The San Francisco call., 1905-03-14
ANOTHER NAME
GIVEN POLICE
Detectives Are Seeking Max
Magner, Butler, Formerly
in Mrs. Stanford's Home
MAY HAVE INFORMATION
President Jordan Declares
That No Suspicion Should
Rest on Bertha Berner

Max Magner is the latest individual
to attract the attention of the local po-
lice in connection with the mysterious
death of Mrs. Stanford, and if the hopes
of Captain of Detectives Burnett are
realized the inuch-wanted man will be
brought into the presence of the head
of the local detective force to-day or
] tomorrow and asked to tell all he
knows about the Stanford household
during the several months prior to
January IA, the date on which it is
supposed that an attempt was made to
poison the mistress of the California
sreet mansion.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
Police Department, cooperating with
Morse's detective agency, has been
carefully sitting every phase of life in
the Stanford household for a period of
six months, in its energetic effort to
find the necessary elew to the identity
of the person guilty of administering
poison to Mrs. Stanford, and has been
bringing into prominence those who
were close to the philanthropic woman,
Max Magner has, until lately,
strangely escaped notice. Now he is
badly wanted by Captain Burnett, who
is on the trail of the fellow and ex-
forty-eight hours. Magner was, for a
number of months, Mrs. Stanford's
butler. fact that the police were late
in learning. Contrary to the general
understanding, it was Magner and not
McWhinney who succeeded Butler
Beverly last May, and he remained in
his position until q short time before
Mrs Stanford was taken i'll at the Cal
ifornia-street house. when he was sud-
denly dismissed and was succeeded by
McWhinney.
These facts were given to the police
by Miss Richmond, together with other
data that prompted Captain Burnett
to Immediately institute a search for
the former butler. According to her in
formation, impaired several days ago
to Captain Burnett, Magner was not
long in Mrs. Stanford's employ before
he got into disfavor with his mistress.
The latter's former maid has told the
police that Magner was of an erratic
disposition and the fact soon began to
annoy Mrs. Stanford, who finally while
on her way to New York, left Magner
in Chicago. On returning westward,
however, she picked him up in the
Windy City and brought him back to
this city He went to Southern Cali
fornia for while and then returned
to Mrs. Stanfords home, but, falling
to please her. he was dismissed. 1t
was then that Caterer Ludwig was
appealed to by Mrs. Stanford to hur-
riedly furnish her with butler and
McWhinney was sent to the Califor-
nia-street mansion. Just what infor-
nation the detectives expect to get
from Magner is only a matter of spec
ulation, for there is not the slightest
hint that he is in any way under sus-
picion. 1t is possible, however. he may
be able to shed further light on the
servants wranglings that constantly
disturbed the peace of the Stanford
household.
Yesterday Captain Burnett and his
detectives, while impatiently waiting
for some definite information from
Honolulu, busted themselves for two
hours subjecting Ng Yeng, Mrs. STAN
fords cook, to q severe questioning.
The trend of the Chinaman's examina-
ton was along lines bearing on the
disputed question as to who served
Mrs. Stanford with Poland water on
January 49, Miss Richmond has sew
eral times said that the water was
taken to Mrs. Stanford's room and
! opened by Butler McWhinney, and the
latter has vehemently denied the ac-
cusation. Ah Wings memory is fail
ing on this important question, and
Yeng now processes his inability to re-
call who served the water, although in
a previous examination he showed
I more willingness to favor the police
with minute details of servant life in
the Stanford house on January 13.