The San Francisco call., 1910-09-25
PHYSICIAN IS
SAID TO HAVE
Changed name
Accused Man Came West to Go
Into Business With Doctor
Emerson, Specialist
Bernard Gordon Tells How He
and Companions Black
mailed DIR. Grant

- threaten Mrs. Hughes with arrest be-
fore she would consent to go to head
quarters.
AIibi' Attempted
1t was at this point that the de-
3 5ectives came in sharp contact with
the defense. which promises. from every
present indication, TO be one of the
most Stubborn and spectacular witnessed
in the annals. Of state criminal prosecu-
tions. Grant has retained the law firm
OF Greeley & Fitzpatrick. and within "a
hours of the arrests there has begun
determined effort to construct an alibi
for the accused physician and his COM
panion. This comes from Mrs. Gessen,
q sister in law Of Miss Messerschmidt
who declares that when called upon
she can present correspondence written
10 her by the nurse from Highland
Springs. the dates of which will bear
ont the contention Of the defense that
the couple were out of the city when
Eva Swan dropped from sight. Speak
inE for his clients, Greeley declares
that they are prepared to meet any
charge brought against them. and only
await the result Of the coroners in
quest, which will probably be held to-
morrow. At this time 1t is expected
that the police viii make the formal
charge of manslaughter.
Grant Is Alias
with every available piece Of ma
chinery put to the task the detectives
yesterday made what they consider a
successful attempt to trace the past
history Of Doctor Grant. with the re-
suit that the statement is issued that
he is supposed TO be DR.. Robert Thomp-
son Of st. Louis. If this theory is
borne out he arrived in San Francisco
about the first part Of the year at the
special instance Of Doctor Emerson.
another eastern specialist" who came
west some months before and had es-
tsblished offices at Eddy and Fillmore
streets. After a short stay with EN-
erson. during which time the men en-
1oyed lucrative partnership Thomp-
son left the association and opened Of
fees at Golden Gate avenue. purchas-
ing the business of DR.. Eugene z
West. who in 1898 was accused of the
diabOlical murder of Addie Gilmour un-
Ger circumstances almost identical with
the Swan case.
Under the name OF Grant. Thomson
. prospered at his new headquarters and
in April. just at the time Eva Swan is
believed TO have expired on the operat-
ing table al Grants Offices. Doctor En,
ersOn died suddenly and the old Fill
more street Office was closed Subse-
quently. under the name of Doctor Bell.
Mrs Emerson opened an Office in the
same building with Grant" Shortly
after the death of Emerson and the
disappearance Of Eva Swan. Doctor
West dropped from sight, as did also
Mrs. Emerson.
Dead Man Reference
This material is given color bv the
Iact that Grant when he is supposed to
nave rented the Eureka street house.
gave the name of Doctor Emerson as
reference TO the real estate agent
When this was investigated it was dis
covered that he was dead In faot
there are numbers Of incidents in the
conouct OF the accused couple that lead
The police TO believe that Thompson is
me Iight name When questioned at
the 9all yesterday the nurse whose si
lence is almost stoical. declared tba+
with respect TO names the phvsicia nc
name might be Thompson or any Other
name.
JURY VIEWS HOUSE
Yesterday the coroner summoned =
jury OF inquest and escorted the n,en
10 the premises where the girls bodv
was found. He also had the iurv in
spect the remains and the trunk and
Then instructed the men to hold them
selves ready TO sit Monday This was
followed by positive Identification Of
the girls remains by Mrs. Carrie A
Ware. the landlady Of a boarding house
where the girl stopped. and by Paul p
Parker. lodger in the Scott street nlaca
who had known her for eight wears
Identification was made through the
teeth, hair and face
In bending efforts to have a sneedv
interview with Homer Hatch. the suo-
gestion Of clue was uncovered in tbe
report OF number Of mysterious tele-
phone calls which were received dnr-
ing the time Eva Swan was alive ana
which ceased after her disappearance
IL was well established that neither
Hatch or Parker could have been the
party making the calls and this led
some OF the investigators 10 believe
that there is yet another man in the
case. who has so far succeeded in CON
eealing his identity. Hatch is expected