Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel], June 18, 1909, Image 1

About Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911

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\f PAGES
10 TWO PARTS
S?W^o PRICE: 40 CENTS KS^M
TWO NAMES ADDED TO PATTON DEATH ROLL
STARVING SAWTELLE VETERANS WILL APPEAL TO CONGRESS
DECLARE
SITUATION
IS GRAVE
Asks Investigation of
Management
LETTER TO BE SENT TO HEAD
OF GRAND ARMY
COMMITTEE OF SIXTY MEETS IN j
SECRET
National Movement Will Be Begun to
Have Homes Placed Under Direct
Control of War Depart.
ment
BEFORE the old soldiers at Saw
telle surrender to present condi
tions of which they have bit
terly complained the White House at
Washington will hear their voices and
protests, which they will present mi
the same vigorous manner that they I
met the issues at Gettysburg and
Shiloh.
The publication in The Herald yes
terday of an account of the disconteat
which prevails among the severtH
thousand patriots who are domiciled;
at the Soldiers' home at Sawtelle has j
put the old warriors on a keen edge
and they are now ready for any fray.
There is no denial on the part of the
management of the home of the asser
tions that the veterans are suffering
for lack of sufficient food, and the only
defense that is m&de is the reiteration
of the statement that there is a lack
of funds. There was no further hint,
however, that because, men in war
time lived through periods of frightful;
starvation, when they became old and
enfeebled should be able to syrvivej
another period of hunger and privation
without complaint.
Veterans Hold Meeting
> committee of sixty, representing
the eleven barrack* and the hospital,
met quietly yesterday and passed
strong resolutions addressed to the
T'niteil States senate and members of
congress. In these resolutions they se
verely arraigned the management of
the home. They also criticise the
method of administration Of all the
veterans' homes in the United States.
That President Taft also will hear
of the conditions at Sawtelle, where
one of the National Soldiers' homes is
located, Is inevitable. Not only the
president and congress will he.ar this
plaint, hut it will go to the command
er-ln-chlef of the Grand Army of the
Republic and to other dignitaries of
the government.
\s pointed out some weeks ago in
The Herald, the hope of the old soldiers
is to have the management of trie sol
diers' homes transferred from the spe
cial commission which now has control
of them to the war department. They
i\ern under orders from the secretary
of war between IS6I and 1868 and they
feel that they should still look to that
department of the government for or
ders Instead of to a commission with
headquarters in New York.
Look to Washington
There is no doubt, a bit of sentiment
about this plan to have the manage
ment of homes for old soldiers placed
under the control of the secretary of
war but nevertheless it is a thing
which many of them desire, as they
looked to Washington and not New
York for instructions during the try
ing times. It is only natural that
they should now look to Washington,
th "nation's capital which they val
iantly defended, for orders as they did
when mere boys taking part in the
terrible war drama.
At least that is how they feel about
it. and if the sentiment started here
in California srystallizes there is some
likelihood of the government of the
homes for old soldiers being placed with
the secretary of war.
Civil war veterans all over Southern
California discussed The Herald's ex
pose of conditions at the Sawtelle home
yesterday and the opinion was freely
expressed* that a rigid investigation
should be made./ This sentiment is so
strong that it will very likely be de-
I inanded by the Grand Army posts In
1-os Angeles.
Stanton post will meet tonight and
there will be presented to the members
of that post a statement dealing with
the Sawtelle home. Stanton post Is
understood to bo as fair toward the
management of the Soldiers' home as
any post in the city, or in Southern
California, and any action taken by
this post will be regarded as being
Impartial and unbiased. (
Uncle Sam Posjt Alert
Uncle Sam post amf the Women's
Relief corps of that post became, in
volved in H controversy with the man
agement of the home prior to Me
morial day as lc> whether or not the.
graves of the dead soldiers should be
decorated with tlowers. and conse
quently any action taken by this post
would be traced back to that point. But
members of this post are alert and
closely watching developments. Stan
ton post, however, held aloof in the
former controversy, which related to
the decoration of graves, and there
fore whatever action is taken by that
post tonight will he regarded as re-,,
dieting the impartial view of the mat
ter of the management, of the homes
being transferred from a commission to
the war departent.
