Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-02
WATCHMEN GUARD
THEODORE A. BELL
FROM THREATENER.
Oakland Man Shows Enmity to
Candidate That Alarms
Latter's Friends
WRITES STRANGE LETTERS
Actions of Charles ]. Carroll May
Result in Inquiry as to His
Mental Condition
WRITES STRANGE LETTERS

Threats against Theodore A. Bell
Democratic nominee for governor O
California, made, 1t is asserted, by
Charles j. Carroll of Oakland. and
four strange letters sent to ATTORNEY
Earl Rogers of this city by Carroll
probably will result in an inquiry int
Carrolrs mental condition at an early
date.
Meanwhile, because of actions at
tributed to Carroll, detectives have
been guarding the home OF Bell, and
precautions have been taken to In
sure the personal safety of the Demo
cratic nominee.
Carroll, whose home is at 23 Wardel
street. East Oakland, is cripple. III
became incensed at Bell because thu
latter would not press a case for dam
ages instituted by Carroll and baset
on the ejectment of Carroll from
train when he presented a ticket thai
had expired.
by Carroll will be used as evidence
against him If the proceedings nov
contemplated are taken. They reveal
in the opinion of Attorney Rogers,
steadily growing mental arrangement
The first letter Carroll sent to Attor'
ney Rogers gives details regarding hi:
alleged claim and his dealings witt
other attorneys. 1t follows:
Mr.. Earl Rogers, ESQ.,, Los An
geles CAL: Dear Sir-Would 1t be
possible for you to take a case on
q contingent basis for a poor Grip
pie, who has but one leg; is the
sole support OF wife VINO is SICK
and two small children, boy of
and a girl of 3? The case Is for
$40, 900 and costs against the South
ern Pacific railroad at Martinez,
Cal. The first lawyer 1 had I had
disagreement with and dis
charged The next one was Mr..
Theodore Bell, but for over six
months he has done nothing. have
recently been trying to force him
to do something. Now, at the
eleventh hour; he says owing to his
very busy condition he does not
think he can get to 1t until after
election.
INSISTS BELL TAKE CASE
This is not satisfactory to me,
and that is why l am writing to
you. l have just given Mr. Bell a
written notice of doing something
within fifteen days or retiring from
the case Mr.. f.. L. Moore, a gem
with. formerly of Los Angeles, now
here, who is acquainted with you,
says you are the best man for me
to see about it. Briefly, here is
the case:
On the 10th day of August, 1909,
/ purchased a regular first-class
ticket at Vallejo Junction railroad
ticket office to Sixteenth street,
Oakland, distance of twentypthree
miles, for IS cents. On September
A 1 boarded the San Ramon flyer.
The night was rainy and wet.
was hurrying home to a sick wife
and child. The conductor punched
my ticket twice, then, looking at
the date. refused to accept it, l
refused his demand for another fare
unless he gave me a written receipt
that he had punched the ticket, so
that | could get my money back.
He said that was against the rules.
1 refused to pay. He ordered me
off the train. / refused to go. He
attempted to put me off, and in
doing so wrenched my back, which
IS still lame. He threw me from
the train-with my crutches-in a
cut between a tunnel and a trestle.
Bleeding, sore and badly bruised,
/ managed to get to the next sta
tion, a mile and a half away-no
place to walk but the railroad
track. / then purchased another
ticket for home. ! ordered my first
attorney to file suit at once. He
tried to get me to go and see them
and talk it over before going
ahead. / refused to talk it over at
all. My wishes was to go ahead
for $200,00O He cut 1t to $4,000
Said more was absurd. Suit was
filed on September %, 1909.
Briefly, that is the case. Every
word Is the truth, but l can't get
no trial. What can you do? Re-
member, / am a poor man. The
Southern Pacific railroad is pow-N
erful organization. But an honest
Jury will decide in three minutes
something they will long remem-
ber. Please let me hear from you.
Thanking you in advance for any
courtesies extended, very truly,
G. j. CARROLL.
ROGERS ALSO REFUSES CASE
Having no knowledge Of F. L. Moore
mentioned in the letter as a mutua
friend, and being unimpressed by thu
statements of Carroll that he had {
good case, Attorney Rogers declined
to take the suit. The declination diC
not disturb Carroll, who wrote agar
and injected HtOF0 luySlCIy lLllO Iil'
case. In his second letter he writes
In part:
My friend, Mr.. Moore, who rec
commended you to me. went over to
see Mr.. Bell about my case and on
his way stopped to dine at a res
taurant. He was poisoned and is
now lowering close to Deaths door
at the Providence hospital. was
poisoned myself a few weeks ago
at Pinole. Cal.
Mr.. Theodore Bell refuses to go
ahead with my case or to return
me q copy of the complaint sent In
by him. or to give me a copy OF
the demurrer to be argued on Au-
gust 8. I am up against strong
secret order OF some kind. / have
wrote to Hiram Johnson of San
Francisco to take the case. but 1
have no answer yet. If he does
not answer next week, will you
take II on a contingent basis of
one half in one-half? Please let me
knew
This letter was ignored. July 27 an,
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