The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-06-09
Fantastic Tale OF HypnOtism and
GhOstly Midnight Seances
Barred by Prosecutor
w. Hoff Cook in Opening State
ment Tears Away Veil of SUI
perstitiOn Causing Wreck
Story of How Weird Trumpets
Directed Deals of Safe
Deposit Managers

/ Destined to play a part in the
trial of Walter J. Bartnett, former
vice president of the California
safe deposit and trust company,
are two distinct sets Of characters
as widely different in their being
as are fact and fantasy. One
group will be composed of wit
nesses-the defendants former
associates who joined with him
in the frenzied schemes of finance
that wrecked the trust company
and brought pecuniary loss to the
thousands of depositors-and the
other a stalking. silent band OF
specters- from the spirit world,
that, without material being,
welded mighty influence in the
affairs of the ruined bank.
HYPNOTISM IN CASE
Although the embezzIement
trial is but one day old, hypnotism
and spiritualism have already
sprung TO the front as important
factors in the case, and with them
has come mention of the names
OF noted fnanciers long dead.
Assistant District Attorney Viii
liam Hoff Cook introduced them
one by one in the course of his
opening argument, picturing their
appearance to the local bankers
night after night while the latter
sat IN darkened rooms, silent for
hours at time. touching fingers
and concentrating thought on
things unearthly, until at last
these spirits spoke and ordered
the doings OF great modern
financial institution.
Cooks opening address to the
jury might well have been chapter from
some fairy tale rather than a straight
forward account OF events IN which
active businessmen played part Into
the tale stalked the spirit OF General
Wilbur OF the confederate army. the
spiritualist mediums control" who
acted as master OF ceremonies at the
seances Of the bankers. conjuring up
for them the spirits CT q @syndicats" OF
noted fnancier=such men as jay
Could Coils P. Huntington. James c.
Fair and Dr. Tyne. who was an English
banker
And this. asserted Cook. was the
source OF the inspiration for the activs
management Of the business OF the
California safe deposit and trust COM
pany, and on the advice received from
these specters OF the spirit realm Were
the transactions involving millions oe
dollars of depositors money carried
out
WALKER HTPNOTIZED
Cook limited at even more He suz-
gested that through catering TO the
superstitiOus weaknesses OF President
David Walker OF the bank. Bartnets
exercised hypnotic control over the
nominal head OF the institution took
the reins Of management absolutely
into his own hands and blinded Walker
to the reality OF the deliberate wreck
ing Of the bank that was being actually
carried out
Without charging Bartnett directly
with such deception. Cook hinted
broadly that the defendant himself en-
tertsined no belief in spiritualism. but
simply adopted a pretense OF belief that
he might the more readily bring the
other bank officials under his control
and operate the bank 20 his personal
ends
For nearly two hours Cook stood
before the jury. outlining the case
which he expects to prove. and now
and again as he turned toward. the de-
fendant denouncing him in burning
terms. the latter bowed before his ac-
cusing finger, WINGED and turned away
his face. The case OF the prosecu-
ton. as sketched BY the prosecuting
attorney is marvelOusly complete. and
II proved as he declares 1t viii be.
proved. viii become history OF hnan-
ciaI piracy and fafthlessness to trust
almost unparalleled
BARTyETT KNEW OF WEAKNESS
~As the California safe deposit and
trust company tottered 10 ruin de-
elared Cook ..Bartnett knew OF its
actual condition. yet he wrote TO J.
DalzeIi Brown not 10 tell There Is no
attempt on my part TO excuse Brown
Brown was just as big thief as Bart
nett. but in the case Of the Cotton
securities. with which we have to da
here. Brown was advised BY Bartnett.
the guardian OF this trust. TO use the
trust In behalf OF the bank. And u