"This Is not a local question by any
ins," said a veteran who will attend
the Stanton post meeting tonight.
■We have realized for several years
that the management of the .soldiers'
homes should be unrtei the secretary
of war if anything like efficient service
i s given. It is absolutely necei
These nun are wards of the govern
ment and deserve the host of every-
(Continued on I'aga Two) I
LOS ANGELES HERALD
LAWYERS USE FISTS
IN TRIAL OF CASE;
B.OTH WILL RECOVER
SAN .IOSK, June I".—A ffc stic en
counter between .Attorneys Louis O'Meal
and A. A. Beasley followed adjournment
at noon today of the damage milt of
Klidrit vermin the Southern racillc com-
IKiiv. The He was passed by Beasley,
whereon O'Neal struck him violently,
knocking liim over a table, and grabbed
him by the throat. O'Neal was dragged
off, and Beasley soon recovered.
ARRIVAL OF COMET
STSRS ASTRONOMERS
SCIENTISTS WATCH FOR WON
DROUS CELESTIAL BODY
Two Hundred Million Miles Length
of the Tail of Marvelous
Visitor Discovered by
Brooks
NEW YORK, June Two interest-
Ing and rare astronomical phenomena
are scheduled for this evening.
The moon will eclipse four-fifths of
the sun at two minutes after 7 o'clock
jin the vicinity of New York, and
three hours later the tail, at least, of
Brooks' wonderful comet la expected
to come into plain view.
According to Edwin F. Naulty, an
astronomer, who observed the comet
only an hour or so after it was dis
covered by Prof. Brooks ■on May 23
j last, the tail of this comet, which is
said to be 200,000,000 miles long, will
illuminate the southern sky between 9
and 11 o'clock, and there Is a possi
bility that even the head of the visitor
may come into view. So far the head
has not been seen and It is causing
the liveliest Interest among astrono
mers and others.
The eclipse of the sun, which will
not occur again until 1918, is expected
[ to be visible as far west as the cen-
I tral states and along the entire At
lantic coast.
~~
Consecrated Bishop
SALT T..AKE CITY, June 17.—The
Very Rev. Benjamin Brewster was
consecrated Episcopal bishop of west
ern Colorado today. Among the digni
taries of the church present was Bish
op Nichols of California.
THE NEWS SUMMARY
FORECAST
For Los Angeles and vicinity:
Cloudy Friday; cooler, probably light
showers; light, south winds. Maxi
mum temperature yesterday, 76 de
grees; minimum, 52 .degrees.
LOCAL
Relatives of two more men declares patients
at Patton asylum are. victims of brutality.
Veterans at Sawtelle ask Investigation of
management of aged soldiers' home.
Reports at anniversary celebration at Y. W.
C. A. building show growth of work done by
the association.
Forty-fourth annual commencement exer
elses are. held at St. Vincent's college,
"Big brothers" committee of Fishermen's
club wIM ask business men to help in work
of guiding homeless boys.
City- may have to pay an extra $5000 for
sewer work because of technicality In bid. \
Violations of pure food law alleged against
nine fruit merchants.
Fight over addition to South I'ark may split
Sixtb ward in two.
■ Postal authorities unable to recover $16,000
lost In registered mails.
Judge Moss decides mortgage secured by note
Is non-negotiable.
Additional boys can be taken care of at Y.
M. c. A. encampment.
Special officer arrests burglar caught In act
after fierce struggle.
Visiting Elks to he served with ostrich egg
omelet at Cawston's farm. -
largest class in history In Southern Call'
fornla university Is graduated. y
Ufa guard at Long Beach rescues girl from
death in water.
Conference to be held In mayor's office to de
termine weight of loaf of bread. "*
Man rendered unconscious by sudden blow
and robbed of watch and money.
COAST
Alaska will show gold worth $1,500,000 at the
Seattle exposition.
Japanese offer to aid authorities at Seattle
to prevent Clime.
Heney declares his Intention of running for
district attorney while summing up argument
in Calhoun case.
Citizens of -*"mn Pedro will try to prevent
railroad from obtaining fifty-year franchise.
' ' EASTERN
Mrs. Gould suffers pain during examination
In divorce case.
