The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-30

W. vas NL4CiS llS illuSI nave likewise con-
cealed his true identity. However, the
statement Reynolds was to make was
tnlng IN prospect, and perhaps the inten-
tlon was to have him room at the Central
house when the time came for him to give
ms valuable testimony in Durrant's be-
half.
This City was searched from one end to
the other for Reynolds, but no such man
was found, nor could he be located in Oak
land where he stated he had been living
With Emile Boissen when the latter had
his habitation at the foot of Broadway.
In the absence of Reynolds himself sew
eral condolences were taken into consid-
Grafton. The date of Reynolds letter to
Coroner Hawkins was Sunday, October 81.
In that letter he threatened suicide by
drowning. He would "seek rest" he had
Informed the Coroner, from all worldly
cares IN the waters of the ocean near the
Cliff House," but he promised to do it
that night. On Sunday afternoon young
married man called "Charles Read by
G. A. Heilleman OF ga Washington street,
who gave Reads" address as 1851 Suffer
street" did commit suicide near Point
Bonita by shooting himself while fishing
on the rocks. 1t was subsequently
ascertained that Heilleman was the
uncle OF Reads wife, and that Read had
been the proprietor of the Polypathic Sur
glcal and Medical Institute at 1881 Suffer
street. He had been afflicted with stomach
troubles, and the last Federal Grand Jury
had indicted him for sending a letter
through the mails relating TO his business
and arrested. Sickness and the despond-
enCy supposed TO have been due to this
indictment and arrest were believed to
have been the causes of his suicide.
He killed himself in rather dramatic
manner. 1t was while he, his wife and
slster-in-law, Heilleman and a lady
named Mrs. Doran were enjoying Sun
day outing. The party had gone over to
Sausalito, intending to continue on to
Ross Valley. Read had the programme
changed when Sausalito was reached, and
instead of the party going to Ross Valley
double rig was procured and they droV e
to Point Bonita.
1t was Read who proposed that they
should 20 to Point Bonita. His sister-in-
law, Miss Ella Dressell said he lad acted
queerly all along during the day. He bad
refused to ride in the buggy with them and
wanted to be alone. Finally, while he was
standing on the rocks off Point Bonita, he
shot himself with a target rife, and his
body fell into the water.
This suicide, with the coincidence of
Reynolds threat to drown himself in the
ocean on Mat same date, has caused Cap
tain Lees to believe that Read and
Reynolds" might possibly have been one
and the same person. Such at least was
the theory the police were proceeding upon
last night in their efforts TO run down the
charge Reynolds" had made against the
Durrant defense OF attempted subornatiOn
of perjury.
So much at present for "Reynolds": now
as TO Smythe. First, here is his statement:
Ny name is Richard Smythe and room at the
Melville on Market street, where L have been for
two weeks. since coming from Arizona. During
March and the greater part of April OF this year
lived at particular house and place 10 be designated
hereafter) about mile from Haywards. Ala
meda County. think nearly one mile to The south.
was living there about three months, taking care
OF the place for q MIR. Jones' l don't know his
initials NV wife and son, the latter wears old,
were with me. 1 knew Blanche Lamont in her
lifetime. ! saw her last alive on the morning of
Friday, April OF this year when LETT home TO
go TO Oakland. Miss Lamont came 10 our house
on Wednesday evening, April 8. about O'Clock.
She had her sChoolbooks with her and she came
good-by, as we had expected 10 leave for the south
in few days, and also 10 go with my wife on
Thursday, the next day, to call a Mrs Mary
Richardson, lady living either in Oakland or Ala
media, think the latter place, but am not sure.
This Mrs Richardson is an expert on Band of
hope work, ana my VIE was also deeply inter
ested, having managed for several years the Ex-
celsior Band of Hope in of the Baptist
churches IN Philadelphia. Blanche Lamont
wanted 10 get information on the subject, she
wrote a note TO my wife few days before, saving
she would come over on Wednesday, April 3.
identity the letter shown the my wife
ceived, except that 1t was not torn when first
il. l don't know what became OF the envelope.
Miss Lamont stayed at my house on Wednesday
night ana on Thursday the 4th, she and my wife
took the electric cars and went b call on Mrs.
Richardson They started about 10 O'Clock, and
did not get home till after clock that afternoon.
don't know whether they saw Mrs Richardson
or not, for did not notice particularly what they
said when they returned. Miss Lamont wanted to
go home on that evening but we finally persuaded
her to remain till the next day. She said she was
afraid her aunt would be worried about her.
don't know the exact hour she started home
on Friday. the 5th. for had 10 go Oakland that
day, and left home early. say about o'clock,
and did not get back till about O'Clock. 1t
might have been half-past g. I cannot say. Miss
Lamont had gone. however, when got there. She
left her bookstrap at my house. and my wife
boy got her books TO play with and misplaced the
strap, so that when she wanted 10 go it could not
be found. identity the strap as mine. 1t belongs
TO my little boy, and his Initials r. NJ. S.-Richard
Mercer Smythe-are on it. l also identity this
other strap belonging to Blanche Lamont. It
has her name in full upon it, the first and last
letters being somewhat blotted. The name is
near the buckle The other end is clean cut, as
though with a sharp knife but irregular in shape
and the edge is inKed. found this strap In bar
rel in the kitchen about one week after Miss La
mont's body was found in the church, / took it
to MIR. Dickinsons Office, because it was evidence
for the defense and he was the lawyer that side
II l had got anything in favor OF conviction
would have taken it to the police Office because il
would have belonged there. had no other reason
for my action.
Mr.. Dickinson instructed me to remain silent
and not discuss the subject with anybody, and
have done So 1 also gave him the letter my wife
received from Blanche Lamont. I do not know
Durrant or any OF the officers attorneys, witnesses
or other persons connected with this case, except
General Dickinson, and never met him until he
received the strap and letter from me. I have
never been in the Emmanuel Church and do not
know anybody belonging TO it,
L first met Blanche Lamont at Methodist
Church. on Twentieth or Twenty-first street out at
the Mission, shortly before Christmas, 1894, on a
Sunday morning. [ was introduced by my wife
who had known her since some time in 1892 My
wife first met Miss Lamont in Rockford, ILL., Ny
wife was there visiting a sister and remained
about six months. don't know how often she saw
Miss Lamont there, but whenever ] have seen
them meet here they have always been extremely
friendly. Ny wife's sister intimate friend
OF Blanche Lamont, and they wrote to each other
aIter Miss Lamont returned 10 Dillon, Mont, and
also after she came here.
The day she cane my house on prl 3 she
brought two letters she had received during the
preceding month from my wife's sister. She also
had one or two letters from young lady who had
been a classmate at Rockford, both of which
understood her TO say she had received a short
time before | saw my wife reading these letters
that wednesday evening after dinner had been
cleared away, but did not pay much attention to
them. Miss Lamont appeared to be in good health
and was very cheerful and bright while at nv
house. she did not say anything about any APP
pointment in this City for Friday or mention any
body name as far as heard. L heard her speak
OF going home. / recole3t telling her that 1 was
IN Butte City, Mont. in August 1894, for a week
or so. was there on mining business and roomed
with family named Brown on West Broadway
They had two daughters who had been to Dillon
and asked Miss Lamont if she knew them but
she said she did not, had business with two men
there, but only saw one, a Mr.. Higg ms On North
Main street.
l am not now living with my wife but we are not