The San Francisco call. [volume], September 28, 1910, Page 2, Image 2

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
2
TIDE OF EVIDENCE OVERWHELMS TOOMPSONr
1 SCENE AT SWAN INQUEST. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT THE FIRST - THREE ARE:\ ATTORNEYS JOHWCREELY.DR.iROBERT; THOMPSON, AND AZTO&NEY.FITZ&ATRICK.-..AT THE END OF -THE BENCH IS
Prisoner May Seek to Stem the Flood of
Testimony With Technicalities
the body of Eva Swan," replied the
witness.
Therew as testimony as positive from
others on different points equally as
important. Miss Irene Canty, 329 Eu
reka street, testified that the boy
known as Willie Saack was the one who
asked for the key to the house at 327
Eureka 6treet, and Mrs. Evelyn Bean
positively identified Doctor Thompson
as the. man she saw entering the dwell-
ing at about the time the dead girl
disappeared.
Doctor Thompson made but a single
admission that was against him. Prior
to the inquest he was taken to Judge
Conlan's court and there arraigned on a
charge of murder.
"What is your name?" asked the
judge.
ADMITS TRUE XAME '
The physician cast a dubious glance
at his counsel and, on the latter nod
ding in the affirmative, said:
"Robert Thompson.**
It was at the inquest that the Inter
est was the keenest. A dense crowd
blocked the doors long before the time
of the hearing and it was added to as
the morning progressed. Miss Messer-
Echmidt, when taken to the office of the
became hysterical.
\u25a0 . "Don't take me in there," she pleadf
: ed, "I do not want to go in and face
•him." \u0084~.'.'.:-.^
"-. \u25a0 The woman, thoroughly broken with
-.the strain, fell over in a half swoon.
.-.She seemed to be dominated by an ab
:.Ject fear of the physician and clung to
:. the officers lor protection. On "account
. . of her hysterical condition she was al
-.lo.wed to stay outside until her time
came to testify. '
\u25a0AVOIDS DOCTOR'S GAZE -
As she entered the place, the Inquest
room, which by this time had been re
moved to Conlan's egfcrt. the crowd
pressed forward. She^ltaggered to a
seat and with nervous fingers clasping
and unclasping each other, studiously
avoided gazing in Dr. Thompson's di
rection. Not so the latter. He leaned
forward and fairly glared. 1 Only once
did she turn to him and that was for
the purpose of identification.
"Is that Dr. Grant? 1 ; she was asked.
She half turned her head, gave him a
slight glance and murmured In the
affirmative. Part of the reason for her
behavior was guessed by Coroner
Walsh,
"Was Dr. Grant an avowed admirer
of youre?" he asked point blank. .
"He was," said the woman. She
dropped her head and half a minute
later ewooned. : - »
The nurse's testimony was in line
with her story of her confession, with
the exception that 6he added that. Dr.
Thompson had'performed other crimi
nal, operations, but that the ' death of
Eva Swan was the first to he-knowl
edge from his handiwork. - '
ILLUSTRATES BODY'S POSITION
- It remained for Detective M. V.
Burke to give the finishing touch to
the situation of horror. When called
upon to give his story of the finding
of the body, he illustrated by postures,
the way it lay. As he stooped over
with hi« head "doubled in between his
knees, the- spectators broke into* ex
clamations and gasps of fascinated
horror.
In examining the dead girl's trunks
the police found a postcard written to
Paul Parker by Mi6s Swan, and which
indicated the feeling between them.
She had evidently written-" to "him
previously and riot receiving an answer
sent him the following lines: .
"If a body write a boJy '-
And a " body ' don* t reply, "
"Can a bodjr," write a" body
To ask the r reason why?"
Miss Messerschmidt, while" testifying,
declared that Parker on one -of his
visits to Miss Swan* at the ; "ibspitar
of Dr. Thompson was led away by the
latter to a private office, where the two
held a long i conversation.
One of the dramatic incidents of the
inquest was when the trunk in which
Miss Swan's body was carried away
was opened. The spectators with one
accord leaned forward , to gaze . at .It,
and with them Dr. 'Thompson. The
man seemed utterly devoid of emotion.
He pursed his lips in a critical fashion
and then whispered to his attorney.
Parker was one of the witnesses " at
the inquest, but was kept outside
awaiting his turn to testify. The hear
ing was adjourned before this hap-_
pened, and he. will be brought forward
at the inquest when it continues its
session today. He Is still kept a pris
oner. ; His father and brother, both
prominent physicians of Salinas," ar
rived in San Francisco yesterday and
are interesting themselves in his be-
WITNESSES POSITIVELY
IDENTIFY GIRL'S BODY
AND DR. THOMPSON
Detective Ed Wren was the first wit
ness called when the inquest was
started in the assembly room at the
coroner's office at 10:30 o'clock v yes
terday morning... He. made a straight
away statement of his connection" with
the case from the start.