Officials fear transfer of leper patient to
eastern metropolis. ', '' •
Strikes In Pennsylvania coal fields cost pub
lic many millions.
Cardinal Gibbons in address to young women
disapprove! of suffrage
Pierpont Morgan secures preclude Gothic art
fot American museum.
Worshipers In Kansas town use reptile to
enliven services.
Admiral protests against cigarette smoking
In the navy.
Former President Roosevelt ursM Americans
to wrest power from criminal rich.
Author Brandenburg, sued for larceny, in
sists former President Cleveland signed arti
cles.
Samuel (tempers says he will defy court in
junctions.
Railroad companies order thousands of cars
for Increasing business.
• Citizens of Dayton, Ohio, cheor for Wright
brothers. • , t
. Widow of suicide in France comes to United
Stales to claim estate.
I Maid walks New York streets adorned with
jewels stolen from noted actress.
Pps§|j FOHEICN ■
• Armed men at- Kiev, Russia., shoot land
owner and live others because they were re
fused money.
Japanese anarchists declared responsible for
strike in Hawaii. ■ i
Explorer says China offers remarkable field
for all varieties of labor.
Emperor William welcomes Czar Nicholas
on yacht Hohenzollern. .
■ Oil company in City of .Mexico organizes to
d nil petroleum output -of bister republic
FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 18, 1909.
HENEY EXPLOITS
HOW BOSSES AID
THEIR HENCHMEN
PROSECUTOR ABOUT THROUGH
IN CALHOUN TRIAL
SHOWS AMBITION TO BECOME
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Declares State Had No Alternative but
td Grant Immunity to Super.
visors Who Gave Most
Direct Testimony
(By Associated Press.)
SAN FRANCISCO, June 17.—Fran
cis J. Heney, well-known through
out the country as a prosecutor be
fore he came to San Francisco four
years ago, laid down his half-complet
ed argument in the case of Patrick
Calhoun tonight after relating his am
bition to become district attorney of
the new administration in Sail Fran
cisco, and after outlining, with all the
vehemence of his fiery disposition, the
theory of the prosecution that tends
to connect the president of the United
Railroads with the charge of bribery
that has served as the basis of a five
months trial.
Mr. Heney expects to conclude by
tomorrow afternoon at the hour of ad
journment, and it is hoped that Judge
William P. Lawlor, after submission of
the argument, will elect to give his
instructions, which will require about
three hours to deliver, and will give the
ease to the jury in a night session.
Otherwise the instructions will be
deferred until Saturday morning.
Mr. Heney exploited the history of
several political bosses with whose his
tory he manifested acquaintance.
"Go down the line," said the speaker.
"Remember Tweed, of New York; But
ler, of Missouri; 'Blind Chris' Buckley,
Sam Rainey and Phil Crimmins of ban
Francisco. Can you recall whether
they divided with their subordinates.'
Do you suppose they prospered without
the co-operation of the men they put
In office?
Has to Grant Immunity
He attempted to demonstrate to the
jury that the prosecution had no course
open save to grant immunity to the bu»
pervisors «Tio gave the most direct
testimony against the defendant and
ho related in every detail the history
of Abraham Kuof, Eugene E. feenmitz
and the other men charged with com
plicity in the bribery of the labor
union administration.
One of the several dramatic features
of the day was when Mr. Heney, reach
ing h discussion o£ the activities of
William M. Abbott of the legal force of
the. United Railroads, walked to a
point opposite Mr. Calhoun and, shak
ing his tinger at the subject of his dis
course, said: ..
"I am talking about William M. Ab
bott, than whom no milder villain ever
cut a throat or scuttled a ship. In ap
pearance a Sunday school superintend
ent, he is yet one of the men who was
responsible for this record of black In
iquity."
Mr. Heney spoke in a courtroom
packed to the doors and crowded be
yond the doors into the lobby of Car
penters' hall. A score of women stood
all afternoon in the throng at the back
of the big auditorium and twenty po
licemen wearied of their task long be
fore the available seats were tilled and
the disappointed residue of spectators
were driven aivay from the entrance by
mounted patrolmen.
