The San Francisco call., 1897-05-20

was let into the secret, who In turn coE-
fided it to Attorney Dimond. According
| to the Blairs the lawyer saw In tne I'M
macy existing between Lillian ana baril.
| las an opportunity for suit OF oreach OF
promise and seduction. or, in other words,
| simnle blackmaiI. Dimond then pro-
ceeded to coach them in stories for the
witness-stand, and to this end prepared
statements for them TO commit to
memory.
But at the last moment Mrs. Blair and
her daughters repented OF the part the
| lawyer was creating for them, with re-
| suit that Barillas agent was cOmmunl-
cated with, and the whole plot laid before
| him.
This was not the first intimation Hirsch
| had that there was woman scrape" n
store for Barillas. Rumors that Miss
Blair intended seeking damages for a
broken heart reached the ears of Castle
Brothers early in February, and they at
once advised Barillas, who was then re-
turning from Europe to take steamer at
New York direct for Guatemala and thus
avoid trouble. Hirsch was then in Cen
tral America. Upon his return on March
% Attorney Ach called upon him and in
formed him OF the true situation OF al
fairs, at the same time showing him the
letters and photographs Miss Blair had
turned over to Dimond. Hlrsch lost no
time in acquainting Barillas with the de-
tails of the case by mail. Ach had agreed
to wait until May 15 to give TO the coffee
planter time 10 settle with Miss Blair, If
he so desired. the value of her wrongs be-
ing fixed at $50, 900.
But the gay old Don Juan evidently
thought he had been benefactor long
enough to the Blairs Hirsch in his letter
had lntimated that it was a blackmailing
scheme, and that Ribas, the interpre ter,
was the chief schemer. And instead OF
check 10 repair Miss Blalr's lacerated af-
fections, there came back cable to prose-
cute the case to the end.
This was how Hirsch sized up the whole
affair:
March 80, 1897.
M Dear General: / returned here yesterday,
and only have time TO write you few words to
inform you what has happened since your de-
parture from San Francisco, and what has
come to my knowledge since my arrival here.
had hardly left the steamer when l received
a visit from lawyer, who had been told am
a friend oil yours, ana that was protecting
your interests. The conversation was opened
by him telling me of girl named Lillian
Blair in relation with you while you were
here Rumors of some difficulty with refer
ence to this girl came to the hearing OF the
Messrs Castle, and fortunately they tele-
graphed you through the medium of J. Apart
clio & Co. not TO come here under any circum-
| stances, and to return 10 Guatemala by way OF
Panama.
am very happy you have followed this ad-
| vice of my house, because you would have
| exposed yourself 10 disagreeable trouble had
you passed through here. For lack of time
cannot write you in detail by this mail, but L
Will tell you in few words what has taken
place. Lillian Blair. through her attorneys
there are four she has employed-haS pre-
pared a lawsuit asking for your arrest a the
moment of your arrival, accusing you OF Sc
duction and breach of promise of marriage.
The principal witness is Ribas, of whom
have spoken to you frequently. Ribas will
declare that you have assured the girl that
you are a widower and that you would marry
her on your return to San Francisco. There
are furthermore in the hands of the lawyers
declarations under oath of the mother telling
you have asked for the girls hand and also
declarations under oath of Lilly that you have
asked her hand in marriage.
have seen, Furthermore, all the kilograms
which you have sent daily since your depart
ure from here until your arrival in London,
and about dozen letters which you have
written the girl when here. Furtherm ore, l
have seen several of your photographs, and on
written, "A mi mama There is doubt
that the letters were written and signed by
yourself, but l presume the kilograms were
written by Ribas
The matter looks very comprom ising, and l
desire that you give me all the Information
and dates which you have by first mail, and
send me, also, all the letters you have from
the GIRL and other papers and details which
touch on the subject, to see how we can avert
the storm.
had another interview to-day with these
four lawyers and they demanded $40, 600 gold
to abandon the lawsuit. 1t is n act OF slander
and that man Ribas is at the bottom of il all
l have promised the lawyers to write you and
they promised me in return that the matter
would rest quietly until 18th May next to
know what you would write 10 me on the SUBJ
ject. l am doing all that is posi- bic that moth
ing will get out IN the newspapers and hope
/ will succeed. Immediately have taken the
advice OF the best criminal lawyer here. In
case it does come to lawsuit The lawyer is
sure to send to prison Mr.. Ribas, well as the
before much farther
You know am your good friend and will do
everything possible to get you out of this diff
fculty without any blemish. have to ado
that you should consider the matter very seri-
ous because it is sure that while your absence
will save you immediate trouble, these knayes
will establish a lawsuit and in your absence
you will be obliged to defend yourself, other
wise they will take judgment by default. This
will be a charge as any other charge, and judg-
ment can be made against your properties in
Guatemala.
Whether this is so not, / don't know. For
that reason do not forget TO give me all the
particulars you have which l nave asked you,
as those bandits will esta blish a lawsuit.
In my opinion il it would be only matter
| of few thousand dollars to recover those let
ters, kilograms and pictures 1t would not
amount to much, but i would rather spend
| double the amount of money TO defeat this
band of rascals and not permit them to be-
| smirch your name and character in this city.
All your friends here know ii is a matter of
slander, and your reputation will not suffer;
| but in you allow yourself TO be made the
| VIC tim Of these individuals now, tomorrow,
| perhaps, some other girl will not be lacking
with similar pretensions. Write me with the
! greatest detail by first steamer and tell me
| every thing. Do not conceal or forget any,
| thing, because l must know absolutely every
| thing.
Did Lille know that you desired her as
! your companion, or was she under the belief
| that you intended to marry her? Write me
extensively, and on receipt of this letter send
| me a cable telling me what l should do.
! propose that you send for Don Florentine
| aud Don Perento and consult with them. You
know they are just as loyal friends of yours
| as / am. Do not worry much about it,
! because with little bit of care these knayes
| can't do anything. 1 prefer to fight with
| them rather than pay them one single cent;
| but / am of the opinion that it would be
convenient to spend something to get the lei
| ters, kilograms and photographs, SO that girl
| does not use same against you.
l am going to send this letter to Florentine,
and shall beg OF him to send same to you
through some confidential man, or that he
carry the same to you himself, because |
may rest sured / will do all in my power TO
avoid publicity of this matter, but fear the
newspapers will succeed in getting it. 1 hope
tnis viii find you well. ana remain your
friend, LOUIS HIRsCH.
Attorneys Dimond, Ach and Thornton
declare that Miss Blair, her sister and
her mother were bought off, to speak
plainly. and it was along these lines that
Hirsch's examination proceeded yester-
day. The agent of Barillas resented such
| inslnuations as far as be was concerned.
The repartee between the lawyers was
almost as warm as the weather. Attorney
Patrick Reddy's presence denoted that
| Barillas thinks the matter of enough i'm
portance to employ two firms OF lawyers.
1t was Ribas who brought the Blairs to
Hirsch first. The interview took place in