The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-08
CORONER READY
TO INVESTIGATE
FATALSHOOTING
Secures Jury and Summons
Witnesses in the Tangled
De la MOntanya Case
Charles o. WhittemOre Arrives
From Los Angeles TO Tes-
tify at Inquest

Los Angeles yesterday and Immediately
was set 10 work unraveling the tangled
web which was woven about the death
Of Mrs. Lorena de la Montanya.
Whittemore related the events Of the
fateful evening and discounted the
suspicion that Robert q. Hanford and
Mrs. de IA Montanya were struggling
for the weapon when the fatal shot
was fred.
But the police and coroner's officers
do not take kindly TO Hanford's story.
The mining man has not explained why
he took the weapon from his pocket.
His account has been vague. hazy and
uncertain. Then il was he who deserted
in the face Of publicity. The police
hold that Hsnford consented TO Mrs.
Patton's fabrication. and when specif-
oslly ordered by Coroner Leland to tell
his story TO the coroner's deputies at
time when information was needed. he
avoided the officer and concealed his
knowledge of the case. knowing that
, Mrs Patton had given the police false
evidence. At the inquest Hanford is
going to have e hard time explaining
his dubious actions both before and
after the death OF Mrs. de la Montanya-
REPORT LIKE FIRECRACKER
Whittemore's story is that Hanford
was on the opposite side Of the table
from Mrs. de Ia Montanya when the re-
port OF the pistol was heard With
surprising paucity of smile all who
heard the shot compared its sound to
that Of q frecracker. Whittemore
said his head had been turned away
from the direction in which Mrs. de Ia
Montanya sat. but at the sound of the
"hrecracker" he jumped to his feet and
rushed toward her PROSTATE body
reaching il about the same instant that
Hanford, coming from the other side Of
the table, did.
Captain Of Detectives Anderson ex-
smined Whittemore yesterday after
noon, and also had James de Ia Mon
tanya in his Office
The divorced husband Of the dead
beauty showed the greatest hardness
and fippancy in referring TO the dead
woman.
Coroner Leland yesterday set the
date Of the inquest into the death of
Mrs de Ia Montanya for Saturday
morning, next, at 10 o'clock. He has
subpenaed the following witnesses:
a-.s alEdreL w MISS j. Z. McEWen
Patton Mrs. whitney
Miss Celia Babe Alfred b Barber
Charles o. Whittemore Police Sergeant A n
Robert -. Hanford Lsyne
Or. Lewis " Allen Defective Tin, R{or5s,
James de Ia Montanya Detective 7. F. Balotto
The coroner hopes TO finish the in
quest in the forenoon Monday. The
jury has already been impaneled.
WhittemOre arrived at the St Francis
hotel about noon yesterday. When ap-
preached at first he said that he had
discussed the case with The Calls Los
Angeles correspondent, but consented
without hesitation TO reiterate his
story.
At the dinner at Mrs. de la Mon
tanya's that evening" he said were
the hostess. Mrs. Patton, Mr.. Hanford
and myself The dinner was a quiet
one. We had a cocktail before the meal
and white wine at dinner. There was
little drinking, you might say not any,
IN fact
SEPARATE AFTER DINNER
After we left the table Mrs. Patton
and I went into the living room and
sat on a divan near the window. We
talked and looked out of the window
Mrs. de Ia Montanya was on the couch
in the adjoining dining room. Hanford
said that he would mix a drink and
asked II there were any lemons. Mrs.
de Ia Montanya called for the maid,
and found there were none.
Wen see what we can do with
oranges then Hsnford said.
He entered the room where Mrs. de
Ia Montanya was and walked to the op-
posite side Of the table from her. by the
sidebosrd- I glanced in and saw them
IN that relative position. Then I turned
my head TO speak TO Mrs. Patton or to
look out of the window. when L heard,
Fwr NJ ~
sound Of a frecracker.
Il turned and saw Mrs. de la Mon
tsnya sinking to the floor. I jumped
VI and saw that she was bleeding
rushed TO her side. Hanford came
around from his side of the table. and
We reached her about the same time.
The revolver was lying about half COW
cred by her arm 1 picked it I'D and
put II somewhere behind. while Han
ford half way raised her up. We
slipped pillows under ner. Then 1 went
for doctor
7 was surprised when I read in the
paper the next day the stories pub
Iirhed. and I knew that it was my duty
10 communicate with the coroner. At
9 o'clock in the morning 1 rang up the
norgue and was told that the coroner,
DR.. Leland. was performing a capital
operation. but that / might be able to
reach him at noon. At noon I again
called up and was toSd that he would
be in about o'clock. About 3 o'clock
Hanford and ] went TO the coroner's
Office. and there told him the story OF
what happened that evening I asked
the doctor II an inquest would be neces-
sarv since II was demonstrable that
dearb was accidental He said that in
an cases Of death by violence an in
Quest was required. He then told me
10 communicate with his deputy; but I
did not do that. as had TO leave town
,-erv soon afterwaFd. He said that the
snouest would not be until the end Of
he week. and I intended to return to
+be city today. 7 had business en-
zapement and 1 would not have come
10 Friday but for that, although when
i did arrive ] found that my man was
out Of the city.
CAN NOT EXPLAIN PISTOL
i can not explain why Hanford took
the pistol out OF his pocket. / did not
notice is on the table when ] glanced
over Immediately before Mrs. de la
AIontanya was shot
1t is all conjecture whether she
KILLED herself knowingly or shot her.