Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-05

CHARGES PLOT
TOBLACKMAH|
MRS. D. 3. RAwsoN, MINE OWNER,
ACCUSES
DENIES LAWYERS STORY TOLD
ON STAND
Woman, Loser in Suit for $50 Fee for
Advice Never Given, De-
clares She VIII
Appeal

This is blackmail, and I'll spend hun
dreds of dollars before l pay cent,
said Mrs. Della B. Rawson. prominent
real estate and mine owner, after a trial
in Justice Selph's court yesterday. The
trial resulted in Judgment for Attor-
ney Lon K Wiseheart. who is connected
With Lawlor, Allen, Van Dyke & Hutton.
Mrs. Rawson will appeal, she says.
Wiseheart had sued for $50 attorney
fees. which he claimed the wealthy wild
ow owed him for legal advice. ON the
stand he admitted he had never given
her the advice sought because she did
not come for it. Mrs. Rawson says she
did not seek his advice, as she engages
her attorneys by the year.
C. Il. Potts, formerly detective in the
employ of the Merchants and Manufac-
turers association, was the star witness
for the plaintiff. He testified that Mrs.
Rawson had asked him about an easy
way to secure divorce secretly ana ne
had gone with her to Wiseheart, and the
latter agreed to look up the laws of sew
eral western states.
Wiseheart testified that Mrs. Rawson
had told him her name was Philips, ana
she wanted divorce because ner hus-
band had asked her for money before the
honeymoon was over.
fornia divorce laws, and was sure the
suit could not be brought in this state,
he said declaring that he never saw his
client again until she came to court.
81 afterward learned that her name was
Rawson and telephoned to her. contin-
ued the lawyer.
II asked for Mrs. Phillips, and she de-
MED even knowing woman by that
name Then l told her who was and
asked for the money, but she refused to
pay.
Mrs Rawson denied emphatically every
statement of the plaintiff when she took
the stand.
1T all came about through that man
POTTS." she said He met my daughter
in the Echo Park grocery, while she was
waiting for car. The conversation be-
gan in discussion over certain brands
of cigars. My son is in the cigar busi-
ness and Potts pretended to be a member
of the board of trade, and said he was an
attorney.
Divorce in Forty-eight Hours
Then the talk drifted 10 legal affairs.
and incidentally TO the easiest way of
securing q divorce. Potts claimed he
could get a divorce in Mexico in forty
eight hours, and said it could be done
without getting into the papers.
When Mrs. Hogan, my daughter, came
home, she told me OF the latest scheme
for divorces, and as 1 have several
friends who wish DEGREES but are re-
strained from using the courts by fear of
publicity, determined to look into it.
Potts made an appointment TO meet
ne IN the Wilson block, but when 1 got
there he said we would have TO go to his
new offices. and apOlogized because they
were not settled On the way TO the Of
6ee he said he was the son of former
County Clerk Potts. and replied that /
had known his father and mother.
That was twenty-three years ago,
when / lived at Santa Ana He asked
what my name was at that time and
told him Phillips. Nathing more was said
until we got to the office, where he told
Mr.. Wiseheart that l was seeking a di-
vorce, and wanted it as quietly as pos
sible. The latter was called away.
He said he had bought testimony for
prominent woman of Los Angeles He
told me her name. She was personal
friend of mime. have since learned that
his statement was entirely false.
when Mr.. Wiseheart came in 1 told
him | wanted to know something about
divorce laws, and that 1 was inquiring on
behalf of friend of mine, but if his firm
was in the habit of buying testimony
didn't want to have anything to do
with it.
II left the office and heard nothing
further until one day some one called UP
and asked for Mrs Phillips. There is a
Mrs. Phillips living near us, and 1 said
If you leave your number l will have her
call you up They thanked me and hung
up. In few days got bill in the mail
for professional services from Mr.. WISE
heart.
On cross-examination Mrs. Rawson de-
MED that she wanted divorce, as she
is widow. ST only wanted to find out
for some friends"
Mrs. e. Hogan corroborated her moth
er's testimony as far as it concerned the
meeting with Potts ~