El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-08-21
THE STORY
TOLD BY AVAUNT.
Detectives Say Did Not
Hear Blum Offer Detec-
tive a Bride.

i've q bTlD6.
me suspect he was going to bride me.
his handing me the S1- made me
suspect that on this night Monday
light he came 10 my office and spoke
as detailed; before this Monday night
he had never offered TO bride me
Blum and 7 were very friendly at that
time-at least ] thought he was
friendly; I was friendly 20 him
have not those bills with me; 7 have
not the memo Of those bills with me /;
7 don't remember If I have those bills
out at the house I don't think !
spent them I wouldn't Wilfuly de-
sLIoy the evidence Of felony. 1 put
the money Immediately in my desk.
1 didn't see those detectives in the
office where this happened
asked them to 60 there; I didn't say
q word 20 those detectives then. as
] felt that iuasmuch as the SIS was
TO be paid. I would like 90 nave the
sheriff or some member of the
sherifrs department present
Not n Perfect Case.
'I didn't think I had q perfect case
against Mr.. Blum then, for this rea-
son; that knowing that he was a
representative OF d certain clique OF
liquor men, and working under the
direction OF the county attorney,
felt that by waiting until Friday at
two o'clock, and having the Sheriff
present where he could overhear the
conversation, my case would be con-
elusive in showing that a representa-
tive Of the liquor interests and the
county attorney was . CRATER. 1 can
not swear that my three detectives
were behind that screen j only
know they were there from their
written statement I believe we had
talked about it-these three men and
- e. NTnmF1nr= night and nngEf nIg
Wednesday and Thursday; IL may
have been two or three times that ]
talked with these detectives ] am
sure I talked with all the three men,
these three detectives, about this. I
know I talked with detective Hall be-
fore and after this bride was given,
/ talked 20 Hall before he went into
the assembly hall Nj Blum entered
my office Monday night and made
this proposition TO me- and ] asked
Mr.. Blum 90 remain in my office
moment. and when I came out of my
is door that has
hasp on it, which can be fastened
from the outside fastened the door,
fearing that Blum would become sus-
Dicious before ] could ask these three
men to 80 into the assembly room.
Placed His Witnesses First.
'I returned when 1 thought these
three men had had time 70 90 behind
the screen in the assembly room. and
then I took Blum through the secre-
tary's office into the door leading
into the assembly room, and we stood
by this curtain. 7 couldn't swear who
the three men behind the screen were
but I told Hall, Mcdonald and Nc
Intire 20 90 behind there. I talked
TO all three OF them that night-Mc-
Intire. Mcdonald and Hall-about this
1ri1e. ! don't remember whether /
showed them the money or not
Hall Enters n Denial.
Being sworn and placed on the
stand. Il H Hall testified
Ny name is H. Il. Hall; 7 was a
detective under Capt. AvaunL Capt.
Avaunt did not come to me and re-
quest me. and Mcdonald and McIutire
to get behind screen in the as
sembly room. ] never at any time
was behind a screen as a witness
when Mr.. Blum was supposed 20 be
paying d sum OF money % Mr. Avaunt.
The first ] ever heard Of any alleged
bride by Nj. Blum o. Mr. Avaunt
must have been after the arrest OF
Blum and Reese last Friday night.
Il know that after the arrest OF
8lum and Reese Friday night, capt
Avaunt told me in his office that II
was arresred-he told me there was
b warrant out FOR my arrest-to say
that I saw some money passed be-
tween him and MI Blum. that's all
know about IL. ] went under his
as there is a rule in
The Book OF RuleS-POlice Manual
10 the effect that a man must do
what his superior officer orders him.
did sign statement 20 the effect
hat ! heard Blum say 10 Ayaunt.
Tom, here is SIS; ! viii pay you the
other SIS later Capt AVauut told
ne TO sign that statement. IL was
lot sworn TO- Avaunt took away that
mis- statement 20 me from that day
10 this never offered 20 swear 10
hat statement
Agreed to "stiek Together
Up ia Avaunts office in the po-
ice station McInure. Mcdonald, I
AvauuL and myself spoke Of this al
eyed bride, and We agreed 90 stick
together in a statement that we heard
Blum give the money 20 AVluut-and
hat was for Avaunts benefit. Il
lon't know another thing aoout this.
never had any conversation with
Avaunr Monday or Tuesday or
~ eduesday or Thursday OF Friday
about this alleged bribe.
As % what Mr.. Blum was arrested /
or, didn't know whether it was for
murder or what some paper was
handed Mr. Mcdonald by Capt. ]
Avaunt. but / didn't know what IL ]
vas. The first / knew that Blum I
was being arrested FOR bribery was
when Avaunt came 90 me with this
statement for me to say that / heard T
his transaction. That was after {
Blum had been arrested The reason /
made this statement about seeing I
MS bride was I was in a lit Of anger: I
had been arrested for what I
thought was doing my duty When 4
| was sitting in the sheriffs office /
tLter I was arrested, ] told OrndOrff I
mis- bride was offered and I told him ]
Avaunt
u never heard Blum offer Avaunt
any bride at any time. nor did ever Z
See any money pass between Avaunt ]
and blum, nor did I ever hear Blum 7
say Tom, here is SIS; III give you
the other SIS later"
Two More DeniaIs.
FORMER detectives B. 3. Mcdonald 7
and j. A. Mcintyre both testified I.
y men the hearing was resumed Tues I
DAY mat they signed statement ]
that Blum had offered Avaunt bride ]
money without having been present !
az the time the alleged bride was
offered and solely on the orders OF |
AFaunt. because they feared they
Woul' lose their jobs If they refused. /
The statement had been prepared by
AFaunL, they said. and they made I
copies and signed them, getting them
back sunday and DESTROYING them D
a.