Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-28
W. D. MONTGOMERY MAY BE
RELEASED
CONSPIRACY" SAY FRIENDS
Board Of Trade Learns
That Lincoln Hotel Was Sold for
Larger Sum Than First
Reported

yesterday that the trial OF w. d. Mont
gomery, former proprietor OF the Lin
coin hotel. who on Wednesday appeared
before the commission In Judge Gibbs
court on a charge of insanity, preferred
by his foster daughter, would bring out
sensational developments was fulfilled
last night
When the Lincoln hotel was sold July
4 ostensibly for $4,000, by u. F.. Vaughn,
acting with the power of attorney for
Montgomery, Vaughn, according to his
own statement last night, had prop
orty valued at S11OO, part of the pur-
chase price, decided to his daughter
I'm reality said Vaughn. "the Lincoln
was sold to Mrs. Belle McWi1liams for
$4,000. I do not believe Montgomery
knew anything about it."
1t is possible that the case will find
its way into the federal courts through
the instrumentality of the wholesalers
board of trade, which is one of the
large creditors of Montgomery.
Mrs. McWilliams says she was asked
to prefer charges Of insanity against
Montgomery. This. she says she re-
fused to do, as she did not believe
Montgomery to be insane.
Harry Pearce, a bartender at the
Pullman saloon, who formerly lived at
the Lincoln, makes a similar assertion
Vaughn came to me, saying that
Montgomery was after me with a re-
volver," says Pearce.
Finally Miss Mary Meister, his foster
daughter, made the charges which
placed Montgomery in the insane ward
of the county hospital.
May Dismiss Charge
It is probable with the developments
of yesterday, that Montgomery will be
released from custody today or tomor-
row and will never appear for trial.
The doctors and attendants at the
county hospital are responsible for the
statement that Montgomery is in the
full possession of his faculties, but
laboring under a great mental strain,
superinduced by too frequent libations
and family troubles. For two hours
yesterday he talked to Herald re-
porter and his conversation was far
from that to be expected of an insane
nan.
When he was asked whether or not
he believed himself to be the principal
in a conspiracy, the object of which
was to place him in an insane asylum,
that his property might be divided
make any statement. II have nothing
to say at this time" he remarked. II
wish you would tell Mr.. Vaughn, to
whom 1 gave the power of attorney In
the disposal of my property, that wish
to see him at once. Also tell Mary
Meister, my foster daughter, to come
out here.
"If I am not treated right-well, I
wish to find out whether or not they
are my friends. After I have talked
with them come to me again."
The denouemert came yesterday
morning through the instrumentality
of Attorney Wallace Wideman, and w.
T. Craig, attorney for the wholesalers
board of trade, which held claims ag-
gregating $500 against the proprietor
of Hotel Lincoln at the time it was
sold.
Lincoln Hotel Deal
When Vaughn made the statement
that the Lincoln hotel had been sold for
q y1di n
had been made as to the lodging house
at 300 South Hill, Mrs. McWilliams still
held the bill Of sale made out to
Vaughn's daughter. Mrs. McWilliams
promptly said the property, valued at
$11O0, was not included as part of the
purchase price of the Lincoln but that
she had made the purchase with the
understanding that she was to pay
$4,000 for the hotel and Vaughn was to
sell her lodging house at 300 South Hill
for $110O. With this money she says
she intended to carry on. her new
business.
The officers of the wholesalers board
of trade accepted as true the statement
that the Lincoln had been sold for $4,000,
that $500 had been paid out on pre-
ferred liens and started in to divide
up the remaining s11OO among their own
creditors on the basis of rs cents on the
dollar.
Fl. T. Reed, the real estate agent who
had engineered the transfer, put in a
claim for $4OO as his commission. This
was over per cent on $1,000. The claim
was refused A mild sensation was
sprung when Reed announced that he
was figuring his commission on $4,000,
the amount representing the transfer
An investigation followed. 1t was be.
hind closed doors. Present were Attor-
ney w. T. Craig, Vaughn and William
Cook, an attorney identified with the
Title Guarantee and Trust company
and who had held the $4,000 in escrow.
Vaughn had already told his story to
Attorney Craig and at the star chamber
session was the chief witness.
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gav. Errauciaao HoteIa