The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-08
is IT INSANITY
4 OR IS IT LOvE2
Contract Signed by F. w.
Reiner and Ida
Blythe.
He Is Waiting His Examina.
ton Before the Insanity
Commissioners.
Has 'Recklessly Spent a Small For.
tune Here Within the Past
Two Weeks.

o. .: Frederick W. Reiner the wealthy COM
mission merchant of San Rafael, whose
reckless expenditure of money recently
has drawn considerable attention to him,
was taken before the Insanity Commls-
81 ioners yesterday morning. As all the
witnesses had not been subpenaed his ex-
animation was continued till to-day.
.. One of the evidences of insanity that
wiz be. submitted against Reiner is a con-
tract that he entered into Sunday after
noon with Ida Blythe of % Grant avenue.
Ida Blythe and Viola lie Page were the
.tTo young women belonging to the Mid
1vay Plaisance with whom Reiner got in
3htUated on the night of November "a.
lie spent considerable money for wine
alter he met them in the Midway and
Iook them to supper. When he awoke
next morning he found that he had been
robbed. of $3.50 and he suspected Ida
Blythe of taking the money. This led to
his arrest for exhibiting a deadly weapon
and Judge Campbell remanded him for
examination by the Insanity Commits
sioners.
Reiner has been confined in a padded
cell in the Receiving Hospital since Fri
day morning. He has received many call
ers, among them Ida Blythe Sunday
afternoon she called, and Reiner immedi-
ately called in two of the attaches of the
hospital and requested them to witness
the. sign atures of himself and Ida Blythe
to a:contract.
Reiner read the contract, which he had
written himself on sheet of foolscap. 1t
recited in effect that in consideration of
80 and presents, value unknown, Ida
Blythe agreed to become the trave ing
companion of Frederick w. Reiner. and to
be true and faithful to MIN and owe al
legiance to no man but him. Reiner on
his part agreed to pay her travelling ex-
penses anu to keep her supplied with
pocket-money and wearing apparel
The contract was duly signed and wit
nessed, and then Reiner told Ida to 90
away ana he would not prosecute her for
stealing the $160 from him. The contract
Is now in the possession of the Sheriff, and
will be produced in court this morning A
portion of its contents will be submitted
as evidence OF Reiner's mental incapacity.
Judge Hebbard issued an order yester-
day morning that no person should be
permitted TO see Relner, and a notice to
that effect was pos ed up in the hospital
1t was brought 10 the judges attention
that Sunday afternoon Reiner had given
check for $500 10 some person who called
10 see him. The check was caShed and
$40 was paid to g well-known cafe for a
banquet to be given by Reiner to his con-
tract travelling companion and her friends
last night in the event OF his discharge by
the Insanity Commissioners. The ban
quet is yet q thing of the future. When
searched yesterday morning, only $119
was found in Reiner's pockets, which was
9S aced in the custody of the steward at
the hospital.
The Judge also issued an order to the
Police Property Clerk not to recognize
any order presented to MIN signed by
Reiner for his property. When Reiner
was ordered into custody by Judge Camp
bell Wednesday he had in his pockets
$108 in coin, valuable diamond ring and
q seal ring, a magnificent diamond pin, q
gold watch and chain and certificates for
80 shares in the Harlan Pin-Coupling
Comp ny.
Since Friday, when he was taken to the
Receiving Hospital, two orders signed by
him for his property was presented to the
Property Clerk. One was presented by
Dan Sullivan, who for some weeks acted
as clerk in Judge Lows court during
the illness of the incumbent and
the other was presented by an attoT-
ney. Both were referred to Chief Crowley
and the Chief declined TO recognize them,
as ReiEer was awaiting his examination
on a charge of insanity.
Reiner, if discharged by the Insanity
Com missioners, is to leave for Germany,
as his mother, who died recently, left him
a fortune, estimated, it is said, at $3.50, 600.
Since November "a. when he first came
into prominence here, he has recklessly
spent a small fortune.