The San Francisco call. [volume], March 15, 1911, Image 1

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

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VOLUME (IX.—NO. 105.
WOMAN IS
WANTED IN
SEATTLE
Mrs. Petersen, Who Imperso
nated Mrs. Farrelly, Indicted
for Similar Crime
LAWYERS ARE FOOLED
BY FALSE MORTGAGE
Career of Swindling Dating Back
Half a Dozen Years Preceded
San Francisco Affair
DIVORCED HUSBAND SAID
SHE ROBBED OWN SON
SEATTLE, March 14.— Inez E.
Patterson, or Peterson, under ar
rest In San Francisco for the
forgery of the name of Mrs. Hen
rietta Farrelly, on which she assumed
to borrow $10,010, .Is no new hand at
that game, according to the police, of
ficials here. Se is now under indict
ment by the King county grand jury
for a crime almost identical, although
not so ambitious, as the offense alleged
against the woman by the San Fran
cisco police.
She is accused here of having ob
tained $1,500 by means of a fraudulent
mortgage on the horne ■'of Mrs. Anna
1... Knowles t 2C:s Second avenue. West,
Seattle*.
There are several points in common
between the means by which the woman '
operated here and In San Francisco. ]n
each place she first established a credit
at a dry goods store and used that
credit to reinforce her assumed identity.
Wanted in Seattle
Mrs. Patterson was indicted by the
grand jury a few days ago and the
eheriff'B office has telegraphed to the
San Francisco police to hold her.
She. is the divorced wife of E. E. Pat
terson of Cashmere. Wash, j Before she
attempted the Knowles deal she was in
volved in a fraudulent transaction with
a grocery firm.
Mrs. Patterson, it was said at the
sheriff's office, represented herself as
Mrs. A. 1,. Knowles to the brokerage
firm of H. A. Raaer company," Colmon
building. She opened negotiations for ,
a Joan of $1.50 Oon a piece of property j
owned by Mrs. A. L. Knowles at 2228
Second avenue West early last Decem
ber. . She produced a false abstract of
title, which, when examined by the at
torneys of the company, was . pro
nounced satisfactory, and the $1,300 was
given to Mrs. Patterson.
Swindled Grocers
Man h 1 Mr?. Knvwle* re. eiverl a let
ter from the Raser company telling her
certain interest was due. An investi
was started and shortly after
ward the fraudulent instrument was
■if]. The information was imme
diately placed in the hands of the prese
- attorney, who brought the case
'■ attention of the present grand
"With the discovery of the forged
mortgage, Mrs. Knowles also learned
that an unidentified woman answering
the description of Mrs. Patterson had
been to a number of the local dry
goods stores and had purchased sev
eral hundrpd/ dollars worth \>t goods,
charging the same to ■her account.
Mrs. Patterson was arrested about a
year ago hy the local police, charg d
■with obtaining $200 worth of groceries
from Augustine & Kyer under the
name of Mrs. E. P. Tremper, wife of
air. Tremper of the firm of Osburn,
Trernper &. Co.. abstractors. By re
paying the money for the goods she
exceeded in having the case dismissed
and she "nras never prosecuted.
Used Son's Money
Mrs. Patterson was the wife of E. E.
Patterson, an Alaskan residing at Cash
mere. "Wash. He obtained a divorce from
her a number of years ago, but she
rained the custody of ; the child, Ray
Patterson, who is now 16 years old. Last
November Patterson brought an action
against Mrs. Patterson charging that
she -was diverting elsewhere the $100 a
month alimony he was paying her for
the education of their son. He asked
the court for an order to pay the money
to the trustees of Pullman college,
where the boy is now being educated.
Judge John F. Main granted the decree.
••During the trial of the case Judge Main
received a threatening letter purporting
to have been sent from Alaska. An in
vestigation was made, and Mrs. Pat
terson was later charged in open court
by Attorney John E. Ryan with having
been the author of the communication.
BANK BURGLARY CAUSES
CASHIER’S WIFE TO DIE
Woman Succumbs to Shock
When Safe Is Blown Up
ROCHESTER, N. r.. March 14.—The
safe in the bank of^the Rushville bank
ing company at Rushville, west of
Geneva, was blown open last night and
Urn contents, estimated at several thou
sand dollars, stolen. Mrs. W. I. Jones,
wife of the oashW of the bank, who
has been ill. died from shock when she
heard of the robber}-. The robbers got
THE San francisco CALL
John D. and ‘Billy’
T. Say ‘How D’ye’
Quite Cheerily
] AfiirSTA, G(., March 14— Presi- j
| dent Taft and John D. Rooke- \
j feller met today for the firnt \
\> time since the president's arrival. ]>
j despite the fact that they have !
