Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-27
LOVE AND DRINK
CAUSE HIS RUIN
FORMER WEALTHY MAN FACES
INSANITY CHARGE
STRANGE FACTORS IN CASE
w. D. Montgomery Occupies Cell In
Insane Ward Upon Complaint of
Foster Daughter, Who Admits
illegal Relations With Him

Love, liquor and finance, three fac
tors in the trial of w. d. Montgomery,
former proprietor of the Lincoln hotel,
who appeared yesterday before the
commission in Judge Gibbs court on
an insanity charge preferred by his
foster daughter. Miss Mary Meister,
promise to make the case one of the
most sensational heard in the Los
Angeles court for years.
Certain ones to whom Montgomery
is indebted say that he is insane. Mrs.
McWilliams, the woman who pur-
chased the hotel, says he is in his
right mind, as co several others. His
foster daughter admitted last night,
despite her testimony before the COM
mission, that Montgomery acted sane
when he had not been drinking to
excess.
The commission yesterday, after
hearing the evidence, refused to send
Montgomery to an asylum. 1t did
not deef the evidence sufficient. In
six days another hearing will be
given, at which Montgomery will bring
witnesses who will assert that he is
perfectly sane.
Fortune Hangs in Balance
Upon the verdict of the commission
depend the disposition of nearly $1O,-
600, which has already been paid OUT
whether or not Montgomery was sane
when he disposed of his hotel July T.
given to DR.. z. I. Baughn, are worth
less; whether or not he was in his
right mind when he turned over to DR..
Baughn the power of attorney to sell
the hotel
In the hearing yesterday the money
question was not touched upon, but it
is said to form the background for
much of the evidence which will be
put forth later.
Montgomery finished extensive re-
pairs on his hotel April "a, and then,
according to his friends, suddenly be-
came strongly addicted to the liquor
habit Bills were left unpaid and he
gave little attention to his business.
At that time, no one doubted his sanity.
Early in May u. T. Baughn, an ocu-
list with offices in the Copp building,
who was staying at the hotel at that
time, according to his own story gave
Montgomery 5000 with the understand
ing that he, Baughn was to become
partner in the hotel business. The $500
was supposed to have been applied on
bills then due.
Later, Baughn acting as agent for
himself and others, advanced another
$780, This transaction, says Baughn,
occurred May %. Shortly afterward,
he found that Montgomery did not even
have lease on the property.
Two weeks later, Montgomery turned
over to Baughn the management of his
property with power of attorney. At
that time no mention was made of any
salary.
Hotel Is Sold
Acting under the powers granted him
by Montgomery Baughn sold the hotel
to a Mrs McWilliams July 7, for $4,000,
in escrow. Two days later an attorney
for the wholesalers board of trade
appeared and demanded that the money
be applied on Montgomerys debts.
Baughn complied with the request, and
the sum was distributed yesterday
among various creditors, but it is said
there are debts aggregating something
like $4,000 yet to be paid.
Now Baughn wants tie money which
he says he loaned Montgomery. The
amount is between $4,000 and $25O0, ana
in addition he wants a satisfactory
sum for the work he has done under
power of attorney. He has placed his
demands in the hands of an attorney
and will seek to obtain the full amount
he claims to be due him.
This is the financial side of the ques-
tion. That portion of the case touch
ing upon love is fully as interesting
and embodies Montgomery's propensi-
ties for drink, said to be responsible for
his now being confined in a cell for the
insane at the county hospital. In this
cOHneCllOH dlSO, the Stories OF vaughn
and Miss Meister, the foster daughter,
appear to be at variance.
The Love Story
On the witness stand yesterday Miss
Meister said she believed Montgomery
to be insane. OF her own accord she
also said that for a number of years
Montgomery and she have been living
virtually as man and wife, in spite Of
the fact that he had a legal wife until
last January, when the woman obtained
a divorce.
She said that Montgomery drank to
excess, that he was insanely Jealous
Of her and that on several occasions he
had threatened to kill her.
A week ago Miss Meister myster-
iously disappeared and her whereabouts
were not know until yesterday, when
she preferred the insanity charge
against Montgomery, who sought her