The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-11
DR.. JACOB NIETO
is INDIGNANT.
He DENIES THAT HE ADVISED
THE CONCEALMENT OF
MEYERS MARRIAGE.
HE WAS NOT AWARE OF IT.
GRACE BENJAMIN's DEATH STILL
AN ABSORBING TOPIC OF
Discussion.

Public interest i'll the Samuel Meyer cpl
sode remains undated and it still con-
tinues to be the one absorbing topic of
conversation, more particularly in Jewish
circles. The prominence of the Meyer
family and the history of the many in
trigues of the oldest son have been dis
cussed again and again, and on all sides
are to be heard vigorous denunciations of
the man through whose cowardice Grace
Anita Benjamin went down to dishon-
ored grave. Many stories have, however,
been told about the case which are now
said to be untrue. Principal among these
are some assertions made by Miss Mollie
Holland in an interview day or two ago.
In speaking of her dead chum, she is said
to have stated that after she went to trace
up the record of the marriage she returned
to the residence of Mrs. Bennett and Mrs.
Nolan, and then found that these ladies
had changed their minds about having the
marriage published.
The two ladies are reported by Miss Hol-
land to have said that Rabbi Nieto had adj
vised them that sit would be worse for
Grace's name if the fact of the marriage
were published"
DR.. Nieto was greatly surprise to see
his name used in any such connection.
He said yesterday:
II called on the Saturday evening prior
to the funeral upon Mrs. Bennett, whom I
have known some time, at the request of
A. Leszynsky, sexton of the Sheriff. Isr ael
Synagogue, who told me that my services
were required to attend a funeral next day.
Mrs. Bennett made no staten ent of any
facts to me beyond describing the manner
of Miss Benjamin's death. l had no con-
versation wha tever on Sunday, when at
tended the funeral, with Mrs. Bennett, but
on Monday, the day after the funeral, I
called again to see her. While l was there
Mrs. Nolan and the younger sister of Miss
Grace Benjamin came in, and after a few
moments both left the room, Mrs. Nolan
saving "Now, auntie, mind YOU tell the
doctor everything"
MRS. Bennett then told me that Mrs.
Nolan was not her niece, she being the
half-sister of Miss Benjamin, and made a
general statement of relationships in re-
gard to herself and the girls. l again
called on Mrs. Bennett who had expressed
desire to see me once more, on Thurs
day. l then asked her why she had not
told me on Saturday night or on Monday
that Grace was married to Meyer. She re-
piled, as stated in the CALL: Sam begged
me not to say anything about it to any
body l then told her that she was
wronging the memory of the girl, and
every attempt at denial or refusal to dis
close the truth was still further tainting
the memory of her niece. l said that had
/ known it would never have allowed her
niece to go dishonered to the grave, but as
the officiating clergymen would have in
sisted upon Meyers making a full state
ment of the truth.
"In my desire to have justice done I en-
deavored to see Meyer at his rooms i'm
mediately l left the aunt on Thursday
afternoon. l left card there asking him
TO see me, bnt have not seen him since. [
have no hesitation in saying that had I
had the least idea that the girl was mar
ried to Meyer l would have insisted upon
justice before performing any funeral sery-
ice and that no power on earth would have
constrained me to assist or advise in the
concealment of the truth.
Il cannot imagine that Mrs. Bennett or
Mrs. Nolan could have made any such
statement as that imputed to them by Miss
Holland, who in her overanxiety to de-
fend her friend has drawn somewhat upon
her Imagination and thus drawn into the
affair people who have had no connection
with it"