Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1909 — HEAVY COST OF FIGHTING GRAFT [ARTICLE]

HEAVY COST OF FIGHTING GRAFT

Heney and Burns Received Six Figure Sums. WAYS OF THE DETECTIVE Sleuth Accepts Employment and Salary From the Street Railroad Repre sentatlve Prosecution Had Engaged Him to Shadow—Remarkable Developments In the San Francisco Trial of Patrick Calhoun For Bribing 8u pervisor*. i San Francisco, May 21. —Many i phase of municipal graft prosecution, hitherto kept secret, was made public during the bribery, trial of Patrick Calhoun, president of the United Railroads. Rudolph Spreckels, who admitted covering a portion of the graft prosecution expense,, against testified. In a summary offered in evidence, it was declared that the total subscription received from all sources amounted to $213,391, all of which had been expended. Spreckels testified that he had personally given $138,478 of this amount and from his declarations it was inferred that he was still self-obli-gated for an indefinite amount. Private Detective John Helms reviewed many of the charges he had preferred against Patrick Calhoun and William M. Abbott, by whom he is alleged to have been employed In a confidential capacity. He declared that he entered the employ of William J. Bums and the prosecution in November, 1908, and that he drew pay from both sides from November until the following February by virtue of fresh employment given him by Abbott, who knew nothing of Helms’ employment by Bums. The financial statement presented by Spreckels was divided into four accounts entitled: “W. J. Burns,” with a total of $123,250; “F. J. Heney,” $23,828; “C. W. Cobb,” SIO,OOO, and “sundry,” $66,295. Among the items credited to sundries are SII,OOO paid to Hiram Johnson and $13,400 paid to J. J. Dwyer.