The San Francisco call., 1897-05-16
Mystery Of the Lawyer
and the Lady Has Been
Cleared Up.
SENSATIONAL CHARGES
INVOLVED.
All the Trouble Arose From One
of the Amours of General
BarillaS.
EACH SIDE SUBMITS ITS OWN
STORY.
One of the Most Remark able Scandals
That Has Bsen Exposed for
Many Years.
EACH SIDE SUBMITS ITS OWN
STORY.
Out of the mystery that has enveloped

Out of the mystery that has enveloped
the suit OF Henry P. Dimond, an attorney.
against Miss Lillian Blair, formerly a
cashier for NJ. A. Gunst, have come de-
velopments that pile sensational charges
on similar counter charges, together with
a scandal that will cause the tongues oi
gossips TO wag in unctuous tones for even
more than the traditional nine days.
The beginning of the story dates from
the time of the visit of e1-President
Manuel L. Barillas of Guatemala to this
City during the summer of 1896. At this
time Miss Blair was employed as cashier
in the cigar-store of NJ. A. Gunst & Co., at
the corner of Ellis and Powell. She was
then. and is now young lady OF
moro than ordinary attractions, and ii
was not long after his arrival
that the General" as Barillas came to be
popularity known, showed that he had
been smitten with the pretty cashier s
charms. His attentions were apparently
well received and soon, as all statements
agree. he was on most intimate terms with
his inamorata, Iavishing upon her dainty
and costly presents and even going so far
as to open The strings of his purse to her,
almost without restraint.
But at this point the story is told in
widely divergent versions, and this differ
ence Is what led to the suit now pending,
under the title of Dimond against Blair,
for $40. 900 for professional services.
Dimond's version, briefly told, is that
Miss Blair, on the recommendation of
mutual friends, employed him TO institute
suit for breach of promise and betrayal
on her behalf against General Barillas.
He claims that she told him that she
believed Barillas to be unmarried and
that she was betrayed under promise of
marriage. He further states that when
he was about to file the complaint in the
case his client, her mother and her sister,
through the influence of Louis Hirsch,
the attorneyin-fact of Barillas, and OF
Milton S. Eisner, the general attorneys at
law, were induced to make false atfidavits
confessing that they knew Barillas to be
a married man, and that Lillian had be-
come intimate with the Guatemalan ex-
President without promise of marriage
being held out to her as an inducement.
These afidavits further charged that
Dimond and the two mutual friends, L. 7.
Cranz and DR.. E. l.. Perrault, who had in.
troduced Miss Blair to Dimond, were en-
gagged in a conspiracy to extort money
from the gay Guatemalan.
The other side of the story is simply
that the affidavits referred TO are a rela-
tion of the actual facts in the matter.
Dimond further states the pending suit
wa brought for the purpose of vindicat-
Ing himself.
This is the sensational history of the
case up to the present time told by Di-
mond yesterday:
have been admitted to the bar of this State
for about fourteen years, and have practiced
my profession in San Jose and in this City.
During the month. OF December, 1896, my
friends, DR.. J. and E. L. Perrault OF this City,
expressed desire TO introduce me TO young
lady who had a meritorious cause of action
against q wealthy resident OF Guatemala.
agreed to examine the case, and if upon ma
ture investigation 1t appeared to have merit
would undertake the prosecution OF the action.
/ was introduced to the Young lady, who
turned out to be Lillian G. Blair, the defend
ant in the present action. Miss Blair made to
me long statement of her case, which took
down in writing in her presence and which
she assen ted to when subsequently read over
TO her.
This statement in effect SET forth that Gen.
eral NJ. L. Barillas, an eX-President OF the re-
public OF Guatemala, had sought her acquaint.
anee while she was engaged as cashier at the
u. ~ 81
Hotel. and had followed up the introduction
by request TO visit her at the house OF her
parents sos Page street. in this City
She informed me that the visits and atten-
tions of General Barilles continued for sew
eral weeks, during which time he made her
frequent presents-howers and candy
appropriate to courtshlp between a
made with the full approval and permi ssion
of he- mother, Mrs. Kate Blair, her father be-
ing part OF the time absent from the city.
These attentions finally eliminated, accord
ing TO Miss BlaIr's account, in an offer of mar
Tiage, which when communicated by Miss
Blair and General Barillas TO Mrs. Blair,
through his interpreter Mr.. Rlbas, met with
the approval and blessing or the mo ther.
This courtship after the approval of the en-
gagement by Mrs. Blair, resulted in various
attentions and presents of large value from
General Barillas to Miss Blair, including four
diamond rings and locket formerly the
property of General Barillas' daughter, con-
tanning picture OF the general, q watch and
House and City OF Paris for wardrobe befit-
ting young lady engaged to b. married to so
exalted parsonage.
The courtship was carried on in singular
manner through en- interpreter, one Armando
Ribas, at present acting as a runner for the
Occidental Hotel and formerly employed in
the same capacity at the Palace. Mr. RiDas
acted as the interpreter OF General Barillas in
his courtship and his amanuensis in writing
many OF the impassioned missives which he
indited to his lady-love.
voluminous correspondence, consisting of be-
tween iorty and sixty letters and kilograms was
exhibited to me and entrusted to my care. OF
this correspondence all that professional obli-
cation permits me to divulge is the fact that
they establish beyond all doubt either an hon.
orabe propos tion of N arriage or insidious at
tempts 10 deliberately betray an innocent and
conhding girl.
likewise made independent inves tiga ations
into the character of my client, and discov-
cred that as far as / know IL was beyond re-
proach.
l proceeded to draw up a complaint for
breach of promise OF marriage against General
Barillas, and awaited his return from Europe,
whittier he had gone for brief visit. Suffice
IT to say he did not return, and the question
OF proper procedure in the case was the sub
lect of many and lengthy conversations be-
tween my client, her motner. her sister and
myself and my associate counsel.
Upon discovery OF the TACT that General Bar.
illas did not intend 10 return 10 this City, but
mad sailed from New York direct to Guatemala
Twas brought, through Mr.. Henry Ach, one oi
the counsel for the plaintiff in the case, into
relation with Louis Hirsch, person asserting
himself to be the attorney in fact of General
Barillas, ana of Nine Barillas his wife.
Dir. Hirsch expressed the greatest possible
anxiety to arrive at an amicable adjustment
OF this matter and requested me TO withhold