The morning call., 1891-01-16
AN OLD, OLD STORY.
John c. Hall a Defaulter Through
Stock Gambling.
His Peculations Estimated at $3.50 oOO-Two
Widows Estates Swallowed Up-A
Complete Confession.

yesterday to learn that John C. Hall. the
widely known attorney, has proven a de-
faulter. For his integrity in his dealings
with the business world, he stood high in
the estimation of the people, and when the
news of his downfall was first heralded
abroad it seemed hard to realize that the
tale was true. 1t was true, however. and in
the wreck two estates, OF which he was the
legal representative, were swallowed up.
and two widows, Mrs. Harriet Hawley and
Mrs. Baldwin. were left penniless to grapple
with the future Fully $4,000 went to the
bad, filtered away in vain attempt to beat
the stock market, and when the end came,
leaving concealment no longer possible, he
coolly confessed his guilt.
In addition to the dissipation of the two
estates, losses were also sustained by the
French Bank the Fireman's Fund Insur-
ance Company, Morris Windt of the Eagle
Tannery and other clients, who had placed
their confidence in the attorney.
YEARS OF CRooKEDNEss.
The proceedings extend over period of
several years, and show that they were car
ried on most shrewdly and Systematically.
In 1872 John c. Hall first came to San
Francisco, but Immediately thereafter re-
moved to Plumas County, where he re-
manned for three years. Returning to this
city he began the practice of his profession
and by energy and close application sue
ceeded IN building up handsome practice.
A fortunate marriage-his wife being
cousin Of Mrs. Senator Jones of Nevada and
Mrs. DIR. Buck land-aided him materially in
his efforts at advancement, and the result of
all was that friends tlocked to him without
number. SO perfect was the confidence i'm
posed in him by his numerous clients that
n them .fOhn l. and irwin 4
Baldwin, made him, at their death, trustee
OF their respective estates, little dreaming
that their widows would be robbed of their
portions.
THE FIRST DOWNWARD STEP.
In 1882, however, by his own confession
Hall, at that time possessed of some means
of his own, began to speculate in stocks,
losing heavily from the outset and soon ex-
hauStlng his available means. In his desire
to recoup his lost fortune he made use of
the funds Of the Hawley estate, only to meet
with loss after loss until he became hone
lessly involved. The Hawley estate was
swept away IN the whrl of the stock market
ami III his desperation he turned TO that OF
Mrs. Baldwin. This too was lost and with
II lie saw ruin staring him liz the face. He
struggled, however, TO avert tie final crash,
and i'll order to avoid even the appearance
Of wrong-doing he managed to keep the in
comes raid up fully and promptly. His
promptnesS in his payments, combined with
ms excellent reputation, prevented even
breath of suspicion being aroused, until early
IN 1891, when lie was compelled by the COM
ple,e eXh ustIun of the Hawley and Baldwin
estates to mortgage his own property, con-
sis!ing Of fiity-vara lot at Buchanan and
Sacramento streets, and another on Clay
street, near Van Ness avenue, valued to-
gether at S32, 600.
MRS. HAwLEY's DISCOVERY.
This transaction becoming known to Mrs.
Hawley, that lady grew uneasy at once, and
called upon Hall for large sum of money.
The demand was unexpected, and found The
trustee unprepared to meet il. In the way
OF explanation he stated that the condition
of the estate was such that it could rot be
realized upon without difficulty, and when
pressed for an accounting, confessed that
the funds had been misappToprialed.
ThundeTstruck on learning the true state
of affairs, the lady repaired to Arthur
Rodgers, with whom Hall had been in part
nership until The firm was dissolved q year
ago. and to Mr. Rodgers she stated that
Hall had ruined her financially. The latter
had followed her to the office of Mr.. Rod
gers, and he, too, was treated to q full eX-
planatlOn of the circumstances. A long
consultation enSued, which ended by hall
giving to Mrs. Hawley a deed in trust to
bis SacrameEto-street property, and at her
urgent request the matter was not made
pnbllc, in the hope that the defaulter might
De enabled to repay the losses.
At this time Hall began to be sore pressed
for money, and as both estates had been
dissipated and his own property mortgaged
to the fullest extent, lie was compelled to
resort 10 further crookeduess in order to
stave off the final catastrophe which now
became inevitable. Still, it seems, he re-
tanned a hope of being able to redeem his
fortunes by lucky turn of the stuck mar
ket, and in order to secure money for an
other venture he secured on false abstract
e 81 L. a.
Clay-street property. This was lost in min
ing 81 EQUATIONS, and, finding himself again
pennless, he resorted TO the same plan for
the procurement of an additional loan of
$4,000 on his Buchanan-street lot in which
he also succeeded; but that followed the
other rapidly. His ingenuity still kept him
atoat, and from Morris Wiudt, the tanner,
$1,000 was obtained as a loan on a false alb
stract of title on his already doubly mort
gagged lot on Buchanan street, and again the
stock market left him stranded.
A PECULIAR TRANSACTION.
When Windt's thousands had disar-
peared another loan was solicited of
$1,000, and to the Fireman's Fund Insurance
Company he went with lis request offering
as security still another false abstract Of IL
tie to his Buchanan-street property. In the
investigation OF the title Hall, with becoming
modesty, intimated that it was not right, in
his opinion, for him to pass on his own bust
ness, and suggested that Joseph Pbelan of
Messrs. Maxwell ana Phelan be chosen 10
look over the papers. Accordingly Mr.
Phelan was selected and, seeing rnthing
wrong with the doctored abstract, allowed
1t 10 pass to record.
DISCOVERED AT LAST.
The end was drawing near, however, and
about this time an event occurred which
bastened the final collapse. A member of
the Elntracht Savings and Loan Society
placed $3.50 in Halls keeping to be held
until 1t should be procured to make up an
amount of $500, which it was desired to
loan on a mortgage. When the latter event
occurreA Hall could not produce the orgi-
nal sum which he held, and an investigation
followed. A searcher of records examined
the books in the Recorders Office and
found on record four first mortgages on the
Buchanan-street property and two Oh the
lot on Clay street.
Confronted with this evidence of his
wrong-doIng, Hall broke down, and to f. j.
lie Breton, President of the French Bank,
made full confession.
The amount of his stealings he placed at
$150,000 Roughly estimated they are as
follows: The sum of SiOOOO from the Raid
win estate, $4,000 from the Hawley estate,
$1,000 from Windt, $1,000 from the Fireman's
Fund and ST.. 600 from the French Bank, and
other smaller sums The two estates we're
h0peleSslv wrecked
Halls father lives at Wright's Station on
the nnrfow-gauge railroad and is possessed
of some means, but, IL is said, will not assist
the son.
In his desperation at the discovery Hall
has twice prepared to end his life, but has
been prevented by the entreaties of friends.
He refuses to make any statement for pub
LEGATION, and 1t is believed that there are
other crooked transactions which have not
yet come to light which may swell the
amount Of his brigandage to 5000, 600. In the
meantime no steps have been made to prose-
cute him aud no arrest has been made.
The partnership between Hall and Rodgers
was dissolved in March last upon the latter
receiving an intmation that Hall was. de-
fauter to one of the estates for which he