Weekly journal-miner., 1915-05-26

ested. At the second meeting, Saturday night, Alto offered in the presence of the two brothers
 to throw down the State for
 cash consideration, and for an additional like consideration to get out of Arizona with his tools prior to the trial of the cases. Sidney Birch scorned the offer and there the matter ended for the moment. But Alto evi- dently was hungering for blood
 money for Monday he again re- newed his solicitations. He was told to return last night and did with the result that he is facing a felony accusation, the charge being a violation of Section 130 of the Penal Code which makes it a crime to offer to accept a bribe to fail to act as a witness or to change testimony in any cause that is pending.
 The dramatic episode occurred in the upstairs portion of the Birch
 Brothers former saloon building in the last room on the right hand side
 in the rear of the building. The proposition was made to Sid Birch and his brother Robert Birch, and was heard by five others who were in
 concealment within a few feet of Altos head. Alto had attempted to get bribe money before and this time the man whom he accused in his bootlegging complaints, was prepared
 for him. Those in concealment were
 Frank M Anderson, a mining man; Lyle Sharpneck, shorthand reporter and bookkeeper for the Saml Hill Hardware Co.,; Van Reichard, man ager of Ruffner's stables; Charley
 Scholey and John Burns, former deputy sheriff. These men were ly- ing on a mattress on-the roof just out side Of a window at which Alto was sitting when he offered to. disappear from the country with two of his as sistants. Lugio Soto and Jose Mar tinez for the sum of $400. Alto had called Up Robert Birch before the meeting and told him that he wanted to see him. The latter met Alto at the back doo- upstairs at 9:l5 and let him in, taking him into the first room to the left. The Mexican was given a seat near an open window and was allowed to make his proposition. Just outside the window, which was open foot, were the five men. They could see Alto and Birch in the light ed room, but they could not be seen by either Alto or Birch. The con versation in which Alto offered to leave the country with his two men for $400 was heard by the men out side and the greater part of it was taken down by Sharpneck in short hand Alto said that if he and his men left the country there would be no case against Sid Bircb or any Of the others that he had sworn out complaints against.
 Robert Birch then told him that he would call in Sid and Alto could talk it over with him. This was done and Alto offered the same proposition to Sid Birch, all of which was done to allow the men outside of the window to hear the offer twice and get it straight. After he had made his of fer to Sid Birch he was asked to come out in the hallway, and when the door was opened Worth Rybon, who had been stationed there, arrested him at the request of Sid Birch. The exact charge on which he was arrest ed and on which a complaint was sworn out later by Sid Birch was that oi felony, or that of a witness in a pending case offering to disappear for a bribe Alto was first lodged in the city jail by Policeman Rybon and a couple of hours later afte- com plaint had been sworn to by Sid Birch before Justice McLane, the spotter was placed in the county jail.
 Alto commenced his negotiations for bribe money last Friday when he attempted 10 see Robert Birch near the railroad depot. Friday afternoon a man called up the Birch Broth CTS Cafe and while speaking to At Cook, one of the employees, over the phone said that he was Benito Alto and wanted to meet Birch down at the station. Birch did not happen to be in at the time so another call was sent in later by the same man saying he was Alto and wanted to meet Birch on business near the depot. l The last call was received by Larry | Duff. While these calls had been