! been guests at the same hotel. !
The meeting occurred on the ]
! golf links. Rockefeller and his !
| party passed the president, who
| was playing with Ansley 'Wilcox \
! of Buffalo. N. T.. about feet
!' away. Rockefeller quickly I
! "jrniaeJ Taft. ;
! "Good morning Mr. President," ]
!; he called. ',
\\ The president was about to !
!; drive and looked up surprised. !
<\ 'Why, good morning, Mr. !
] rtockefeller," he answered.
I The president and the oil !
! magnate waved their hands at \
\ each other, and the latter passed j
•', on.
SCHMITZ HOME MAY
GO UNDER HAMMER
Foreclosure Suit Gives the First
Hint of Possible Trouble
for Former Mayor
Apain the limelight of publicity lias
been turned upon the former home of
Eugene E. Sehmitz. once mayor of San
Francisco. The modest white dwelling
Hinging to the side of the steep Fill
more hill near Green street—the house
in which Schmitz lived during the palmy
days of his regime, the house of the.
famous secret boodle box. the house in
which Abe Ruef later was kept prisoner
under Elisor Biggy. the house around
which centered plot and intrigue during
the days of the graft prosecution—has
become the focus this time of an action
in court.
Eugene K. S< hmilz was named de
fendant yesterday in a suit filed in the
superior court for the foreclosure of a
mortgage upon the property. The ac
tion was begun by the German savings
and loan society, which accepted the
property as security on a note for $6,000
given by Schmitz March 14. 19P8. just «
few months before the graft investiga
tions resulted in his removal as mayor
of San Francisco.
Interest Is Unpaid
The promissory note given by Schmitz
was signed also by Julia A. Schmitz.
The complaint sets forth that Schmitz
has repaid no part of the principal and
lias defaulted in the payment of inter
est on the loan since June 14. 1910. The
hank asks for a judgment of $6,000 and
an order for the sale of the property to
satisfy the claim. Augustus F. Lawton,
Daisy D. Lawton. D. O. Druffel and
Raver's law and collection agency, who
claim some Interest in the mortgaged
premises, are also named as defendants.
Ti;p history of the Fillmore street
house is linked closely with that of the
graft prosecutions. It was the resi
dence.of Schmitz until he built the
handsome home at Pierce and Vallejo
streets which, it was alleged during
the graft disclosures, was constructed
with funds comprising a portion of his
share of the loot from municipal cor
ruption. Then he sold the Fillmore
street house, hut the mortgage re
mained in his name. La.fr, when Abe
Ruef, under Indictment for bribery and
a fugitive from justice, was captured
at his hiding place !n the outskirts of
the city, it was this same house which
was selected for his confinement as a
prisoner under charge of Elisor Wil
liam J. Bfggy.
Room With the Secret Chest
Whll« the house was being prepared
for Ruefs occupancy, there was dis
covered in an upper room the secret
chest set into the floor, in which, so the
rumor went. Schmitz had hidden thous
ands of dollars of graft and bribery
money.
The chest was in reality si cavity
between the celling on the lower floor
a.nd the floor of tlie bedroom above,
secured with a heavy trap lid strongly
locked. Its Interior was upholstered
in red plush, and the door in the floor
was cleverly concealed beneath the
carpet of the room.
sohmitz gave the lie to the story that
this chest had been used as the hiding
place for his stolen wealth, declaring
that he had used It as a receptacle for
a cherished violin. William J. Burns,
the detective In charge of the graft in
vestigations, quickly disproved the lat
ter statement by showing that no vio
lin could possibly be stored in an aper
ature of the size.
While Ruef remained under guard
in this private prison there de
veloped tale after tale of kidnapping
plots and schemes for escape, all cen
tering in some bold coup to be executed
within the house Itself.
Since Schmitz has been freed of the
burden of possible criminal prosecu
tion by the supreme court's reversal
of his conviction and the dismissal of
other charges, he has led a quiet life
in San Francisco. It has been reported,
however, that he ha* been successful in
a number of large financial ventures
and while it Is unknown whether or
not he still retains any equity in the
Fillmore street property, the beginning
of a foreclosure suit against him comes
as a general surprise.
