The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-09

Ida Blythe Testified That the
Young Man Was Drunk
fer Two Months.
He Is Adjudged Dangerous to Be a
Large and Must Have a Guar.
dian Appointed.

Fred Riener, the young man who re.
Gently fell heir to $25o,0O0 by the death Of
his mother in Germany, and who has
since been spending his money too freely
in the tenderloin districts of San Fran.
cisco and Sausalito, was taken before the
Commissioners of Lunacy to be examined
as to his mental condition yesterday morn
ing.
Riener does not appear to be over q
years of age. He is very red OF face, and
his personal appearance betokens man
who is suffering from some severe mental
strain. His frame is attenuated and his
hands, though large and muscular look
ing, witch constantly in a nervous way.
He took with him into the courtroom q
tin box containing a number of private
papers and other personal effects. He
opened the box and arranged his things
vailed on to put them away until the trial
was over.
Upon taking his seat before the Com
missioners Riener's first act was to direct
the bailiff to lower the window curtain, re-
marking that the light hurt his eyes.
Ida Blythe, the young woman with
whom Riener has been associated for a
couple OF months, testified that she was
present when he signed the remarkab' e
contract by which he agreed to supply ner
with means for travelling, board and lodg-
ing and clothing in consideration of her
promise 10 live with him and not to asso-
ciate with any other person. She thought
he was drunk when he signed the paper.
Since you have known Riener has he
had any intervals OF sobriety?" asked
Judge Hebbard.
h
frankly.
Miss Blythe said that Riener drew a
pistol and threatened to shoot her because
he thought she was hooking him. He
made some remark in broken German
English, and when she repeated it he be-
came very angry and declared he would
kill her.
Viola lie Page, friend of Miss BIythe's,
corroborated the statement that Rlener
had been intoxicated for two months.
He had acted strangely and had threat
ened to kill them. On one occasion he
put pistol to the head of the witness and
threatened to shoot her, but she esca ped.
Miss lie Page admitted that she had seen
Riener spend considerable money, but
she couldn't say how much. 1t was not
$500 day. The last time he threatened
TO kill the witness was the day before
Thanksgiving day.
Commissioner Lustig gave it as his opin-
ion that Riener is a dangerous person to
tie at large. whereupon Judge Hebbard
said it would be his duty to commit the
patient to public insane asylum, unless
some of his friends should be willing to
bind themselves to care for him in a
private sanitarium or in e home for in
ebrietes.
Charles Zinkand was the only friend
who volunteered a suggestion. He said
the mar appeared better and that he ex-
pected to start Tor Europe in q few days,
so he thought it might be safe to allow
him chance 10 go.
DR.. Lustig gave it as his opinion thaf if
would be dangerous to the patient and
the public to let him go without restraint;
that he is suffering from the beginning OF
paralysis, and would not be able to go to
Europe alone. He might become violent
or altogether demented at any moment.
He said be had learned tat before
Reiner's sudden access to aff1uence he
had been man of frugal habits and was
economical 10 the verge of parsimony.
Good fortune seemed TO have turned his
head.
Judge Hebbard said he deemed it his
duty to send Riener to an asylum and ac-
cordingly signed an order committing
MIN to Ukiah. The court announced that
if at any time the patients friends de-
clded to apply for guardianship they
could do so, and if his interests required
he could be taken to Germany, where the
bulk of his estate is located.