The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-07
EXPLANATIONS
OF SHOOTINGARE
Unsatisfactory
Captain of Detectives Wants to
Know How Fatal Shot
Was Fired
Women Insist That Mrs. de la
MOntanya Killed Herself
Accidentally


woman went over the same story, bit
BY bit
Censured for UntruthfuIneSs
Captain Anderson told her that the
police department had been put TO
great difficulties by her first false
statements He censured her for her
untruthfulness.
Then he insisted that Mrs. Patton
produce Celia Babe. the Louisiana
maid employed by Mrs. de Ia Montanya
at the time OF her death. About $3.50
o'clock the girl was taken to police
Headquarters by Mrs. Patton. and the
two women were examined by the head
Of the detective force. In general
Celia's story was along the lines Of that
told by Mrs. Patton, though the girl
showed a talent for being out of the
room st important moments on the
Hateful night. She showed the great
est loyalty 10 the memory of her dead
mistress, and while she fairly un-
bosomed herself in regard TO the his
tory Of Friday night in so much that
she contradicted her story as originally
told TO the police. she drew a sharp
line and would not be forced TO cross
what had happened on the night pre-
ceeding the tragedy She was sure
that the idea Of suicide had never
entered the head of Mrs. de la Mon
tsnya.
4 went TO work for Mrs. de Ia Mon
tanya about three weeks ago" said the
girl TO Captain Anderson. 4 never
saw Mr.. Hanford nor Mr.. Whittemore
at the apartment until Friday night.
served them. They mad a drink before
dinner and white wine was served dur
ing the meal bat 1 do not think that
much OF il was drank, for there was
wine remaining in the glasses when I
cleared UP the dishes. Dinner was 10
have been served al Z o'clock, but 1t
was some time after that when they
SAT down.
After dinner ] cleared away the
dishes and had washed them up, all but
the pans, when my mistress called me
back into the dining room and asked
me II there were any lemons in the
house. 1 said No. ma'am. there amt,
hut there are oranges And she told
me TO bring an orange and prepare II
as would a lemon. I did that.
When I brought IL In Mrs. de Ia
Montanya was sitting on the lounge in
the dining room and Mrs. Patton and
ar, WhittemOre We're in the other room.
8Ir. Hsnford was standing at the table
preparing the drink. did not see any
revolver on the table Then I went ont
Of the room, back into the kitchen to
finish my work.
Then suddenly I heard a noise like
q frecracker. I raised the glass slide
and looked into the dining room and
there / saw my mistress lying on the
floor with blood coming from her head
Ar. HanfOrd was standing over her
with his hand raised and he was saying
My God. what has that girl doneT
L never before had seen any one who
was shot. and I did not know what to
think. I did not see the pistol at the
time. ] did what I could TO help;
everybody was running around, trying
10 get the doctor or do something
About the time the doctor came the
men left; I don't know just when il
was.
TOLD WHAT TO SAY
Mrs. Patton was the only one who
told me to say that there Were no men
present at the apartment that evening.
Mrs Patton also told me TO say that 1
had frequently seen the revolver in Mrs.
de la Montanya's bureau and that she
had warned me to be careful Of it,"
Yes" volunteered Mrs Patton. who
had to invent something to substantiate
the story that there were no men pres
ent and 10 show how the revolver came
10 be there. After the shooting I must
have put the revolver away"
Il can't remember" the girl contin-
ued, whether or not the men had left
when Mrs. Patton told me what to.say.
The men did not give me any money 10
tell the story I did; they didn't say any
thing TO me about it
The girl said that she left San Fran
cisco yesterday for Oakland, but that
she always kept in touch with Mrs. Pat
ton.
7 am sure that Mrs. de la Montanva
did not intend TO XIII herself" said the
girl she was happy that evening
and cheerful. She told me that she
was To give up the fat and that next
week we would live at the ST. Francis
hotel, and that afterward we would go
10 Europe. She was going to take me
along with her on her travels and had
bought 4 lot OF clothes for me to wear.
She could not have been too hard
pressed for money. because she spent
a lot for my things"
Captain Anderson took the girls sd
dress and warned her that she would
have to be ready to testify before the
corOners jury. She stuck TO the story
she told yesterday. in the face of cross
questioning. as stubbornly as she had
previously held TO her false version
OF Tie last night at Mrs. de la Mon
tanya's apartment.
Mrs. Patton's story 10 Captain An
derson was in substance the same S
was published in The Call yesterday
morning. She reiterated the point that
size had told the two men TO leave and
that they had promptly done SO: al
though, she said, Whitemore tele-
phoned 10 her after he reached the st.
Francis hotel, asking how conditions
were. Whether or not he had asked
if the coast was clear and his secret
kept the woman did not say.
At the conclusion of the interview
Captain Anderson expressed his dis
satisfaction with portions of the
stories.
DTsINHERITS BROTHER
The viii of Mrs. dc la Montanya, filed
Tor probate yesterday, expressly disin-
herits one Of her brothers. Howard F.
Barber, and divides her estate. share
and share alike. among Alfred Barber.
her other brother. Dora A. Heath and
Anna Keane- Charles A. Hug is
named in the viii as executor and trus-
tee. but as Hug had died since the will
was written Alfred Barber applied yes
terday for letters of administration.