The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-02-15
Woman Held Prisoner

There was no dynamite on the 500
acres Of the Burke sanatorium. Burke
himself had to go TO Oroville TO get
enough 10 use for the purpose Of
blowing up some rocks" The woman
was not allowed to leave the grounds
and when she tried TO get away Burke
had her stopped
Yet the old man spread the idea. ac-
cording to Doctor Hit. who was for
merly a physician at the institution.
and others, that Lou Smith would kill
herself with dynamite" While Doctor
Burke dreaded a dynamite trag edy he
went TO his mine near Oroville and Sc
cured some dynamite and three feet Of
fuse.
Lou Eta Smith and her baby went
10 sleep. she says. at SIS o'clock the
night of Saturday. February 5, the
night Of the explosion which was pre-
dicted by the man who himself. accord
ing to witnesses. was understood to
have taken dynamite to the sanatorium.
The woman went to her tent about
: o'clock At 7:30 George Matsumoto,
2 Japanese servant, took q letter to
Miss Smith. Fifteen minutes later she
went to the main building for her bath.
At SIS she says she put out her light
and went TO sleep. The quickness with
which she went to sleep has suggested
TO her mind that there might have been
deaden her slumbers
An investigation has convinced the
district attorney that the dynamite was
exploded on the outside of the tent.
The theory is that the stick of dyna-
mite was fastened to the canvas a foot
or so above the level of the bed. and
near where. the woman's head would
lie. Deputy Sheriff Reynolds made a
further investigation Of the tent today
and brought part Of the material into
Santa Rosa to be used as evidence.
About Sis d. Warren billiard. ac-
countant and cashier at the place saw
Doctor Burke walking in the general
direction OF Miss Smiths tent. though
the doctor was not very near IT at the
time he was seen An hour later Doc
tor Burke was walking up and down
The porch Of the main building of the
resort he was seen there BY several
persons once he went into the kitchen
when the explosion occurred at $40
o'clock he is said 70 have exclaimed
There. Lou Smith has blown herself
up with dynamite"
Apparently his prediction had come
true.
Three people claim the distinction of
being first 70 the scene Of the tragedy
They are Eugene Maxwell: Alfred Burke
the doctors brother, and Aggie Burke
Alfred Burke's wife.
-N---'A anu rAESlt burke saw that
they were in their cottage at the time
Of the explosion and rushed to the tent
10 md Miss Smith in an unconscious
condition
Criticised for Report
On the day following the explosion
billiard reported to District ,Aftorne,
Lea that there had been an explosion
al the sanatorium. Doctor Burke Sc
Nerely criticised billiard for his action
SAYING that the matter should have
been left TO the head of the institution.
Later in the afternoon Doctor Burke
wrote OF the explosion to Sheriff Smith.
In part he said
A woman patient has been fatally
injured in the accident. but il will he
unnecessary for the officials to MAKE
an investigation. as we are fully ahle
10 cope with the situation"
When that letter was received botb
Sheriff Smith and District Attorne1,
Lea decided to make an inyesti1- to-,
The investigation is not vet over
Burke has been arrested and charged
with the crime and the authorities arc
pressing the matter further Burke has
refused 10 discuss the trouble ana rho
county authorities say that the,. have
not yet fully developed their case.
Bgt the evidence which is TO be pre-
scented 10 the grand jury viii be along
the above lines if the preliminary
statements Of witnesses are repeated in
Inc jury room.