The San Francisco call., 1897-05-20
G|BSON'S
} SKIRTS ARE
UNSM|RCHED
Chief Lees Exposes Another
Fake Durrant
Story.
ITS AUTHOR IS A MRS.
SCHWAITZER
Her Tale Sought to Involve the
-s Pastor of Emmanuel
Church.
POSITIVE PROOF OF ITS UTTER
UNRELIABILITY.
1t Would Seem That Attorney Tubb's
1 Mouth Has Been Copy righted
By "The Examiner"
ITS AUTHOR IS A MRS.
SCHWAITZER
Her Tale Sought TO Involve the
Pastor of Emmanuel
Church.
POSITIVE PROOF OF ITS UTTER
UNRELIABILITY.
1t Would Seem That Attorney Tubb's
Mouth Has Been Copy yrighted
By "The Examiner"

As deliberate fake as was ever foisted
upon the readers of a newspaper was that
published in the Examiner, purporting to
be the discovery OF an important new wit
ness in connection with the Emmanuel
Baptist Church tragedies. The gold
brick" yarE is briefly and best told in the
opening sentences OF the Examiners ar
ticle:
"a very important witness in the Min
ME Williams case was discovered yester-
dav in Mrs. Schwaitzer. She positively
afirms that On April II. 1895, the day be-
fore the body of Minnie Williams was
found in the Emmanuel Baptist Church,
she saw the unfortunate girl with the Rev.
J. George Gibson on the Alameda ferry
boat coming to this City,"
After giving what is alleged to be the
newly discovered witness reasons for not
having made her knowledge public earlier
the fake article says:
The information came to the knowl-
edge of the Chief of Police and yesterday
he summoned Mrs. Scnwaitzer and DR..
G Gibson before him."
Then, pretending to describe the ide nti-
fication of Gibson by Mrs. Schwaitzer in
the presence of Chief Lees the story con-
tinues:
Yes" she said, pointing to DR.. Gibson,
81 know that man; l saw him on the
Alameda boat with Minnie Williams on
April II, 1895. That is the man."
Notwithstanding that all this appar-
emily most important testimony is given
with the utmost positiveness, it is known
that it was published on the unsupported
recital OF Mrs. Schwaitzer, though there
was ample time to confirm or contradict
the startling statements made by the long
silent witness.
Chief Lees. in most emphatic words and
m amer pronounced the whole story a
connection, without a fiber of TACT in it.
IL the first place Chief Lees denied that
he had sent for the woman. and declares
that she came TO his Office of her own &C
cord Tuesday afternoon TO tell her story.
He added that she was examined by him
for five hours in relation 10 what she
claimed TO have seen on April II 1895.
and made so many contradictory state
ments 10 we'll established facts that he
had no doubt that her ta,e was unworthy
of a moments credence. When she lett
she promised to return to the Chiefs
office at o clock yesterday afternoon, but
failed 10 put in an appearance at any time
during the day.
Captain Lees further stated that the
Examiner had had no communication
with him whatever relative TO the woman's
story before it was published, though Mrs.
Schwaizer left his office shortly after 6
P. M, and he was in his Cffice until IL P NJ.
- He also remarked while speaking of the
latest product OF the freak enterprise of
the Examiner: my opinion Is that the
Whole story was set up in type at the time
this woman was talking TO me-"
During her long interview with Chief
Lees Mrs. SchwaitZer made a statement
that VAS so atvariance with facts previous
ly established beyond shadow OF doubt
that he was constrained to look upon her
story as being manufactured simply for
the purpose of distracting Governor, Budd
and influencing the latter in his consdera-
tion OF the appeal recently made for Glenn
ency.
After Mrs. Schwaitzer took her DEPART
ure from Chief Lees office Tuesday Detec-
tive Seymour displayed his astuteness by
. offering TO wager with his superior that
her fake story would appear in the Exam
inef the next morning.
Mrs. Schwai.zer's story as told to Chief
Lees comprises about 5000 words and was
taken down in shorthand at the time.
She stated that she became acquainted
with Minnie Williams in January, 1895.
At that time Miss Williams came to her
house 10 buy some packages of things"
She afterward visited Miss Williams on
business at the latter home at Mrs. Nor
gan's in Alameda. She called at Mrs.
Morgan's on April II, 1895, to see Miss
Williams, and the door was opened by an
old woman. Miss Williams was not at
home. Later in the day she saw Miss
Williams on the Alameda boat bound for
San Francisco in company with man
whom she described as follows:
II should judge he was a man who
looked between 80 and 35-may be 40 He
was a tall man. He bad on dark clothes
and gloves and carried his overcoat on his
arm. He had n telescope basket in his
hand, which he carried ior her. He took
off one of his gloves aud wore plain
ring on his little finger. and he had three
little scars on his neck. 1 thought he was
A bad man. He was more than NJ edium
size; a little taller than you (Chief Lees)-
about 5 feet IL inches, l should Judge.
When he was speaking noticed lie had
long, slim fingers.
Then. in what Chief Lees declares was
an attempt 10 jure the reputation of the
dead girl Mrs. SchwaiIzer stated that Min
rie Williams confided 10 her story TO the
effect that she (Minnie) had been secretly
married to man in high position.
Continuing she said that Miss Williams
and the gentleman with her look the
Valencia street car.
During the preliminary hearing Of the
Williams case it was shown that Durrant
and the Ill-faled girl took Howard-street
car.
Further along Mrs. SchwaitZer, referring
to the gentleman who SIZE declared accom-
panied Minnie Williams on the boat.
sa d ''The man had strange little mo-
tion with his head and very pleasant
way of smiling, and | would know him in
a thousand If ever / should see him again.
In relating her personal history she said
that at this time she worked Tor medi-
cine pany, selling female remedy
IN capsules, a ionic for young girls" Her
business with Minnie Williams was to sell
her these
Among the reasonssbe ascribed for not
conveying her information earlier to the
authorities or to Durrant's parents and
friends was her aversion to newspaper NO