Bchnitg is known to have been en
gaged in several oil and insurance en
terprises, had a part in a big cement
deal and was understood to have the
rights on a successful cement railroad
tie. It has been generally believed that
lie had made a. small fortune during the
last few years and the foreclosure suit
drive* the first hint that the former
mayor may not be as well off as has
been popularly understood.
SAN FRANCISCO, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1911.
BROKERS BALK
AT NEW GEARY
STREET BONDS
Supervisors Notified That No
Bids Will Be Submitted by :
Local Houses
Municipal Railway Securities
May Be Sold Over Counter
to Public
INTIMATIONS were conveyed to the
.board of supervisors yesterday'by
local bond brokers that no ■ bids
would - be submitted '-' for the
$»oi'.Of)o worth of Geary street railway'
securities to be offered for sale Mon
day. As a result, the city authorities
are considering, plans for retailing th«
bonds over the counter to the public,
as was done with the first lot of the
Geary, street securities to the amount
of $500,000. That the bonds could be
sold to the people direct without great |
trouble was the opinion expressed yes- j
terday in administration circles. ■
The disinclination of the \ bond 1
houses to participate in the purchase
Continued on Phr«- 7 Column 2
WIFE SUES CONVICT SHE
MARRIED TO DUPE LAW
Woman Seeks Decree From E. A. S. Blake, Who Was
Convicted of Trying to Bribe Ruef Juror
[Special Dispatch to The Call]
' LOS ANGELES, March Alleging
that she had been coerced marry
ing E. A. S. Blake of San Francisco to
save him from being sent to'the peni
tentiary, Mrs. Marguerite Blake today
filed suit for a divorce. Mrs. Blake
asserts that Blake came to her apart
ments in .San Francisco ami said b«
was about to be sent to the penitentiary
an.i declared that he would kill her if
She did not marry him. She says slve
panied Blake to San Hafal.
where they were married, but that her
sacrifice was in vain, as he was con
victed of a felony. The wedding, she
says, occurred in December, 130 S.
Taken From Jail to Marry
Mrs. Blake"s suit recalls her marriage
to E. A. S. Blake, convicted of attempt
ing to bribe a prospective Ruef juror.
Blake was taken from the county jail
by District Attorney Langdon to San
Rafael that he might marry. Permis
sion for Blake to leave the jail to be
SPOKANE ELECTS MINISTER
TO MINISTER CITY AFFAIRS
SPOKANE, March 14.—The commis
sion form of .government for the city
of Spokane was instituted this morn
ing, when the first board of fire com
missioners, elected last Tuesday, as
OGDEN REID IS
MADE BENEDICT
Son of Ambassador Marries
Miss Helen Rogers, Former
ly Mother's Secretary
RACINE. Wls.. March 14.—Tn Racine
college chapel at noon today Miss Helen
Miles Rogers, daughter of Mrs. Benja
min Talbot Rogers of this city, and Og
den Mills Reid of New York, son of Am
bassador Whltelaw Reid, were married.
Rev. I. Talbot Rogers. D. P., of Fond
dv Lac, Wis.. brother of the bride, per
formed the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs.
Whitelaw Reid were present.
Simplicity marked the affair because
of the Lenten season and no reception
followed the ceremony. Miss Mary
Eaton and James R. Miller of New York
City acted for the bride and groom
respectively.
Among the many gifts was a huge
silver piece inscribed "Ogden Reid, from
the men who worked with Reid on the
New York Tribune."
This afternoon the bridal party and
out of town guests left for Chicago on
a special train, whence Mr. and Mrs.
Reid will go to Mexico for a six weeks'
honeymoon. They will reside in New
York:
The bride is a member of one of 'Wis
consin's oldest families. She is a grad
uate of Barnard college and was for
s6me time social secretary to Mrs
Whitelaw Reid.
The groom is a director and secretary
of the Tribune association, publisher of
the N>\v York Tribone. He is a grad
uate of Tale law school and a member
of the New York bar.