Judge Frank H. Dunne, before whom
several of the graft defendants have
been tried, shared the bench ■ with
Judge Lawlor, and the large audience
included several prominent clergymen.
Mr. Heney Talks of Bossism
On the subject of bossism, Mr. Heney
said:
'■What a spectacle is this for Ameri
can citizens. The history of the coun
try shows that the menace to our ex
istence as a republic lies in our great
cities, where we foster the bosses.
Bosses are not created—they merely
take advantage of conditions. They are
supported by two large classes, as they
were at the time of the second election
of Eugene E. Schmitz. One holds forth
in the Tenderloin, where they want a
permit to commit crime, to run opium
joints, dance halls and to rob drunken
men, hoping to arrange it that the
police may be blind. The other class
I,leys from above. They are the people
who live on Pacific avenue and in the
go-called fashionable neighborhoods.
They want higher dividends from their
investments In their gas and railway
and tele),hone privileges.
"But you don't mean that they join
hand! with the Tenderloin to accom
plish these ends? Yes, that's exactly
what I do mean. And that is what
makes the boss possible.
"By sending the Ruefs and that Ilk to
the penitentiary you do not change con
ditions; you merely create a vacancy
Tor another boss."
Mr. Heney said he was willing to de
vote his life to a principle; that he had
I sen forced by conditions to accept v
nomination for district attorney of San
Francisco, and he bitterly scored trie
attorneys for the defense on account of
(heir criticism of his acceptance of
funds from Rudolph Spreckels.
Defends Himself
For an hour ho defended himself and
his associates from attacks made upon
the graft prosecution.
It is practically insured that Mr.
Honey's address will continue through
out tomorrow's session of court.
Standing near the spot Stained with
his blood last November, when he was
■hot down in the courtroom during the
trial of Abraham Ruef, Heney, who
has directed the Sail Fronc(nco bribery
i.T.ift e.ises for tha past three years,
be 'in this morning his dual argument
lo the Jury in the trial of Calhoun.
In fitter disregard or the orders of
the court that no one be allowed to
stand, it was almost, impossible for the
newspaper men to wurk their way
(Continued on Page reJ B lil)
WITNESS SAYS
ACCUSED MAN
BOUGHT POISON
SENSATIONAL TESTIMONY AT
TRIAL OF BENNETT
NAME OF ALLEGED AFFINITY IS
BROUGHT IN CASE
Husband of Woman Who Deserted
Home Weeps While Reading
Letter Intended to Cloak
Her Conduct
Qj ENSATIONAL is a tame expression
when applied to the proceedings
s-' In the preliminary examination of
Harper Eugene Bennett, alleged wife
murderer, in Justice Ling's court yes
terday. Until the noon hour, when a
short adjournment was taken for lunch,
the conflicting testimony of physicians
as to the effects of strychnine or
ptomaine poisoning left a pronounced
doubt In the minds of the large gather
ing of spectators whether the evidence
would be sufficient on which to hold
Bennett to the superior court for trial.
A half hour after the court resumed
its session this doubt became weaker,
and when final adjournment for the day
was ordered was entirely eliminated.
For the first time during the hearing
the name of Mrs. Helen Molster, Ben
nett's alleged affinity, was brought into
the case, the story of the man's infatu
ation for this woman, a feeling ap
parently reciprocated, being told by one
of Mrs. Molster's almost lifelong
friends, Mrs. Cora H. Carpenter, and
supplying what the prosecution con
tends a motive for the supposed killing
of Mrs. Eugenia Thompson Bennett the
night of February 13 last.
Almost immediately there followed
the testimony of a business associate
of the accused man, Joseph Tipton, who
stated Bennett had purchased a quan
tity of strychnine ten days before the
death of his wife for the ostensible pur
pose of poisoning cats which had been
disturbing the slumbers of himself and
family.
Further startling testimony in the
same connection iB expected to be given
by the one remaining witness to be
called by C. C. McComas, assistant dis
trict attorney, before closing his case
this morning. . This witness, whose
identity Mr. McComas refuses to di
vulge, will, it Ik understood, tell Justice
Ling that Bennett made a purchase at
a nearby drug store a short time prior
to his wife's death, and that his state
ments at that time are in direct con
flict with the story told by him later.
