The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-05
WOMAN is MEL0DRAMATIC
IN EMBEZZLER'S CELL.
Leona Brooks Leaves on Ticket Purchased
by the Defauter for Himself.

ST. LOUIS, May 4.-The woman who
as Blanche Smyth admitted to-day
that she was Leona Brooks of San
Francisco and that she was supported
| by Edward j. Smith, the defaulting
Tax Collector of San Francisco, who
was arrested in this city Tuesday night
by the Pinkertons and the city de-
tectives just as he was about to board
train for Los Angeles. Leona Brooks
also assumed the name of Mrs. r.
| Guenther when she Travelled with a
commercial traveller She stated to the
police during a severe sweating pro-
cess under the direction of Chief of
Detectives William Desmond, that she
received regularly monthly stipend of
$500 from Smith for five months. She
also admitted rather reluctantly that
Smith gave her $3.50 when she left him
at San Francisco for Hot Springs and
$500 more, which he. wired to her>there
last week
Chief Desmond worked for hours in
attempting to implicate the woman in
Smiths nefarious transactions and
tried also through her to locate and
trace a portion of $4,000 which Smith
alleges he applied to the January en-
try of his office in his anxiety to cover
up the offerings of that month He
denied in toto the report that he left
San Francisco with $4,000.
WOMAN HAS COSTLY RAIMENT.
Leona Brooks had three trunks and
valise at the hotel where she reg
istered. The trunks were carefully
searched and a great number of ex-
pensive garments, a seaiskin, easily
worth $1,000, and a pair Of diamond cuff
buttons were found
She had two morocco grips, one a
handbag and the other a suit case
both of which were filed with dainty
trinkets valued at several hundred dol
lars. 1t is strongly believed by the po-
lice of this city that all of these ar
ticleS were given her by Smith, but
she stoutly maintains that she bought
most of them with her own money.
The Brooks woman visited Smith in
his cell this afternoon at o'clock not
withstanding the fact that Smith had
solennly abjured her in the presence
of Chief of Detectives William Des-
mond to keep absolutely away from
him forever. Leona Brooks saw the
unfortunate man busily reading the
papers and hesitated before approach
Ing
With a profuson of tears she broke
the eyby saying: Ed. have come to
see you. / have brought these things
for YOU"
TO the surprise of the jailkeeper, two
men opened the package and gave the
man a costly handmade nightshirt.
The sight of the article at once enraged
the man and he replied: What did 1
tell you last night in Chief Desmond's
office? l want you to keep away from
me- Can't you see that you are maxi
ing things worse for me by intruding
yourself in this placer The woman
then gave him several packs of cigar
cites. which he accepted
BECOMES MELODRAMATIC.
Finally Leona Brooks, with some
! thing of the melodramatic, snatched
from her elegantly laced blue silk shirt
waist little bunch of fragrant flowers
and handed them to Smith, after which
she left the CELL bitterly weeping
!, Smith was seen this evening in his
cell. He was busily absorbing the mar
/ ket page of newspaper. apparently
studying. Eastern stock quotations. He
refused to be disturbed. His unshaven
! face and haggard look give him de-