the district
attorney"
A statement by the agent in the trans
action also is said to be in the possession
of the court.
| A preliminary examination OF Franklin
for the alleged attempt TO bride George
/ N Lockwood, venireman, by the use
/ OF $4,000 was scheduled to take place
today, but continuance for weak was
expected to be asked for and granted.
MAY ARREST OTHERS.
/ The two incidents OF alleged bribery
that of Balm and Lockwood-are believed
not to include all the attempts to affect
the verdict OF the jury which has come
to the attention OF the prosecution. and
District Attorney Fredericks Is given as
authority for the statement that stiH
another sworn Juror had been tamperei
with.
When the court proceedings in the tr1a
/ OF James b. Mcnamara suddenly wen
halted last Friday, II was persistently ru
mored that tamperng with the jury would
result in the reopening of examinatiq n
of the men in the box and members Sof
the prosecution admitted that such a
plan was under consideration. 1t wa S
not believed that the defense would sur
render but the obtaining OF evidence in