Reads Letter and Weeps
Tho most touching Incident of the
proceedings occurred while B. C. Mol
ster, husband of tho woman who QB
-serted her home for love of the accused
man, broke down and wept while read-
Ing a letter written by his wife, in
which she endeavored to conceal her
alleged association with Bennett by the
statement that she was employed by a
wealthy family as nurse and was about
to accompany them on a journey. Sym
pathy for the man was evident
throughout the little courtroom, filled,
for the most part, with women, ani
even Mrs. Molster was visibly affected.
Tho medical testimony wan all In by
noon yesterday, the principal witness In
this respect being Dr. A. C. Pratt, who
was called to the.Bennett home to ad
minister to Bennett about 9 o'clock on
the night of February 13.
"When I entered the house," said the
physician, "I found Mrs. Bennett in bed.
I was called to treat Bennett, and Mrs.
Bennett made no complaint of illness.
A short time later who complained of
cramps in the calves of her legs. Her
pulse was about 140, and I administered
a Hypodermic injection of about one
thirtieth of a grain of sulphate of
strychnine In the right forearm. Her
pulse responded, becoming stronger and
slower, and her respiration also was
steadier. I then administered mustard
and water and sent for a nurse, and
later, when she was attacked with con
vulsions, I applied chloroform to her
nostrils, and also administered apamor
phine. Each time I turned her over she
went into a convulsion."
Dr. Pratt, on cross-examination by E.
B. Drake, one of Bennett's attorneys,
■aid his attention was first called to
Mrs. Bennett by her husband. When
he marie inquiries he learned that Ben
nett and his wife had eaten a quantity
of chili concerns throe hours earlier,
and naturally attributed the condition
of the couple to that feet.
"The symptoms, cramps followed by
convulsions, become more violent in
Mrs. Bennett's came," said the physi
cian, "indicating to me that ptomaine
poisoning had occurred."
Owing to tho fact that experts called
by the prosecution had testified mat a
■light touch upon the holy of a person
suffering from ptrvchnlne poisoning
would cause a convulsion. Attorney
Drake laid particular stress on the
statement of Dr. Pratt that massaging
Beamed to relieve the patient.
Dr. Pratt Blsa stated thai in rases of
strychnine, poisoning the extensor mus
cles are affected, while in Mrs. Ben
nett's case the flexor muscles were con
tracted, and that instear] of a contrar
ti )f the facial muscles, always nn
tlceable, R is said, In peysons dying
from the effects of strychnine. Mrs. Ben
nett's face bore a remarkably pleasing
expression when she passed away.
"In your opinion, what caused Mrs.
Bennett's death?" asked Mr. Drake,
concluding his examination.
"I beltove she died of ptomaine pois
oning, and nothing has since come to
my attention to lead me to change that
belief." said the witness.
Doctors Tell of Poison
Medical testimony regarding- the ef
tects of .strychnine poisoning as distin
guished from ptomaine poisoning was
also given by Dr. A. C. Barber, former
superintendent of the county hospital,
and Dr. Siimner J. Quint, police sur
geon. That Justice Ling regarded this
testimony of especial importance whs
Indicated hy several questions ha pro
pounded to the last named witness.
"After the administration of etrych-
(Continued on l'ujte Xwo) I
Men Who Relatives Declare
Were Victims af Brutality
&i-; '<'■■ - ■ -4
: ' W^w" jff Hi
EUGENE COPELAND, with his fam.
My, taken a short time before his
death, at San Jacinto.
PATHETIC LETTER WRITTEN
BY COPELAND SHORTLY
BEFORE DEATH
"Ward 7, Southern California State
Hospital, Pattun,' Calif., Dee. 11, 1907.
"Dear Cora, Reba and —Your
letter at hand. Am glad to hear from
.you and to hear that everything I*
going along fine. Am glad you had
Alice to help you with the work, and
also that Ebey took In the ropes and
staked down the derrick.
"I am proud of Doyle's writing, and
hope Reha will Boon be ready to go to
school. I was so glad to hear from you
that I cried. I have missed your loving
kindness toward me since 1 have been
here.
"With the tenderest love to Reba,
Doyle and mama and grandma, Roy and
Esther, I will close —KIGK>'K."
