The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-25
MISSING MINNIE.
A Sensation That Has Developed
in the Garden City.
New Phases Of the Van Horn-Gordon Suit
An Affidavit Made Under Peculiar
Circumstances.

There is a mild sensation in San Jose re-
garding the whereabouts of Miss Minnie
Van Horn, young woman of the Garden
City who recently began suit against Fl.
L. Gordon, citizen of that place, to re-
cover damages for an alleged seduction.
The circumstances of the case are some
what peculiar. Judgment was given against
Gordon, and last Monday his attorney made
a motion for new trial.
The sensation comes in as regards an affi-
davit signed by Miss Van Horn, in which
she says that her charges against Gordon
are false. She says that she feels most
keenly the wrong she has done, and, know
ing Gordon to be an innocent and honor
able man, she will no longer conceal the
facts or permit him to suffer from the great
wrong she says she has done him.
ENGAGED TO POTTER.
She adds that she became enamored Of
one Potter and the engagement was not
broken off until after the failure of her
suits against Gordon. She did not intend
to make any charge against Gordon, but
was prevailed upon by Potter to accuse
Gordon of being the father of her unborn
child, and by this means to brighten him
into giving her money enough to enable
her and Potter to get married; that her
father believed the charge against Gordon,
and, under the pressure OF her condition
and her fathers and Potter's demands, she
falsely accused Gordon of seduction; that
since the trials Potter has frequently called
at her home in East San Jose, and since he
was shot by Gordon has told her that he
lay in waiting for Gordon in front of the
LamOlle House and but for Jim Holman
would have killed him; that no reward or
promise of reward has been made to her to
induce her to make this statement except
that Gordon has promised to protect her
from any personal violence on account of
her disclosure.
The affidavit was sworn to before Nick
BOwden and is dated June 21st. The aft
davIts of John Joy, Louis Schl0ss and w.
S. Richardson to the effect that Potter had
made threats against Gordon were also
filed.
As soon as it was known that Miss Van
Horn had signed this affidavit there was an
increased interest awakened in the case,
and it was then learned that Minnie Van
Horn was missing, she having left her
taking with her clothing, etc. She had not
informed any of her people where she was
going.
NO IDEA WHERE SHE IS.
Mr.. Van Horn, the girls father, as well
as other members of the family, stated that
Inty udu uO lutd NHtI6 JhluuI6 udu guns
to. The father said that he had been told
by his little boy that she had gone away in
buggy with two ladies.
Mrs. J. w. Trousdell, a neighbor, when
asked as to what she knew concerning Mr..
GOrdon'S relations with Minnie, said that
she knew that at intervals of time since the
Sd of April Gordon had given Minnie
money in different sums, amounting in all,
so far as she could say, to SIP. She said
that on the Sd of April Gordon gave Minnie
S25, and she remembered the date because
Minnie made payment on her machine at
the time.
Last Saturday night Mrs. Trousdell says
Minnie left her baby at her house early in
the evening and went up to Mrs. kennedy's
on Eighth street. Mrs. Kennedy was for
merly nurse to Mrs. Gordon, and it is sup
posed that there she met Gordon. Minnie
returned about 10 o'clock, and remained at
Mrs. TrousdelPs ali night. She told Mrs.
1rOusdell that DR.. Hedderly, son-in-law
Of Gordon, brought her home. Mrs. Tr0us-
dell says that Gordon gave Minnie on this
occasion $50 in one gold piece, and she saw
the baby playing with the coin in bed the
next morning. Previous to April Sd Mrs.
Trousdell says that Gordon gave Minnie
$50 at one time and SD at another.
HE MIGHT WANT HER.
Mrs Trousdell also says that on one oe-
casiOn Gordon told Minnie that he would
not send for her unless he was in "pinch,"
anu lHeu when lie uiu, uu4eoo size aCltu rs
he wanted her to, he would not give her
any more money for the support of the
child. Minnie had told Mrs. Trousdell that
she took money from Gordon for the sake
Of the child. She also says that Minnie
told her that Gordon was the father Of the
child.
Regarding Charles Potter's connection
with the affair, Mrs. Trousdell says that
Minnie had often told her that Charlie had
been used pretty rough, to be dragged into
it when he had nothing TO do with it."
Minnie also told Mrs Trousdell that Cor
don had tried to get her to identify one of
his pistols as one which she had seen Potter
have, but she said she would not do so, for
she had never seen Potter have it.
Mrs. TrOusdell said that Minnie made a
statement to her to the effect that she asked
Gordon why he sWore, in one of the former
trials, to finding Potter and herself in a
certain position on the porch, when nobody
but those three could know that the testi-
mony was false, to which she said Gordon
replied that he must make up some kind
OF defense" or words to that effect.
Minnie's departure from her home oc-
CURED about 10 o'clock on Monday morn
ing. At that hour two women drove up in
a light spring wagon and Minnie, with her
baby and sewing machine and trunk with
her effects, was bundled into 1t and driven
eff rapidly. Minnie told one of her small
brothers to tell Mrs. Tr0usdell that she was
her.
ONE WAS MRS. KENNEDY.
One of the ladies in the vehicle was
Mrs. Kennedy, who was a witness in the
Van Horn-GOrdon case. When interviewed
she would not say where they left Minnie.
When questioned she remarked that Min
ME was left on the road and was in good
hands"
1t appears that Mr. Van Horns house
and lot are morgaged to a Mr.. Capp for
$3.50, and that there is also judgment for
costs hanging over him in the Superior
Court for 5000. Van Horn says that Min
ME told him that Gordon offered to pay off
the mortgage and clear up the bill of costs
if he Wan Horn would make out deed
transferring the property to Minnie.
Van Horn said Capp was accordingly in
structed to make out the papers, but to re-
tain them in his possession until everything
other side. 1t was then Van Horns inten-
papers in Capp's presence, in order that the
make sure that everything was all right
The papers, however, were not delivered.
Potter characteriZes the affidavit made by
Miss Van Horn as part of scheme of Cor
don's to cause him trouble. He was sur
prised that the girl had done such thing.
So the matter stands, and Minnie Van
Horns disappearance forms the basis for
gossip in the Garden City. The hearing Of
the motion in the case against Gordon will
come up to-day.
PICTURESQUE JAPAN.