The San Francisco call., 1897-09-12
SEARCHED HER FOR
STOLEN GEMS.
She Claims Undue Liberties
Were Taken During the
Procedure.
MARTINELLI AND EDEN THE
DEFENDANTS.
OutgroWth OF the Frultless Quest
for the Late DIR. Freeman's
Diamonds.

SAN RAFAEL, CAL, Sept 1.-District
Attorney E. B. Martinelli aud Coroner
and Public Administrator Eden of Marin
County were served to-day with copies of
a complaint issued out Of the Circuit
Court of the United States in which they
are sued for $4,000 by Jane Lee OF Sau.
salito, who charges them with having COM
PEELED her 10 submit to an insulting search
OF her person.
IN the com plaint Miss Lee declares that
on June 10 MaruneIlI and Eden went 10
her residence in Sausalito, searched and
ransacked it and then proceeded to search
the prison of the plaintiff. She claims
that they grossly Inundated and outraged
her by searching or claiming 10 search for
the missing property of the late DR.. Free
man.
Miss Lee further AYERS that the search
was made maliciously and without rea-
sonable justification and was conducted
in a grossly improper manner. Besides
Marin County's District Attorney, Coro-
ner and Public Administrator J. s. Susa-
villa, n Deputy Marshal OF Sausalito, is
made defendant.
brated Freeman diamond mystery of
Sausalito. At the time the mystery occu-
pied considerable space in the press.
Richard Thomas Freeman, known as
the diamond doctor" because of the huge
spar king gems that adorned his shirt
front, was taken violently i'll in June and
his death was momentarily expected. He
was taken to the nome OF Mrs. A. D. Bell
in SausaIito, where Jane Lee, a niece OF
Mrs. Bell, was living. The doctor, so
Miss Lee asserts was in love with her and
had promised TO marry her.
Dr.. Freeman died a Mrs. Bells house.
Pubic Administrator Edward Eden, who
Is also Marin County's Coroner. went TO
Sausalito TO take charge OF the doctors
possessions, as he had no relatives II this
coun ry. Mr.. Eden searched through the
effects of the dead phys clan, with the
assistance of District Attorney Martinelli,
Tor Will, but fouad none.
The diamonds that Freeman was in
the habit Of wearing were gone. No trace
OF the costly gems could be found. Mrs.
Bell and Miss Lee stated that they did not
have them; that the doctor never had
them when he came TO their house
Believing that the diamonds were in the
po> session OF Mrs. Bell or Mis- Lee, Eden
and Martinelli got J. S. SusaviIa,
deputy marshal of Sausalito, TO swear to
complaint before Justice J. S. BellrUde
charging both women with the stealing of
a gold watch. two diamond rings and
other property belonging to DR.. Free
mans estate. The Justice issued search
warrant, and SusaviI.a, Eden and Mar
.ineli proceeded to the Bell esidence and
instituted a search for the missing
diamonds.
They were not found. The house was
searched and so were the women.
District Attorney Martinelli declares
that Mrs. Bell proceeded 10 strip the
clothes from her back while he pro esled.
The woman kept on until MartineIli COM
PEELED her TO desist. Then Mrs. Bell
stated that they lad been submitted to
vile insults.
The Public Administrator filed petl-
tion for special letters of ad mlnistration
on Freeman's estate, as no will was found.
Then Jane Lee came forward with the
claim that Dr. Freeman had made will
III her favor two years ago, and tnat IL
vas in County Clerk Thomas Bonneau'S
safe The County Clerk was away on his
vacation. When he returned the will was
produced and Jane Lee became admins
tratrix OF DR.. Freeman's estate. The will
left everything to Miss Lee.
Now Miss Lee ha, brought suit against
the seGrchers for the sum of 500, $50 for
damages. According 10 the complaint
she has suffered great distress of mind.
shame and humiliation, and has been
greatly Injured IN her credit and reputa-
tion. Miss Lee also asserts that She was
arrested and kept under arrest for hours.
She says that she i a citizen of Great
Britain. The officials are not sued
in their official capacity, but are
and TO be simply residents of Marin
County. Miss Lee also asserts that on
June Martinelli anG Elem constrained
her by threats of legal proceedings to de-
liver and surrender property In her pos
session TO Them. Taking all these insults
into consideration, she believes that she
Is entitled to damages and other relief.
Z. B. Martinelli was seen at his office
to-day. He said that he had been served
with the complaint, and that he had no
lear of the outcome.
Miss Lee was not compelled 10 submit
10 anv humiliation" said Martine.li.
ave made search and found some
articles belonging to Dr.. Freeman. but We
did not locate the diamonds. Mrs. Bell
commenced 10 disrobc, bu; ] made her
dpsist. As to taking any undue Liberties,
such thing Is preposterous. The suit
has no merl: whatever. The lady was
rot placed under arrest, as stated in her
complaint. We had the right to search
and we did il IN respectable manner"
Coroner and Public Administrator Eden
smoke in the same strain. When seen to-
day by The CALL representative he SAID
that hn had placed the matter In MS at
torney's hands.
m SIS Lee was treated in a respeCta ble
manner and was not lnsulted at ali, said
he land this suit will end satisfactorily.
I bava M douht ac n the oufcome -