"P. B.—l am getting well, and hope
that j everything will go well on the
ranch. How is Ituby and the rest of
the homes and cows?"
THE PATTON DEATH ROLL
EUGENE COPELAND, San Jacinto, died January IS.
Relatives and undertaker who took charge of the body discredit
report of suicide.
LEE WOODS, Hemet, died March 4. Mother declares body
bore marks of finger prints at throat. Refuses to believe report
EDWARD L. PARSONS, Los Angeles, died March 15. Ribs
broken and body bruised.
HENRY GRASSMEE, Los Angeles, died Wednesday, June
9. Thirteen ribs broken. Coroner's jury returned verdict of
"(GEORGE ACKLER, Los Angeles; died mysteriously at
asylum a few hours after giving testimony adverse to the man
agement regarding Grassrriee's death.
OFFICIALS FEAR
LEPER SUSPECT
RAILROAD MEN UNWILLING TO
TRANSPORT PATIENT
Salvation Army Provides Automobile
and Trip Will Be Made to
Hospital in New
York
(By Associated Presa>
NEW YORK, June 17.—At a meet
ing of the board of health yesterday it
was decided to offer no opposition to
the bringing of John S. Early, sus
pected of being a leper, from Washing
ton to this city f6r treatment by Dr.
L. D. Bulkeiy.
This action and the consent of the
Washington authorities to permit
Early to leave their Jurisdiction prob
ably will terminate what has been a
lively controversy.
Although the Washington doctors,
Vho have Early in quarantine there,
insist that he has leprosy, Dr. Bulkeiy
is Just as confident that his ailment
is a quite common form of skin disease
which he purposes to cure.
When all opposition to the bringing
of Early to New York was removed
efforts were made to Induoe a railroad
company to transport him from Wash
ington, but all of the roads demurred,
declaring they would run no chances.
Therefore Early will be brought hero.
In an automobile, which will cost the
galvatlqn Army, of which he is a mem
ber, $80. The journey will start today
or tomorrow.
Plead Guilty to Smuggling
NEW YORK, Juno 17.—George C.
White, William Kilgannon and the lat
ter'a wife, Elizabeth Ktlgannon, pleaded
guilty today in the' United States cir
cuit court to indictments charging them
with smuggling. Ktlgannon was sen
tenced to one year in the penitentiary
and White to two years in the federal
prison at Atlanta, Ga. Mrs. Kilgan
non was fined $5000, which she paid.
__ «'»'•>• .
Fruit and Hay Damaged
SAN JOSE, June 17.—Light showers
In tho valley and heavy ones, in the
mountain's fell throughout Santa Clara
county today. Hay and cherries may
be damaged should the rain continue.
S)IJ> * 1 Liii* x-'VJ'^lJdjO -on" TRAINS, \S : cejJts
LEE WOODS
FIXES CENSURE
ON ANARCHISTS
CONSUL EXPLAINS INDUSTRIAL
STRIFE IN HAWAII
Representative of Japan Informs Of.
ficials at Tokio That Situation Is
Improving and Praises
Local Planters
(By Associated Press.)
TOKIO, Juno 17.—The report that the
Japanese of Huwali had appealed to
Tokio charging violation of treaty
rigHts as an outcome of the strike
agitation in the islands, is based upon
the fact that one of the agitators ar
rested at Honolulu sent a cablegram
to a brother living In Japan, request
ing him to endeavor to gain the inter
cession of the government in his be-
half.' In spite of the fact that he knew
it was useless, the brother conveyed
the appeal to the government.
A dispatch received here yesterday
from the Japanese consul at Honolulu,
says the strike situation is improving,
and that all the men in two districts
have returned to work. The strike, the
consul says, is a result of agitation on
the part of Japanese anarchists, tho
worst element among tho Japanese,
who have been trying to persuade all
their countrymen to join a union. They
claimed, the dispatch further asserts,
that they would be able to Increase
wages, but in reality their purpose was
to collect money.
■ Consul Praises Planters
Continuing, the Japanese consul
speaks highly of the attitude of the
local planters. He also says that after
the arrest and conviction of the asita
tors the condition of Japanese labor
at Hawaii would b« improved, but he
is advising the planters not to yield
and to insist that the men return to
work without conditions.