PRINCIPAL OF SCHOOL
SUCCUMBS IN CLASS
Recitatfcn of Pupils Stopped by
Death
ANACORTES, Wash.. March 14.—
Prof. J. H. "Walters, principal of the
Anacortes high school, dropped dead
this forenoon while hearing a recita
tion*
American Warships Ordered Recalled in a Hurry
Mexico Says Keep Hands Off and Makes Threat
Kitchen of M company. Thirtieth infantry, in camp at San Diego.
married was secured by Langdon from
Sheriff I>>u,). The marriage of Blake
was intended to be kept a secret. Lang
don refused to explain his interest in
the love affairs of Blake at the time.
After being confined 26 months in the
county jail Blake was released 'on 'pro
bation, the application being mark- on
the ground that he was unable to sup
port a-.ivifc^and furnish her with the
necessiUca^tf ive 7,whi[e lined. This
was in' December, 1910. .
- When' Blake>rao in jail here he spoke
of {lie young' ■woman as his wife, al
though it was not until later that "the
ceremony 'was performed. In explain-
Ing: his. reasons-for keeping the mar
riage : a secret, Blake said: .
"I decided to enter upon this, mar
riage simply,out of deference to accept
ed conventions. 1 ", Neither ,my wife nor
myself deemed a ceremony! of any kind
necessary to sanction ? our relations. We
entered into our contract or ': common
law marriage in March, 1908." •
sunned control of affairs. Rev. William
J. Hindi**-, a Congregational minister,
was elected mayor. David C. Coates,
formerly governor of Colorado, now-a
socialist editor, takes charge of public
works.
MOTHER WHO KILLED
BOY AN IMBECILE
Testimony Is Given by Medical
Experts at Trial of Mrs.
Edith Melber
ALBANr. N. T.. March 14.—The fate
of Mrs. Edith Melber, on trial for the
murder of her young son, may be
known by tomorrow night. The de
fense rested this afternoon and tomor
row the state will put on Its medical
experts to offset alienists for the de
fens*, who testified today that the ac
cused woman was an "Insane imbecile"
when she forced acid down her boy's
throat.
A dorter (wore that from nine ex
haustive examinations he was able to
say that Mrs. Melber "has always been
insane—and always will be."
He pronounced Mrs. Melber a phy
sical as well as mental mbnstrosity.
He also said that the woman was an
incorrigible liar and wu absolutely
without power to distinguish right
from wrong.
A sister of Mrs. Melber told the story
of the childhood of the woman on trial.
Her father, she said, was a bar room
loafer, dying: from delirium tremens.
The mother, the witness said, though
a consumptive, wore out four sewing
machines the last years of her life in
her effort* to maintain the family.
Edith, the daughter, the witness said,
"was always an erratic child. When
mother died Edith danced around her
grave."
ROBBER INVADES HOTEL
NEAR THE WHITE HOUSE
Clerk Compelled to Relinquish
Employer's Cash
WASHINGTON. March 14.—With the
White House and police headquarters
each one block a^ay and the United
Statue treasury Jnat across the street, a
robber entered the office of the Grand
hotel, in Pennsylvania avenue, early to
day. h«ld up the clwk at the point of a
pistol and escaped with $56,
Mr. and Mrs. Albert J. Warren of Berkeley, who are in Jimerez,
Chihuahua, and unable to get away on account of the insurrection. War
ren owns the electric light plant in Jimerez.
HAPPINESS HEALER FAILS
TO CURE HIS OWN ILLS
Author of Volume Showing Mankind How to Achieve Joy
Tries Suicide While Despondent
[Special Dispatch to The Call]
■LOS ANGELES, March 14.—After hav
ing solved the problem of "how to be
happy" and incorporated his ideas into
a book, but foj- which lie had failed to
SEATTLE IS CONSERVING BIG
RECEPTION FOR BALLINGER
SEATTLE, March 14.—The public rer,
ception in honor of former Secretary
of the Interior Richard A. Ballinger
upon his return to Seattle will be un
der the auspices of the Chamber of
Commerce, with which organization
the mayor, Rainier club. Commercial
club, Arctic club, Rotary club and the
Manufacturers' association are co-op
DIVORCEE RACES WITH DEATH
TO SEE CHILDREN'S FATHER
KANSAS CITY, March 14.—Hearing
that William Rutledge, from whom she
was divorced five years ago, was in a
critical condition in a hospital here,
Mrs. Gertrude Rutledge left her home
in Lob Angeles to visit him. She
reached his bedside today. He had
died at 6:30 this morning.
DIVORCE COMPACT IS LAID
TO TWO SOCIETY WOMEN
SACRAMfeNTO, March 14.—A story
published here today says that Mrs.
