“Q. Didn’t they go into the books as a fee for Morrison & Cope and charged as expenses against property? A. Charged direct to property.
“Q. As expense? A. Don’t know as expense; it was charged to property, showing that we had that much money in property; when we got through selling anything over, that was profit in our favor.
“Q. It appeared on the books as having been paid to Morrison & Cope for attorneys’ fees? A. Can’t say without seeing the books.
“Q. Ordinary way of keeping books? A. Yes.
“Q. You didn’t cover up anything you paid to Morrison & Cope by putting through the hands of the secretary? A. No, sir.
“Q. Why did you cover up this in connection with Ruef? A. I don’t know; suppose the property account is probably the proper one to charge it to.
“Q. Only explanation of it? A. Yes, sir.”
Early in the graft investigation Detective William J. Burns, with studied carelessness, dropped a remark in the presence of a salesman of the Parkside Company, that he had heard money was being used in the Parkside case. Soon after, Thomas L. Henderson, secretary of the company, received word from William I. Brobeck, of the law firm of Morrison, Cope & Brobeck, attorney for the Parkside Company, to call at that firm’s law office. Of the incident. Henderson testified before the Grand Jury as follows:
“Q. His first question to you was what? A. We went in there. He said, Mr. Henderson, I am going to talk to you about Parkside and he said, have you an attorney? I said, no. I have no attorney. He says, it might be well for you to get an attorney. I said, all right. Mr. Brobeck, I will take you for an attorney. He said, all right, I will take you for a client.