The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-12-04
Strange Story Of the Young
Wife and Her Deadly
Revolver.
Friends of the Deceased Tell of the Secret
Marriage and the Subsequent Troubles
of the Couple.

to use her ready revolver before she
would see him go.
The Importance of Mr.. Dixon's state
ment demands that it be told in his own
words:
Il have known Billy Mentel for years.
lie was born in this city almost II years
ago, his father, William Mentel, being an
old 49er, who once kept a grocery store
at the corner of Broadway and Stockton
street. The young fellow was honest, in
dustrious and as mild as lamb, as all of
his employers have testified. Soon after
he met Miss Peth he told me of his fond
ness for her, but on account of her almost
ungoVernable temper he was afraid of
her. He often told me that she threat
ened to shoot him, and that she had on
several occasions exhibited the revolver
as an earnest of her words. He appeared
to fear her, and l rallied him on his lack
OF nerve before a girl. He would stand
with his hands in his pockets-his habit
ual Way-and shake his head doubtfully.
On November he came into my place
and told me that tney were going to get
married. She was up on the next corner,
he said, waiting for him, with her pistol,
ready to kill him if he backed out. He
didn't have a cent. and she had driven
him down to my place to borrow money
for the trip to San Jose, where they in
tended to have the ceremony performed.
He pleaded with her, he said, telling
her that he was penniless. but she was
memorable and said the matter could be
kept secret and she could live with her
folks till affairs were in better shape. He
she threatened, and to save trouble or, al
least, scandal, on the name of his four
sisters he would marry her then. l gave
him So and they went to San Jose. The
couple returned that day, not the third
day as she has stated, and Miss Mentel
went home
Il can explain the matter of the mar
riage certificate. Billy was anxious to
have it returned to him secretly, so he
sent for it, as has been stated, mailing
d plain envelope to Justice j. w. Gass
not wishing that official to use a printed
envelope His mail always came to my
place and his wife often came here for
letters from him. He also wrote to her,
addressing to Miss Della Leslie at her
hairdresser's. The name MAINTAIN men
toned in the papers is mere typograph-
zeal error.
II can state from my own knowledge
that Mrs Mentel shot her husband in a
quarrel over the fact that he was going to
join DR.. dEvelyn in the East He told
me that she had threatened to kill him if
he attempted to leave the State or if ne
did not take her. About 4 o'clock of that
fatal afternoon they were both in my
she was watching him like hawk. he
told me privately that she was armed
and would use her gun on him if he tried
to get away from her. He had to go home
to Alameda, where he lived, and she was
determined to go across the bay with him
She tried to keep him from talking with
me. and followed him around the store,
row over his going East to DR.. d Evelyn
She thought if he left the State he would
not return, and she wanted him to get the
price Of her fare from the doctor. They
left for the ferry, and that is the last
saw Of poor Billy Mentel alive