The San Francisco call., 1908-09-02
AHLSTEDTS SON SAYS
FATHER is EX SALESM AN
Explains Mystery, Surrounding
Pictures and JeWeIry Found
in Suspects Shack

ne mystery surrounding lne Jew
elry, photographs and medical appli-
ances found in Ahlstedts. home was
cleared up yesterday by Barney Van
Ahlstedt, the suspected mans eldest
son. Young Ahlstedt. who is carpen
ter and lives in this city, has not
been on friendly terms with his father
for about five years The story told to
Captain Petersen yesterday by Bar
ney Ahlstedt was as follows:
While l am not on friendly terms
with my father l think there are
many things which have been said
against him which are untrue. Now
that jewelrS. for instance, which was
said to have been the property of Mrs.
Donohue and other women. / remember
those articles very well. Many years
ago my father was a travelling sales
man. 1t was his custom to take trunks
filled with cheap jewelry on his trips
to Alaska. He traded with the Indians
and Esquimos. Why, my father used
to give my little brother Alvin and
me cheap watch chains, rings and pins,
and we used to swap them with the
boys at school. | have some of that
stuff somewhere in my trunk now. If
you examine that jewelry you will see
that it is 'phony' and almost value
less.
EXPLAINS MYSTERY
There is no mystery surrounding the
large number of photographs of women
which were found in my fathers house.
When he was a young man he was an
artist. He travelled about the country
painting pictures. and, of course. it
was natural for him to have a large
number of samples to show those whom
he solicited commissions from. We had
several hundred of these stock pic
lures. If you notice you will see that
all of the pictures and paintings are of
women who were gowned and dressed
their hair after the fashion OF years
ago. Those two photographs published.
in one Of the morning papers were of
two Well known actresses. None of the
pictures was of any friend of my
father"
Young Ahlstedt told Captain Peter
sen that the Waltham watch was one
that originally belonged to his fathers
second wife, Mrs. Houdyschell. Mrs.
exchanged the watch with
his father for smaller one she owned
herself.
The boy also explained the circnm-
stances of the killing of Thomas Nor |
mile in 1902 by his father He stated
that he remembered distinctly OF his
mothers coming home after the shock
ing assault which had been made upon
icIs anu stated lnat ne was sent TO /
the drug store to get a bottle of ar
niea. His mother, Ahlstedt's first wife |
whom he divorced on the day of the !
shooting, was then 81 years of age. |
THINKS FATHER INNOCENT
In reference. to the medical appIi- |
ances. young Ahlstedt said that his
fathers second wife had associated !
with a physician for many years and /
that she had secured many instru- |
ments and medical appliances when
the physician died. He said that he |
felt sure these appliances We're those
brought to his fathers home in Mont
calm street by Miss Houdyschell when !
she married his father
II do not believe my father commit /
ted the crime of which he is suspected /
despite the strong chain of circum-
stantial evidence which has been
brought TO light" said the boyA CON-
tinuing along this train of thought. he
stated: My father was in the habit of /
writing poetry and he was quite a
reader of books. He often wrote prose
on the back of photographs which was 7
meant TO appeal to the women he So
licited trade from.
Barney Ahlstedt claims that his father /
had always been misunderstood and {
that he was often abused The hoy
said that it was necessary for his
father to carry a rife to guard the /.
house in Montcalm street against I.
the acts of the boys who lived in that
neighborhood and who teased his father
0y StOniQR him and bx- ia m n OIL, - III.