"I first became identified with this
case last July," said Wren. "At that
time I was detailed, with Detectives
Tobin and Burke to go to 327 Eureka
street Previous to that time the de
partment had receiv^ed word that there
was something wrong, at the Eureka'
street address. As I remember a
butcher boy had notified one of the de
tectives that the Caughmans, who' then
lived at the place, had" found a trunk
in which some human blood- stains were
found and also some shovels and a
lantern. We went to the house and I
took samples of the lining of the, trunk
and of a part of one of the straps. AX
though the trunk , had . been washed
with a hose by Mrs. Caughman in ; an
endeavor to clean it, the odor of some
thing dead,. was still strong." Detective
Burke, . who is .here, will - testify' as to
the digging up of, the premises In
search of any evidence of a body, being
buried there. I took the samples > of,
the lining of the .trunk, and. the. piece
of strap to the city chemist -
IWESTICATIOX DROPPED f ?
"I met I the city, chemist r some "Jays
later' and asked him for ;' a. * report -oh"
his examination. He told } me that he,
had not had time to make the examina
tion, but would do so in a day or'»8O.
I met him a week ( later and he said he
had made.some tests, which to
show the spots to. be human blood, but
would make . a'tldlitional tests. . sI . saw
him, several days later and he told- me
his other tests had failed; to show that
the stains were btaod. The yard having
been dug up and the fact 'that "the
chemist said the spots were not human
blood led us to drop, the investigation.,
, "The case was reopened early j .last
week,; when Gordon" made his statement
to the' police. We arrested Dr.
Thompson, alias Grant, and Miss \u25a0 Mes
serschmidt. Sunday night we took . Paul
Parker into custody and placed; him I . in"
detinue.- .'v Pike, who joined ,fwithVGor
don in • getting money ; from • the doctor,
has been arrested at Weed andiwillibe
returned here In a "Jay / or so."
Wren then detailed his conversations
with the various persons under arrest,
as has been published, .'and \u25a0 stated* that
he ' had failed : to t get' Parker ; toY admit
that he was J responsible ". : for ,Mlss
Swan's . condition. yAv-V . -
BURKE TESTIFIES :.:':'-^'j
\u25a0^petectivetM^V.}Burke; was ,thts> next'
witness. Burke corroborated i. Wren -in
\u25a0 --'... \u25a0\u25a0 --\u25a0; '...\u25a0.... •-' V. • \u25a0 . :\u25a0\u25a0•,'-, \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 7- .\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 \u0084•\u25a0\u25a0... v .-.\u25a0....\u25a0 '. .\u25a0.\u25a0.;.. \u25a0 * \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 .-. ' \u25a0 - * - - .-•\u25a0..\u25a0 \u25a0 - : \u25a0\u25a0 .-\u25a0-.\u25a0. '-\u25a0•\u25a0\u25a0 •\u25a0•\u25a0\u25a0-•\u25a0\u25a0'. '
Mrs.; Game y4.lH^^c;;iv7ib
motion tvith: crime.: \u25a0;-\u25a0.\u25a0 \u25a0': ;.\u25a0: ...•'\u25a0;,\u25a0,\u25a0\u25a0• hi^::>K":^:^'-/:. :.:\u25a0- v- \u25a0/_ ' \u25a0 '\u25a0\u25a0.'.' " ; . ; . -.' :^;:;$- : +- < \u25a0:-v : "/-'"
the details leaUlng up' -to'. the Jinaldis-.
covery of the crime. , In - speaking of
the 'efforts to' find ; the body last July,
Burke said:; ' : V -\ ,":.'-. .'\u25a0. / ;
; ''After the butcherboy tipped into. the
upper office -that the 'people' living.: at
the Eureka \ street ; house '-thought > a'
body might.be buried?^ there,". we, went
out to investigate.' \u25a0waiting -for
the report from the 'city .'chemist, we
dug up the yard In a good -many
Everywhere : we dug- the • ground • seemed i
'firm and undisturbed. ;; > We 'thought we
were on* a "good" lead • when "we* found
the ! hair clinging to/ the -spade, \u25a0 and
what we 1 thought was blood* in vthie'
trunk, .but when we" received the -re
"port' that \u25a0 the stains? were" not' blood 1
and • could? find no ". traces^ of a*- grave,!
we gave : up the': search." •\u25a0 '.*•. \u25a0?;•;: ;\" ; i
Burke* than the digging up
of the body '• from* the cement covered
grave .in ' the basement of the -.cottage.;
He displayed to thei jury places in
\u25a0theHrunk-frdmiWhlch^thej'plecesofvHn-'
Ing. h*ad '•\u25a0_ been 'clipped 'for* the ; 'examlna-"
tlon : by "the .chemist, /and "also '.the- two
spades and \the '-' short; handled^shovel
with-which , the - grave was dug." "He
also showed , the Jury": the i hatbox t found
in^Doctor, Grant's office; and-'the sult-j
case .showing the-traces of . cementfstlll
on ' the . case. ' Later the • suitcase, trunk
and' hatbox were identified' by Miss Mes-j
serschmidt as tKe property } of - Doctor
Grant. \ '.-/":\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 -•; r-'-;' : -\u25a0 y \u25a0'-\u25a0-. '\u25a0\u25a0'\u25a0 • \u25a0,"•,'\u25a0
i*A.I«JLADY CALLED ;V V' ; -..; .> \u25a0'\u25a0;':.'.'
