The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-06
DE IA MONTANYA
MYSTERY IS SOLVED
BY THE CALL

Did Mrs Lorens de Ia Montanya have
an uncomfortable impulse 10 take her
own life when she saw Robert C. Han
ford srevolver lying on her dining
table. or was she seized with an ire
sponsible caprice TO Fighter her
guests bv pointing a deadly weapon at
her head and then laugh away their
terror
Hanford. after a long seciusion from
publicity in the mysterious case. has
expressed his belief that she killed her
SELF knowingly
Mrs Margaret W. Patton. a close
friend OF the woman and the only guest
OF the Friday evening dinner party
with loyalty and grace enough TO stay
and face the world by the side of the
dead body of her friend. said yester-
dsy that she believed the end came as
the result OF an accident. Mrs. de IA
Montanya could not see a pistol with
ont grabbing it and placing it 10 her
head said the friend.
Il was not known that men were at
She apartment until there was pub
lished in The Call Of Monday morning
story to the effect that Charles o.
Whittemore, Los Angeles railroad
( man and another man, who was yes
serday identified as Hanford. were pres
eut 81 the apartment house when the
fatal shot was fired. Then they slipped
away secretly. leaving the loyal Mrs.
Patton alone that night to face the le-
gal curiosity OF the police and coroner's
officials.
Their conduct was characterized last
evening by Iucius J.. Solomons. Mrs. de
a Montsnys's authorized attorney, as a
--cowardly trick" and was denounced
in the strongest possible terms by the
san Francisco lawyer, who could not
understand why Whittemore should
pose as the woman's lawyer
POLICE SWEAT HASFoRD
Tie police were aroused yesterday by
the developments Of the mystery and
turned on Hanford, demanding OF him
A fuil account OF what transpired on
the fateful evening. He was sweated
FOR half an hour by Captain OF Detec-
tives NJ. o. Anderson and at the end OF
the Interview with the police issued
a statement TO the captain giving his
version Of the occurrence in the Jones
street apartment house When asked
why he had slipped away from the
scene OF the tragedy, leaving dying
the woman whose bread he had broken
not two hours before, Hanford offered
the bloodless excuse that he did not
wnt 10 ppear in the iimelight" Captain
Anderson roundly scored Hanford for
not reporting the matter sooner.
Wbittemore. Hsnfords companion at
the feast evaded that question entirely
by saving that he went to the st. Fran
els hotel 10 get a doctor. But Mrs.
Patton declared that the doctor was
telephoned for.
Both men say that they told Coroner
Leland OF their part in the death Of
Mrs. de Ia Montanya. but the coroner
slipped out Of town without telling the
police OF the confidence imposed in him,
50 the police We're left helpless in the
case until Whittemore was located by
The call and he gave the first evasive
interview 10 compiicate the situation.
Coroner Leland said last evening that
Hanford and Whittemore promised him
that they would make public their
knowledge Of the case
What is definitely known is this
That Friday about noon Mrs. Patton
met Hanford by appointment al. the ST.
Francis hotel. There Whfttemore
Joined them. Whittemore hao an ap-