The affair is not regarded seriously
in Tokio. The government today gave
assurance that it had not interfered In
the matter and that it had not sent
any instructions to the consul at Hono
lulu.
Vessel Leaves for San Pedro
PORTLAND, Ore., June 17.—The
steamer Roanoke left today for San
Periro and way ports, with passengers
and freight.
*^ CENTS
RELATIVES
SUSPECT
FOULPLAY
Discredit Reports of
Suicide
SAY BODIES BORE MARKS NOT
SELF INFLICTED
NEW CASE OF BRUTALITY IS UN.
EARTHED
Management and District Attorney
Will Begin Thorough Investiga.
tion of Affairs of Institu
tion' Tomorrow
TWO more names were added
yesterday to the list of
deaths at the Patton state
asylum for the insane, which will
be the subject of an investigation
by District Attorney Byrne and
the board of managers of that
institution tomorrow.
The two names added to the
roster of cruelty and outrage ate
those of Eugene Copeland of
San Jacinto and Lee Woods of
Hemet. Both men were said by
Patton officials to have commit
ted suicide. Relatives declare
that the bodies bore marks whtch
could not have been sell-in
flicted and refuse to believe
either committed suicide.
The day's investigation, in ad
dition to the accounts of the two
deaths, revealed another story of
alleged brutality in the beating of
Walter Mayor, son of Thomas
Mayor of Los Angeles. The eld
er Mayor, upon investigating a
report that his coon had been ill
used, learned that his jaw had
been broken. The asylum man
agement admitted that the young
man had been injured, but, as in
all the other cases under investi
gation, said that the injuries were
received in a fight with an at
tendant.
The probe into the affairs of the
institution, which will be renewed
tomorrow, will be searching and
relentless and the district attor
ney and members of the board of
management have announced
their intention of using every pos
sible means to learn the truth of
the repeated stories of brutality
and outrage culminating in the
murder of one patient and the al
leged murder of three others. In
its entirety, the recital of the
cumulative horrors of the institu
tion forms one of the most revolt
ing narratives in the history of
similar revelations.
Inquiries made by representatives or
The Herald during the last three days
have revealed what is claimed by Un
dertaker R. J. Ralston and others of
San Jacinto and Hemet to bo an un
usual array of circumstances, to say
the least, in the case of two men al
leged to have hanged themselves at tn»
isylura In the months of January an!
M-'irrh 190 S. That these facts have not
sooner been brought to the attention o"
iho public is attributed by relatives o
the dead men to the fact that th<
authorities at Patton apparently hay.
the power to sign death certiflcatr
without a coroner's inquest and to r»
tain bo.lies so long as they may wisl
before notifying relatives of the de
CeTne d two men, Lee Woods and Eugen
Copeland, about whose deaths. It is de
clared there was woven a peculiars
suggestive uncertainty of details, ha<
lived for many years in Hemet and Sri
Jaolnto, and both had many friends ii
the two Southern California villages.
The elder of the men, Eugene Copelanii.
at the time of his commitment was con
sidered prosperous, and except for a
haunting desire to sacrifice his large
farm and "go away to work 1 was be
lieved to be rational. Copeland enjoyo'l
the suggestion that he go to the asylum
for a rest, and like his immediate
friends und relatives considered the
advice of his physician to do so was
merely given to permit him to take a
needed rest. He was not considered In
sane, though admittedly Irrational on
the subject mentioned. Copeland ac
cepted his commitment to Patton with
evident pleasure and seemed to enjoy
his stay thero up to the time he was
found dead, indicating In the last let
ters to his family that hiH condition
rapidly was improving. He left Ban
jacinto for the asylum November 11,
1907
Receive* New* of Death
On the 16th day of the following
January, a little more than two months
later, his wife received a telegram
statinp that he "died suddenly."
Tho telegram asked what disposition
should be made of the body. Mrs.
land replied immediately that the
body should be sent to San Jaolnto.
Receiving no. reply, she placed the
matter In the hands of R. J. Ralston
of the undertaking firm of Ralston &
(Continued on face Zhre*>.