Los Angeles Herald, Volume 36, Number 329, 26 August 1909 — ED. KERN DENIES CONNECTION WITH VICE PROTECTION [ARTICLE]

ED. KERN DENIES CONNECTION WITH VICE PROTECTION

MAKES NEGATIVE ANSWERS . ' TO ALL QUESTIONS FORMER CHIEF REPLIES BEFORE e> QUERIES ARE ENDED la Asked to Tell Story of Life Before Interrogated In Regard to Alleged Redlight District Conspiracy J EDWARD KERN, former chief of police In I.os Angeles], whoso * name has been mentioned more often than the defendant's In the trial Of Thomas II, Broadhead on a charge of accepting a brlbo for protection of the redlllght district, was called to the witness stand by the defense yesterday afternoon. Ho gave negative answers to nil the questions asked, using similar formulas In each case, as "I did not." "he did not," "I never did." Several times ho anticipated the completion of the question, as If the first words had a familiar sound to him and called to his mind what tho question wan to be, for his answer, "I never did," or "He never did," struck Into the middle of one of Attorney Appel's beautiful long questions before the drift had become apparent to any one but the witness. Mr. Appel frowned a l'ttln at this, but continued to bo very polite to the witness none the less. The former chief of police was called to the stand at 3:40 o'clock In the afternoqn, after the trial had dragged tediously all day, taken up chiefly with wearying enumerations of names and places at some time associated by reputation with the social evil. Disorderly Houses Scattered According to the gist of all this testimony, houses of 111 fame were scattered from end to end of tho business district of the city and far out into the residence districts under the administration of the late recalled mayor, Increasing enormously In the year 1908. This line of evidence was Introduced by the defense to show that "Nick" Oswald had no monopoly on the business of tho underworld while Harper was mayor, Samuel Schenck a police commissioner and Ed Kern chief of police. The first questions put by Attorney Appel to Mr. Kern were designed to call forth a brief oral autobiography of the former chief. He Is 48 years of age, was born, as other noted men have been, on a farm, and It was In Iowa. His life was that of a farmer boy up to his nineteenth year, devoid of dreams of a chlefship of police for the future with the dark shadow of the underworld, shot through with lurid light, lying across it. Before tho completion of his twentieth year he left the farm and went to Colorado, where he encaged In teaming; then In New Mexico and Arizona., where he took up railroading construction work. Later. in Prescott, Ariz., lie became attached to the quartermaster's department of the United Staes army, serving as forage master under Gen. Crook. Quits Business for Politics f After seven years in the service, part Of which term was passed under Gen. Miles In California, he went into she Ice and cold storage business in Los Angeles, withdrawing from this to give his entire attention to politics in the course of his first term In the city council, which began in 1902. November 20, 1906, ho was appointed chief of police while serving his second term In the council, and took office Immediately. At this stage the autobiographical recital ended abruptly as Attorney Appel asked the first of the long series of questions which called forth laconic negatives from the witness: " "Did you, In January or February, 1907, In your office in the city jail building, have a conversation In the presence of Mcyor Harper with N. D. Oswald?" "I did not," answered Kern. "Did you engage In a conversation with N. D. Oswald In January, 1907, In which he told you he was ready to open the Ballerino crib district'.'" was the next question. For the first and last time In the course of the examination the witness displayed excitement. "I never had any conversation with him at all about anything at that time," he ejaculated. ' - Kern Denies Everything Appel spoke soothingly to him and displayed more care thereafter in his way of wording the questions, and the answers came stolidly from the witness. "I did not," "He did not," In simple direct denial of all the testimony of Oswald to dealings with the former chjef in the early months of 1907. Only once after that was any more extended answer given, and that was when Kern was asked about his tour of investigation with others of the redlight district. "I don't recall the exact date when we went down there. The mayor was with us, and Woodill, Cole and Cap! Broadhead. We saw work going on In the refitting of the old Ballerino crib district, and the commissioners and mayor said right there that the district must not be allowed to open. Afterward there was a meeting of the commissioners, and I received orders to that effect. "No, at that time I did not know Oswald had anything to do with it. "From that district we went around through Chinatown and up to Main and New Hlfih street, going through the houses we found. I was given orders to clean them up. • . "The big raid was decided on at a lunch nt Levy's cafe. ' The mayor was there, and Woodill. Cole and Lewis. I don't think Schenck was there." Seems Anxious to Please The witness loaned back in his chair, with knitted brows, waiting for the next question. His manner was that of an obedient pupil, anxious to please the schoolmaster. A. long wait followed, more than ton minutes, while counsel for tho defense looked over the transcript of Oswald's testimony for the prosecution In search of points on .which to propound questions to Kern. i . Then camo a long series of-questions by Appel, answered by the witness in the brief negative formulas. Only a fair beginning On the transcript of Oswald's testimony Involving Kern had been made at the time of adjournment. Tho direct examination of this witness by the defense, followed by crossexamination, will proceed this morning it 10 o'clock. , •