The times., 1901-05-16
MONROE TELLS OF HIS LIFE
The Starring Suspect Explains Ap-
parent Discrepancies.

Lewis Francis Mortimer Monroe, now
held at the city jail under suspicion Of
having taken many jewels and some
money from Mrs. Olivia c. Starring, has
documentary evidence to controvert the
statements made against him by Frank
Barto. of New York. Monroe said yes
terday: Mr.. Barto is playing the baby
act He did not succeed in a business
venture"
Regarding the special charge upon
which he is being held, the prisoner was
n-communicative, yet he declared
rather emphatically: IF the jewels and
the money were wanted, they could be
produced this minute" He did not in
dicate his reason for thinking they
could be produced. nor why he thought
they were being kept hidden when the
production of them would practically
release him from his captivity, He did
say, however, that he felt he was being
held in jail upon what, in his opinion,
was practically no charge at all.
They have no evidence against me"
he declared. They brought me here at
first because they suspected 1 was
Charlie Rohan. They have given up
that idea now. At the preliminary hear
ing 1 was asked two questions-how /
came to Washington, and where 1
banked. l refused to answer, and they
said they would lock me up if I per-
sisted in my refusal. I did persist and
here I am. 1 want TO say emphatically
that I am not Charlie Rohan, and that
no one can make out any connection
between US. I don't even know who the
man is
Monroe spoke of his relations with
Mrs. Starring as having always been
pleasant. and as still being so. He sug-
gested that if she should swear out
warrant for his arrest on the specific
charge of having stolen the money and
the jewels. it might clear up the case
by bringing it to quick issue. He was
not at all sure any jewels had been
lost.
No attempt to get bail has been
made. What can a fellow do" said
the prisoner. when ne has no friends
in the city TO go on his bond" His at
torneys say that as yet there has been
no effort made TO get a writ Of habeas
corpus.
The story Of his life, as published in |
The Times yesterday morning. Monroe |
says is practically correct I have al |
ways been an inventor" he said. Il
made my first inventions when I was /
only. seventeen years old. AT times /
have made a great deal Of money from /
them. and now / have about fourteen (
patents from which I get royalties, or /
which I manage directly myself. I have /
no great fortune coming to me, and the |
income make from my inventions is
all 1 have.
1T was through an invention that I !
happened TO come to Washington, and .
to meet Mrs. Starring 1t was a bi- /
cycle steering arrangement Of which I |
owned the French and Canadian rights. /
I inserted an advertisement in the pa
pers of New York stating that l had the
rights to dispose Of, and through the
came into correspond
ence with Mrs. Starring. I also pro-
posed to help her in getting control Of
a street sweeper patent which I
thought was a very good thing. The
price was $4,000 and I thought if we
could get hold Of it we would make
money out Of it. Neither Of these deals
was completed when I was brought
here.
1t Is the American rights Of this pat
ent which Mr. Barto has so much TO
say about. The fact of the matter is
that he, with Mr. Cissel, bought it out
right from me. taking half shares and
paying $4,000 for it For a year pre-
vious 10 the time Of purchase G. II.
Reynolds was selling the device on roy
alties He sold it as one of the products
Of the Bicycle Chain Lightning Com
pany. The agreement with me was that
he was to pay me at any rate $500 every
month, and at the ratio Of 10 cents per
article sold.
"On the showing OF his books Cissel
and Barto bought the American rights,
Ind not on my solicitation. IT, after
buying it, they failed to make a success
Of their business, surely it is Tot my
fault. After taking over the patent
they began their business under the
name Specially Supply Company and
not as Cissel * Barto, as l thought
When first put here, / asked that en-
1uiry be made of CisseI & Barto, as to
my standing, but Of course. no one
could find such a firm in New York.
I suffer for that mistake and
my case is prejudiced.
1T was the same way when they in
vestigated the files Of the Patent Office
TO find if I had had any patents issued
under my name My fun name is Lewis
Francis Mortimer Monroe, but the
whole rame is too cumbersome TO han
ole. Sometimes I use it Lewis Morti-
mer, and sometimes Lewis Monroe.
Sometimes ! call myself Francis Morti-
mer and sometimes Frahcis Monroe |
All the patents are issued TO Francis
and naturally the detectives
who searched the files for patents under
The name Of Monroe. did not find any"
In corroboration of all these state
nents the prisoner had documents to
submit as proof
His wife. who seems TO be deeply af-