The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-04
Mahoney's Companion Tells
How He Met PaWnbroker
Oppsnheim.
sHADoWED BY MoRsEs MEN.
Three Brawny Detectives Camped
on His Trail and Made Him
Very Nervous.
THE DURRANT CASE IN A MINUTE-THE
PONCE AND WITNESS LENAHAN.


Witness Charles T. Lenahan has made
statement toAt the police bearing out his inter-
view in THE CALL that he tried to pawn a ring
to Adolph Op penheim on April ID, the day of
the discovery W Minnie Williams body. The
notice on theirA side think they have demon
strated that Lemahan's testimony will be OF
little value to the defense. Durrant's counsel
refuse to say anything on the matter, beyond
'fWalt and see."
In the matter of the order on Manager w. r.
Daley and his players, to show cause why
they should not be punished for contempt for
producing 1.-THE Crime of the Century" based
on the Emmanuel Church tragedies, Judge
Murphy took fnaE action yesterday afternoon.
He released the players on the ground that
they had probably been compelled TO do what
they did through a desire to eat and live,
pledging them in open court, however, not to
take part in the play in this City during the
tendency of the trial. He sentenced Manager
Daley to three days in the County Jail, ex-
pressing the wish that his counsel would carry
the matter to the Supreme Court and have it
fully and finally determined just how far
courts rights extend in such matters. Play
wright Whites case was not disposed of.
Charles T. Lenahan, the new witness for
William Henry Theodore Durrant, has
made statement to the police confirming
the interview had with him in yesterdays
CALL. He admits that he attempted to
pawn ring, which he thought was similar
to Blanche Lamont's, with Pawnbroker
Opperheim, and fixes the time as between
/ and 2 O'Clock in the afternoon. He is
certain that it was the afternoon, because
he had gone dinnerless some time before
he succeeded in hypothecating the ring.
On that date, he says in his statement to
the police, he was standing on the street
in front of his residence when he met
young Henry Mahoney. They both wanted
money, and concluded to pawn the ring OF
Mahoney's sister, which was on one of
Henry's fingers. They started on this
mission, Lenahan doing the negotiating,
and called at OppenheiIn's place of bust
ness, 405 Dupont street There was tall,
dark woman in the store at the time, hat
less and in white wrapper. Oppenheim
examined the ring and made Lenahan an
offer on it.
81 do not know what he offered" says
Lenahan, "but it was not satisfactory"
The. young men then continued on their
hunt for money, and Lenahan finally sue
ceeded in hypothecating the ring at
Rafael's North End Loan Office on Wash
ington street, below Montgomery, for 81.
Lenahan had first had his attention par
ticularly attracted to the Durrant case, he
continues, by seeing the picture and read
ing the testimony of Pawnbroker Open
helm. He then remembered that he had
offered to pawn a ring similar in appear
ance to one of those of Blanche Lamont at
Oppenheims place about the date of the
finding of the bodies in the church. He
jumped at once to the conclusion that OPP
penheim had mistaken him for Durrant,
and in an effort to clear UP what he
thought was case of mistaken identity he
wrote letter to Attorney Deuprey.
/" Last Saturday" continues Lenahan in
his statement, II went to the pawn Office
and asked the clerk there to look over his
books for March, April and May and see
if he didn't have ring belonging to Lene-
han. he said it might be over at the
other store. He telephoned there and re-
piled that it was and that it had been
pawned on the 18th of April"
After thus fixing the date positively the
young man states that he was not in OPP
penheim' s pawnshop between the 4th and
10th, between which dates Oppenhelm had
testified positively he had seen Durrant.
Since writing the letter Lenahan states
that he has seen and talked to Detectives
Morse and Callundan and three other de-
tectives, and the next thing he knew he
was served with subpoena upon which
was Endorsed:
C. T. Lcnahan to appear in the Superior
Court, Department 3, on the 1st day OF August,
1895, at 10 A. NJ, as q witness on the part OF
the defense. dated 23d of July, 1895; signed
by P. II. Pendergast Deputy County Clerk.
One of the detectives he had seen, a big
man whose name is Green served that
subpoena on him on July 26, and after that
he was requested to call upon Mr.. Deuprey.
He neglected to do so, but later his father,
having heard of the matter, called upon
Mr.. Deuprey, and then advised his son to
do likewise. Last Saturday morning he
called upon Mr.. Deuprey at noon, and the
latter took him over to Morse's Detective
Agency. They questioned him concern
ing the ring which he had pawned. and
asked him if he could get it. He replied
that he could on Monday. On Monday he
met Detective Seymour from Captain Lees
Office and delivered the ring to him.
Later on the same day, he says, Morse's
men visited him at his place of employ
ment, the American Press Association, $40
Pine street, and constantly Swallowed him
throughout his working hours. st last a
couple of them insisted that he should call
at Morse's Office. When he had finished
his days work he called ut Morses and
told Mr.. Morse that he had given the ring
to Detective Seymour. Morse said he was
sorry for that. Then witness told Morse
that he didn't want to be brought into the
case, as it would harm his reputation and
damage his chance of securing employ
ment under the Health Board.
"Then Morse told me that it wouldn't, -
cODblnu6Q L6ndQdH, anu GudL O6uprey
could help get me into the Board of
Health"
That is the story young Lenahan gave
to the police, corroborating, substantially,
his interview IN THE CALL of yesterday.
The police have also a statement by young
Henry Mahoney, which repeats the story
of the pawning of his sisters ring, as it is
told by Lenahan. 1t differs a little in the
slight particular tina. Mahoney says he,
and not Lenahan. got the ring out of pawn,
and that he gave it to the latter Oil the
representation that Deuprey wanted il
and in the fear that. if it were not forth
coming, his comrade might be arrested.
Concerning these statements, attorneys
for the defense have practically nothing to
say, particularly in regard to the value OF
young Lenahan's testimony.
I'VE can tell you more about it when the
proper time comes said Mr.. Deuprey.
81 really cannot say anything now"
The police are jubilant at what they
think is the putting of large hole in the
value OF the young mans testimony. The
date given, April 49, is the day upon
which Mrs. c. g. Noble, aunt of Blanche
Lamont. received the rings of her MUIR
dered niece through the mails; and then
again the ring which young LeIfahan
tried To hvnothecate TO OpDenheino and