L. A. Mclntosh and Mrs. F. C. Williams,
society women of Chico, and well
known throughout this section of the
state, entered into a pact some time
ago to secure divorce
>s v THE WEATHER ]
*t£SI%RDAY — Highest temperature. 70;
'lp>sesvMonda\) night. 54. '~ .•
fOR£cJpT FOR TODAY —Fair, light
ngfth Kind. . , > <
<>**&'. :' ■ -, '■' ■ ■ ■ j)
secure a purchaser. L. R. Andrews tried
to commit suicide here today at 1124
Fedora street, his home. He had become
despondent and drank a potion of ar
senic. His condition is serious.
crating. Owing to uncertainty as to
the date of Mr. Ballinger's return to
this city the program cannot be com
pleted at present. It is planned to
have Mr. Ballinger welcomed in ad
dresses by the mayor and other lead
ing citizens, and it is expected that Mr.
Ballinger will deliver an important
talk.
"Why did I come all this way to see
Mr. Rutledge?' she said in response
to a question. "He wu the father of
my five children. I do not know why
we were divorced. Neither did Mr.
Rutledge.'
Rutledge, riding a motor cycle, was
struck by an automobile March 5. Hi«
skull was fractured. *
Mrs. Mclntosh was granted a divorce
at Ordvllle several days ago. Accord
ing to the story Mrs. Williams was to
have flled her divorce suit at the same
time, but the papers were not filed un
til yesterday.
No sensational charges were made in
either case. There was no contest.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
TO BE KEPT
ON THIS
SIDE
Diaz Government Tells Wash
ington That Maneuvers of
Gunboats Embarrass Ef
forts Against Rebels
CONGRESS TO DEMAND
EXPLANATION OF TAFT
Representative Compares Strug
gle in Mexico to the Civil
War and Criticises De
partment Heads
PRESIDENT WISHES TO
HAVE FULL PUBLICITY
Late Developments
InMexko Rebellion \
United States orders warships
withdrawn from >f Mexican
waters.
Troops not to invade southern re
public unless forced into ac
tion.
Congress will demand full expla
nation of all moves made •by
administration.
San Diego editor and party suf
fer great privations near En
settada.
Revolutionary junta to seek aid
of Roosevelt to further its
cause.
Diaz tells correspondent he is
hale and hearty, and he looks
■ it.
Insurrectos accused of , putting
cyanide in water and Ameri
cans, warned.
Offers of land and money made
to United States troops to join
the insurgents.
IRA E. BENNETT
[Specid Dispatch io The Call] -
WASHINGTON, D. C, March
14.—1n accordance with the
announcement made in Xew
York the navy department
has issued orders that will take war
ships away from the Mexican coast in
a hurry. It was learned tonight that
these orders were issued in response
to a thinly veiled suggestion that un
less the United States government re
moved the embarrassing situation it
might be necessary for the Mexican
government to declare war, while
Mexico, because of her internal war
fare, is poorly prepared for a war with
another nation, the diplomats from
that country, in presenting their case
to the Washington authorities, made
it clear that there are some conditions
that no country no matter how weak
can possibly meet without recourse to
arms. Despite announcements made
here and in New York it can be stated
authoritatively that the Mexican sit
uation is no less acute than it was
last week. From Augusta, Ga., comes
the word that those authorized to
speak for President Taft say that "the
army will not cross the border unless
it becomes a matter of necessity.'
That this necessity may arise at any
minute is freely acknowledged there.
It is stated, however, that "the in
vasion will not take place counter 'to
the wishes of President Diaz." ,
While this might seem to be another
evidence of the friendliness of the
United States, It Is not construed that
way by the Mexican embassy. The
officials at the embassy say that if the
border Is crossed it will be equivalent
to a declaration of war. They say the
presence of gunboats on the Mexican
coast came close to such a declaration.
Because.of this attitude, but mainly
because the Mexican government is
taking more drastic means to crush the
revolution —with more chance of suc
cess, the navy department ordered the
warships to withdraw, explaining that
they paused merely to obtain coal.
Dissension in Congress
Senator La Follette of Wisconsin,
some of the other republican Insur
gents and some of the democrats are
continuing their plans for making
trouble for the administration in ean
nection with the mobilization of the
troops on the border. •
Cue of the senate Inaurgenti ma.de