Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-07
Defense Charges Dstsc-
tive's Men Hound Wit
nsssss Helping State.
JURY TAMPERING HINT
Labor Chief AbSolved by Prose-
Cutor Freder!cks-E!r!aa;n2kk!!ii,n,
Is Cross Examined.

1. r
lin testified in cross-examination at
the trial of Clarence s Darrow for
alleged jury bribery that he made
his first confession of guilt at the office
and in the presence of Oscar Lawler,
special government prosecutor in the
dynamite conspiraNy Investigation:
mat he was first approached with a
view 70 getting him to turn states
evidence by deputy United States
marshal and that later he applied for
employment to the Merchants and
Manufacturers association. which took
prominent part in the Mcnamara
prosecution.
FRANKLIN was on the stand all day,
but his ordeal at the hands of Chief
Counsel Rogers for the defense was
broken several times by verbal con-
troversies between opposing counsel,
one of which included a sensational
denunciation of William J. Burns by
the attorney for the defense.
BRINGS IN GOMPERs' NAME.
In connection with his attack on
Burns, Mr.. Rogers accused the prose-
cution of trying to strike at Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor, and declared one
of the Burns detectives who had been
at every session of the trial had sought
to reach the ears of a juror with re-
marks made while seated in the sec
tion occupied by members of the press.
The latter charge caused half an hours
recess for the purpose of investiga-
tion, at the close of which the detec-
tive was exonerated by Rogers in
open court.
Rogers denunciation of Burns grew
out of objections by the prosecution
to the plying of Franklin with ques-
tions concering his negotiations with
the district attorney. He asked the
witness if he had not, in making his
, confession. in which the names OF
Burns and Gompers were used, been
told TO bring Gompers' name into his
testimony whenever the opportunity
arose
SAYS BURNS "HOUNDS" DEFENSE
The district attorney insisted that
Burns had nothing to do with the pros
ecution.
Burns men are concerned in every
detail of this case" retorted Rogers.
even to bounding bur witnesses and
watching our Office and dictographing
/ our places"
District Attorney Fredericks said no
one had sought to implicate Gompers
in the present case.
It's a matter of common knowl-
edge" declared Rogers. that the
United States in this district, through
/ Oscar LawlOr, ana in other districts,
has made a strenuous effort to bring
Mr.. Gompers' name in, and it is a
matter of common knowledge right
from the evidence In this case that the
federal grand jury at Indianapolis,
sent for this check book !:
that it came into court from indian
apolis, where they are Investigating
these other charges. 1t is our con
tention that this prosecution against
Darrow is but a step against Com
pers. Mr.. Burns is announcing every
where that he is going TO get Gompers
if he can, through barrow
The prosecution took exception 10
/ these utterances.
PROSECUTION ABSOLyEs GOMPERS.
we have no charges TO prefer
against Mr.. Gompers," said Mr.. Fred
ericks.
Counsel for the defense laid empha.
sis on Franklin's visits to the office OF
the Merchants ana Manufacturers as
sociation, members of which Rogers
designated as friends Of the Darrow
prosecution. Franklin said he had
gone there seeking employment after
he had made his confession to the
district attorney and that the men
he met there were all old friends
Al the close of Franklin's Cross
examination members OF the defense
declared better progress had been
made with the case during the day
than at any time since Franklin took
The stand Redirect examination by
Assistant District Attorney Ford vas
ncpuU hut NOT concluded