The San Francisco call., 1895-05-21
He SHALL Be DAMNED,
Interview With Author Seneca
Swain on His Forth
coming Book.
HIS OPINION OF MCDONALD.
The Characters and Scenes In the
New Work-Dick is Not
Spared.

with Dick Mcdonald and the statements
of the imprisoned ex-banker in regard to
himself and his book.
'tMr. Mcdonald accuses me of entertain
ing vindictive resentments," said Mr..
Swain. ''Now, as far as that goes, con-
slider that man who has suffered as
have cannot be supposed to entertain any
very amiable opinions of his prosecutors.
Mcdonald is now in prison himself. and
do not like to hit man when he is down.
But in my book 1 tell the truth, and the
whole truth, and therefore this person,
who was a prominent ana energetic actor
in the conspiracy of which | was the vic
tim, is not spared. / have kept silent all
these years, and 1 suffered uncomplain
ingly. Possibly may have been sustained
by the strong and unfailing consciousness
that no matter how long delayed the day
of my vindication might be, it would come
at last.
"Mr. Mcdonald claims that my book is
instigated by man who is using me as a
tool, continued Mr.. Swain, with quiet
smile. "That 1 know he does not believe
Do L require an instigator to write the
story of the McDonalds? Are not my rea-
sons so strong for exposing the skeletons
In their closet that no mass of instigation
conld make it stronger? Is there an in
dlvldual among the thousands of their
victims who has greater cause to complete
their unmaSklng than myself? There is
not. Again, Mr.. Mcdonald states that he
knows the contents of the book; but again
this is falsehood. The manuscript of my
book has been seen only by, eight or ten
OF my friends, including the gentleman
who is now dramatizing it. And they are
not McDonald's friends. nor have they
communicated to him an iota of its con-
tents. They have been kind enough to
praise it in plot and literary construction,
and it was acting under the advice of some
of the most critical that l entered into an
mentioned to dramatiZe it, and further
more, the manager of one of the leading
theaters has consented to produce the play,
which is in the form Of melodrama after
it is ready.
How did 1 happen to select the title?
Well, is biblical, you know, from Proverbs: +:
He shall be damned, and goes on to say,
considered it quite appropriate to the
characters | was dealing with. My title
page has the following lines, my own, in
dicative of the contents:
All little we know of the inner man,
AS the outer form and features we scan;
For, alas, men are not what they
Truth and love are never in disguise-treachery
wears a mask.
~ have seen the first portion of the play,
and am satisfied that the author will do
justice to my book.
''Is it sensational? Well, rather. The
scenes and incidents of which the book
treats are all of a startling order. It is
tale designed to illustrate the vice con-
cealed under the mask of hypocrisy. /
have drawn solely upon the resources of
truth for my material. There is more fact
than fiction in the story as | have told it.
1t is replete with dramatic and pathetic
situations, and | have endeavored and
have succeeded, | hope, in being thor
oughly impartial throughout.
"Have I introduced many local charac-
ters? Naturally, l have. l have taken
Dr.. r. II. Mcdonald and his son Dick as
appropriate figures to illustrate my idea of
hypocritical roguery. Others, also we'll
known in this City, are introduced to show
up the ,trickery. and low cunning of living
beneath the shield of official power, wealth
and social position. Merit and honor have
been quite as freely recognized, and Gen
eral W. II. L. Barnes, Colonel Fred
Crocker, Colonel F. G.. Chadbourne, Sena-
tor Stephen M. White, General w. II.
Dimond, w. H. Quinn, Reuben H. Lloyd
and other gentlemen are referred to in
highly complimentary terms.
Can l give you an idea of the plot?
Well, that might occupy too much space,
but the following captions of the chapters
will enlighten you in some degree" and
the author read from neatly typewriter
manuscript the titles of the chapters in the
order in which they appear in the book:
Love at High Tariff, Meath Piety's
mssked sRaagd se0Rrn aad tose os Msg Bred in the the
Loves Sake Ineffective Overtures,' In
the Devils Vineyard Threats and
Trickery,' In Defense of Her Honor
Condemned "A Declaration of War;
More Deyiltry,' "A Threat Fulfilled
Arguments The Mists Thicken,' vii
lain VS.. Villain,' 'Devihsh Chivalry,' "a
Man of Honor 'Treading in Evil Paths
The Triumph of TRUTH AN Honest
Mans Woes What Money Will Do
'Thro' Fiend's Heartlessness,' Insult
and Duplicity.' The Devils Harvest
Amid the Shadows of Blight, Judgment
Affirmed, The Gonyict's Attire "A Man
for a That "A Badly Conducted Prison.
Money Is King No Funds In the
Tolls In the Light of Truth, 'Vindi-
Gated
''There," continued Mr.. Swain, "you
have the chapters. The first portion of
the book shows the designs of the old doc
tor ON his beautiful daughter-in-l n-law-how
he induced his son to permit her to ac-
company him to Los Angeles and his con-
duct toward her in that city; how much
that unfortunate lady has suffered at the
hands of son and father; their conspiracy
against her and myself; how cunningly
they laid their snares when they were in
power; how they plotted against the bank
depositors and won the influence of the
churches, and the entire history of her
depIorable experience and my persecu-
tions are detailed in this volume.
''Yes, have arranged for the illustra-
tions. Here is the design for the frontis-
piece" and Mr.. Swain exhibited clever
pen-and-ink sketch.
1t was the shooting scene in the hotel
parlor, and showed an excited throng
rushing into a room filed with smoke from
the pistol shots, the old man, with his
features CHASTITY and distorted with terror,
is being assisted to the sofa, while in the
act of swooning. Beneath the lighted
chandelier tall, exquisitely formed young
woman, elegantly dressed in street attire,
is standing in dramatic pose, calm, reso-
lutte, defiant and beautiful, with smoking
revolver in her hand. A police officer in
uniform is hurrying toward the woman
through the crowd. The title of the pic
ture is e'In Defense of Her Honor"
'"The rest are equally effective" said