li\ Following, Burke :*y Mrs. r Carrle~;Ai;
Ware, . who conducts i the • lodging • house
\u25a0 at.'. 2040 Scott- street, V'at- which/Miss
Swan lived -up to the* tlnie^of ; her^dis-;
appearance,^ and- : where vhas
lived •; since ) last < November, . was ; called.
'..;-- "Miss Swan : first i canYeY to ;my ? house
on the ,- Sunday previous ;to the -; first
of i February! '. ; -. If \u25a0 Mi ss : Swan { was sent
by i any one to me t<v get/a room I know
nothing ot itr.. . I never thought; Paul
Parker > sent! her, • as ; she - met j Parker,
on s her way : out of the house : af ter> she
engaged. ;, the _;ro6in, .> and :: they .'both
seemed}' surprised v to i meist ; ! each .other
there."/-":"- V-l'^ihCj, • .-\u25a0\u25a0 " : ~''^ ; :;-' : :
l'-J Mrs. . Ware , then ; stated she > had
identlfled '.the ". bodyj at !" the morgue las
that of Miss Swan.
Attorney! "Greely/ took Mrs.; Ware ion
cross.^examination" to* tryj to" shake : : her
identification of .the' bodKv: After; con^
siderable "f. cross . \
aske4 point blank: ; :V-.-;- : ;v- ; '\ : ?},.-v.:\; :: .''
;. i J 'Will - you \u25a0'* swear' 1 that ther-body '* is
that of Eva Swan?"
\u25a0 "Yes," I iwlll,";i wlll," ; answered Mrs. Ware." '\u25a0;*
\u25a0Dr. \ A: C. •> Bothe, ' the; city ..{ chemist/
was \u25a0-.: then called. ,\ Doctor ; Bothe ;. test!-;
fled" that "• he had? received the i part of
the i strap and the, pieces of.ljriing^from
-Wren \u25a0 for examination fandj had exarn-1
ined them mic#tscopicaily r and* by! acid
!tests.\ '\u25a0'• ''" -\u25a0--.--\u25a0'\u25a0' .\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 .'. "•;\u25a0';
"I; found -that -the .blotches ron .the
- ar .** c ' es "handed me_;.were" not inhuman
I THE UNION TRUST I
f\u25a0 r " '*
X' V*\/lf 11 xTLiI 1 •\u25a0 \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0':\u25a0'.\u25a0;\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0. w
S;l:^'V - .." - =QF- SAN FRANCISCO <|
I-,- REMOVAL^;; |
of Its "Banking, and- Trust .Offices to Its New v,
«& ij ; ;Builidmg^at;the^junction of ; J: V 1C
%, :^Graiit/, Avenue, Market g
%".... . SAN FRiWJCISCO . ' " • \u25a0:'\u25a0;*
blood ""andTso "reported" to the; detect
ives," said \u25a0 : l\'
' Although "it"" had' nof; reached the
: noon . hour ; the [crowded' : condition f of
the room arid -the '-lack ; of -proper - v'en
'tilation;caused Coroner .Walslrtb; order
a recess following -Doctor Bothe's's tes
timony. r - The^ little assembly room.w as
packed : r so :tl\at". the; witnesses could
hardly get' in • to^testlfy. .: An:adjourn
ment was \ taken;untli 1:30 in the after
ndon, when \u25a0 the was continued
in \u25a0 Judge Conlan's courtroom in the
temporary hall of justice..
* At the afternoon session the wit-
nesses 'practically all ' gave testimony
"directly connecting Doctor Thompson
with the case. It "was a bad afternoon
for the physician; and from the line
of questions asked by his attorneys it
would appear .that he- will- attempt to
, escape punishment oh some legal tech
nicality," as the evidence- so far. ad
duced absolutely connects him directly
with the death' of Miss" Swan.
" The ; first witness of - the afternoon
was Miss Irene. Canty, who. lives at 329
Eureka street, next 'door to where the
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body Wfcs discovered. Miss Canty said
in part: -^
"The young, man whom we know as'
"Willie Saack came to my house to get
the key to the cottage next door. I told
him that I did not think he would want
the house, as it was very untidy. ' He
sald~that that did not matter, as he
represented an Englishman who had
been searching all over the city for a
modest and quiet cottage in which to
take a rest. He looked at the house
and said it would do. Later he called
again and* got the key from my little
Con tinned on Page 5, Column 1