The San Francisco call., 1909-08-19
W0man's Mad InfatuatiOn for
Man in FeIOn's Garb PIunges
Her Into the Abyss
Wife of Former Warden of San
Quentin Prison ConsOrt
of Ex-COnvict
City Detectives Discover Mrs.
j. w. TOmpkins as COmpan-
ion of w. F. Gordon
Strange Excuse Given for Aban-
dOning Husband, Home
and Son

.NGERcILESs exposure OF the
.V scandal that separated Major
John W. Tompkins, former
warden of San Quentin and his wife.
Mrs. Emma Altman Tompkins, was
made yesterday when two detectives
found the woman living as the wife Of
w. F. Gordon, alias Wingard, at 2Is9
Mission street, when Gordon, who Is
a former convict, was arrested for
forgery and placed in detinue at the
city prison
Mrs Tompkins left her husband
about the middle of July. locking him
out of the family home at Fourteenth
and Cameron streets. FruitvaIs. That
fact was exclusively published In The
Call. From the family home Mrs. Tomp-
kins went to Gordon. the former con-
vict The friendship between the felon
and the society woman began when
Gordon was a prisoner at San Quentin.
in charge of Mrs. Tompkins' husband
Gordon was a trusty He was tutor TO
Harold Tompkins, and between study
hours the man in stripes took occasion
to cultivate the friendship Of the keep
er's handsome wife. woman more than
10 years older than himself
The success of his methods was dem
.onstrated yesterday when the former
Oakland society woman and heiress
traiIed weeping to the city prison. in
the wake OF the man for whom she left
her home. her husband and her son, a
handsome lad OF Is years OF age.
Curious Defense
Mrs. Tompkins' most curious defense
of the strange situation in which she
was found was this: When my hus-
band was warden at the prison he al
lowed me to be brought into contact
with convicts and 1 was insultsd by
several OF them. who sent letters to me
which did not read right" She added
that she lived with Gordon merely as
friend-that he was her only friend.
All the parties in this inexplicabls
situation of feIon. warden and wardsn's
wife were reticent. The strange tri-
angle OF dubious association. with its
one c6rnsriresting in a prison cell, was
but vaguely explained.
Il had not been living with my hus-
band for three years before left him.
had done nothing more than take care
of him." said Mrs. Tompkins: at the city
prison. Now 1 want nothing more to
do with my husband"
"And want nothing more to do with
major in Captain Anderson's once at
the hall OF justice. six feet away from
his wife and separated only by thin
partition.
Fictitious Draft
Gordon is accused OF having passed
a fictitious draft on A Jacobs, a tailor
at IT Kearny street Gordon, accom-
panied by Mrs. Tompkins. went to ia
cobs and ordered a suit OF clothes. he
said that he would make deposit or
$40 on the suit. and offered in pay
ment a draft. dated May 20. 1s09 for
s25. payable to W. r. Gordon, signed
by H. c. Watson and on George w
Harrington. 212 Fifth street. San
Diego" Jacobs accepted the draft,
gave Gordon the SIS change and then
tried to have the paper honored. He
found out. the police say, that there
was no such person as George w. Har-
rington. 212 Fifth street. san Diego"
Then he reported the case to the POI
lice and Detectives Burke and Balletto
were detailed to locate the man and
woman. Their Identity was not then
known.
BarIetto located the couple yesterday
morning at apartment 1O1. 215s Mission
street, the Mariana apartments. where
they were living as MIR. and slrs. w.
F. wingard'' which. according to Major
Tompkins. il Gordon's original and real
name. although his identity has been
diluted with the application Of many
aliases.
Detectives Locate Couple
BanettO and Burke went to the apart
ment. and the latter knocked at the
door, Mrs Tompkfns opened 1t. is
Mr.. Davis in?" asked Burke.
NO he does not live here" replied
Mrs Tompkins. and she endeavorsd TO
close the door. The detectives pushed
IN, however. and then made known the
purpose of their visit. Gordon was
found in the kitchen. Although II was
nearly noon he was not fully dressed.
: II am William vsHEaEd.- hs sAiA