The San Francisco call., 1897-08-29
Says He Was Threatened, Then
offered Money to Alter His
Testimony.
SAYS CURTIN DICTATED HISSTATEMENT
The Prisoner Accuses the Detective OF
Being Largely Responsible for
His Undoing.

Future happiness, hope and even con-
tent have in all probability been ground
from the lives of at least five human
beings-Charles S. NJ. Bartlett, his wife,
her aged mother and his two innocent
children-bv the whirling cogs of litiga-
ton in the Fair will case.
Whether or not the Witness Bartlett. is
guilty of deliberately and maliciously
committing perjury; whether or not he is
the victim of a conspiracy, as he alleges;
whether or not gold led him from the
path of truth and closed behind him the
doors OF prison, yet remains to be seen !;
but in either event suffering and morse
have come with crushing force to him and
his.
Yesterday he paced to and fro in his
cell, overcome by the thought that no
matter which way he turned he found no
friend. He found friends in the lawyers
representing Nettie r. Craven when be
testified that he saw Senator Fair in No.
tary Cooney's office on Septem ber 81
1894. Friday, when he qualified or di-
rectly contradIcted that testimony, be lost
the friendship he had gained, and was or
dered into custody. When he found that
he had been deserted by the lady defend
ants attorneys ne turned to the lawyers
representing the other side of the case for
aid, but found it not.
In consequence he believes that he is
the victim of a cons piracy; he believes
that he has been wronged by all parties in
the suit, and pleads in e1tenuation for
his act Friday that he simply wished to
modify statement he believed was made
h n uif mr. nd
in the battle of words between lawyers
became mixed and was led into trap
which had been set to catch him.
Now he is angry and SAYS he will fight
like cornered rat, and believes that he
Will eventually WIN. 1.-The testimony
originally gave on the sland," he said
last evening, twas substantially correct,
and my modification OF Friday cannot be
called perjury. The story as to how
l came to be called as a witness
in the case is a simple one. Martin
White, who has offices in the Montgom-
cry block. and who has been mentioned in
some of the papers as my partner, re-
tanned me to negotiate a loan for him on
Two pieces OF property in this City. Mr..
D. White is the owner of mines a t Mineral,
Idaho, and he wished money to develop
them. | undertook the negotiation of tho
loan, and believing that Attorney Ruef
there l mentioned the fact that / had
walked down the street with Herbert
Clarke, James G. Fairs valet. Attorney
Ruef asked me if | knew him we'll, and
answered that l did. We then talked
about the Fair case, and i'll the course OF
conversation / mentioned the fact that
saw Senator Fair in Attorney Cooney' s
Office on or about the day he was said to
have acknowledged the disputed deeds
In short, it ended in my being subpenaed
by Mrs. Craven's lawyers, and
gave my testimony. After that time
| discovered that L was being
watched by Detective John Curtin. 1t
was unpleasant to think that | was under
surveillance, but l said nothing. Finally
l understand, is curbstone broker, and
he informed me that Attorney Lloyd
wanted to see me. | did not know what
to do, but as O'Connell was SO persistent
III his suggestion that l pay Lloyd a visit
l finally consen ted. Before | went TO the
office, however, l met Lloyd on the street
and had short conversation with him
Last Thursday afternoon by appointment
l met Mr.. Lloyd in Attorney Wood s
office. Detective Curtin was there and l
was turned over to his keeping. 1t was
then suggested that l make a state
ment OF my doings on the 9th of
September, 1894. l was hall threatened
by the detective and the lawyer that un-
less l modified my ta!ements as origin
ally made on the witness-stand there
would be trouble in store for me. was
nervous, but as did not make haste to
make a statement they then made prom
ises Of money and guaranteed me protec-
tion and immunity from prosecution at
the hands of the attorneys representing
the defendant. Believing that possibly /
might have been mistaken in my belief
al in ho
office l consented to modify my state
ments. Detective Curtin proceeded to
take my statements. AS made them he
dictated to the typewriter. 1t is the state
ment | made that day the prosecution
declares to be confession. Detec.
tive Curtin did not let me dictate
the statement and in consequence
1t is not IS l made it. The detective
changed and twisted my language in a
shameful manner. When the statement
had been drawn up was asked TO sign it,
but after reading it over l refused. as il
contained words | did not say, and many
/ did say were missing. The protestations 5
of the detective were without avail, and |
left for my home without signing it, The
next morning L was summoned again to
Attorney Woods office, and on nv arrival
there met Attorneys Mitchell and Loyd
and Detective Curtin. More giIded offers
were made me. l was, and suppose still
am, under obligations 10 Frank p Bacon
and Aaron Heringhi, who is Attorney
Ruef's brother-in-law, and at that meet
ing they promised to liquidate those debts
and to send me on q nice trip when the
case was over if | would sign the state
ment. finally consented and they were
pleased. Later in the day L modified my
testimony in the court and the result was
that / am now in Jail. Now that the at
torneys have me behind the bars, where
they wanted me. I hear no more prom.
ises OF money or reward and they refuse
to help me.
"In justice to Attorney Ruef and D. M
.Delmas, l wish to say that they never
offered me one cent for my testimony. Nc
one associated with their side of the case
ever made me an offer, notwithstanding
statements to the Contrary. In the state.
nlent now in the hands OF Attorney