The San Francisco call., 1897-05-16
WHY D|MOND HAS
SUED MISS BLAIR


quested sufficient time to comm unicate with
his principal in Guatemala, which granted.
Finally upon the 9th day of April, 1897,
was invited to meet Mr.. Hlrsch at the Office of
Messrs. Rothchild & Ach, two of my asso-
ciate counsel in this City. Upon receipt of the
invitation l Immediately went to the office in
company with Mr.. Thornton. Upon my ar
rival found Mr.. Hirsch and Milton s. Eisner.
Mr.. Eisner requested through Mr.. Thornton
that should temporarily withdraw from the
room.
Confding in the loyalty and devotion to my
interests of Mr.. Thornton and Mr. Ach I did
withd raw to an adjoining room. After the
lapse OF three quarters OF an hour Mr.. Thorn.
ton invited me into the room with Messrs
Hirsch and Eisner and six type-written docu-
ments, purporting to be affdavits and state
ments under oath of Mrs. Kate Blair mother
Mrs: Mamie Phillips, sister, and Lillian G.
Blair. were tend cred to me by Mr.. Eisner
These affidavits in substance proceeded to
detail conspiracy between DR.. E. l.. Perrault
and DR.. l.. T. Cranz and myself, by and
through which we in tended to extort money
from General NJ. L. Baril as by means of a
false and unjust charge OF breach of promise
OF marriage and betrayal of Miss Lillian G.
Blair.
In those afidavits it was alleged that no
promise of marriage had ever been made by
General Barillas to Miss Blair and that the
alleged betrayal which had taken place was a
betrayal with the tull consent OF MISS Blair
and with the procurement, approval and con-
nivance of her mother and sisters
The sfidavitthen proceeded 10 state that !
legged knowledge OF the facts as stated in the
affdavits l had incited and coerced and pro-
cured Miss Blair to persist in and bring an
actrion for breach of promise OF marriage and
betrayal against General Barillas.
was 1nexpressedly shocked by the afflda-
Wits. had never realized in my Lille such a
depth OF human baseness and depravity as
the act OF mother and sister in swearing tn "a t
they had procured and consented to the be-
trayal OF their daughter and sister.
Mr.. Ach and Mr. Thornton in my presence
<hAT- t>1a tno
allegations of the affdavits so far as they re-
lected upon me, and they approved of my
course under the circumstances. Messrs.
Hirsch and Eisner then withdrew
l was not offered a copy of the affidavlts, and
upon their demand, made at my request, Mr.
Ach and Mr. Thornton were refused copy of
those documents, At the same time release
of all causes of action from Miss Blair to Gen.
eral Barillss was exhibited to me, which, of
course, made the maintenance of any action
by Miss Blair against General Barillas utterly
impossible.
Mr.. Eisner, before the interview had closed,
served upon me written demand from Miss
Blair for the letters and kilograms and other
documentary evidence which she had placed
in my charge. To this demand, under the ad-
vice of Mr.. Ach and Mr.. Thornton, made
prompt and indignant refusal, as the posses
tense against charge of extortion and black
mail, attempted TO be sustained by The most
gross and infamous perjury.
At the same time Mr.. Eisner handed me
demand signed by Miss Blair for the return OF
certain Jewelry, consisting OF four rings and
locket, which she had placed in my hands
with written author ~ 10 pledge the same for
the sum OF $500 for her immediate necessities
| promised 20 return these articles upon the
next day, which l accordingly did. Upon this
occasion Louis Hirsch, formerly mentioned,
in my presence, took from his pocket the
necessary sum OF money and handed it TO Miss
Blair, who handed it to me.
OF course these occurrences terminated all
relations, professional and otherwise, between
a a nd my oil dot nir1ad Il hri,l
an action for my own vindieation. This l
have accordingly done. In this action de-
mand for q bill of particulars has been served
upon me, which will be filed on Monday.
1t is also nv in tention on Monday morning
to file q motion, accompanied by the affidavits
OF E. L; Perrault, l. T Cranz and my:
Civil Procedure, for leave TO inspect and
take copy of the afhdavits and statements
OF Mrs. Kate Blair, Mrs. Maude Phillips and
Miss Blair to which l have referred, l have
exhausted all other means of obtaining ac-
curate copies OF those afidavits and state
ments.
When obtained shall take all or any fur
ther steps in the direction of legal redress
which commend themselves to the reason and
judgment OF my counsel.
In response TO the charge that there never
was auy promise OF marriage from General
Barillas to Miss Blair and that was fully in
formed of the fact, deem myself justified on
the present occasion, inasmuch as the affida-
Wits mentioned refer to two letters written By
General Barillas to Miss Blair and TO Mrs
Blair, to make them pu bic.
recognize the professional obligation of
counsel 10 keep the secrets OF client Ii Miss
Blair and her mother and sister had not II ade
these letters public by direct reference in their
affidavfts they should not have been published
by any act OF mine until the matter came up
for final trial in a court of competent jurisdic-
ton; but fuasmuch as they have been made
public feel no. hesitation in giving them the
same publicity.
In conclusion l invite Louis Hirsch and Mil
ton s. Eisner TO make those affidavits pu blic in
the most formal manner, ther by publication
in the daily press or by filing the same in the
record OF this action. 1 shall then establish
the responsibility of the real libelers in this
matter and determine the course which shall
adopt with reference TO them.
Finally have but to say that I disbeIieye
the facts as stated in the afidavits OF these
women. These statements under oath were
made under the pressure OF the most direful
and pinching poverty, while ostensibly de.
clared to be made without the promise or
hope OF considera ton,
realize that in their long lives of poverty
there has been but short glimpse of wealth
and luxury and that they have been tempted
and dazzled by the same like the moth by the
brilliancy of the flame of the candle. / be-
lieve that they have been tempted by prom
ises of wealth and luxury and that they will
discover their N mistake too late.