New-York tribune., 1912-02-19
Nurse Still in Custody Tells Ex-
Senator Drew Will to
Gain HaSlett'S
Fortune.
AFFIDAvITS GIVEN OUT
pecker Declares the Aged Man
Signed Papers Not Knowing
What He Was Doing
Gardner Not Worried,
He Says.

for from Brooklyn, was arrasneu yes
terday before Chief Magistrate Otto
Kempner, in the Adams street court,
brooklyn on a charge Of conspiracy to
derraud Samuel f. Haslett, an aged and
snfeebled recluse, of property valued at
inward of S400,00O. and was later re-
leased on $1,000 bail. His examination
was set for this morning before Magis-
trate Kempner. Gardner had spent Sat-
urday night in a cell at the Adams
street police station. AS soon as sure
~ company had furnished bail Gardner
went directly to his home, at No 90
East S1st street, and went IL bed to
make up for lost sleep.
He said that he was not worrying any
and was sure he would come out of the
matter all right
81 have absolutely nothing to fear"
he said. There will be plenty of SEN
sational exposures before this case is
through and 1 will not be the victim
George Decker. the day nurse at the
i'll kept House of Mystery" where the
old recluse lives, at No. 1873 Remsen
street, Brooklyn. who was arrested as a
co-conspirator with Gardner. was still In
RAYMOND street Jail last night in de-
fault of $4,000 bail.
Decker's last sworn statement to Mag
istrate Kempner and the District Attor-
ney. in which he tells of two wills which
he alleges the old man signed while in a
state Of extreme weak mindedness at the
instance of Gardner. was given out by
Magistrate Kempner last night. The
magistrate also made public the affi-
davits of DIR. H. B Minton. who attended
the recluse; of John B. Lord, the lawyer
whom Gardner is said to have attempted
20 supersede as counsel to the old man.
and the statement of Haslett, on which
the warrants for the arrest of Gardner
and Decker were based.
NJ D. steuer as Counsel.
Max D. Steuer, the lawyer who defend
ed Gardner when he was tried and ac-
Quilted on charge of bribery in connec-
ton with the anti-racetrack legislation
said last night that Mrs. Gardner who
was known to the stage as May Yerba.
had communicated with him and asked
him to appear for her husband.
II know very little about the case yet,
said Mr.. Steuer Il shall send clerk
over to the police court hearing to-mor-
row and ask for an adjournment until
can confer with Gardner. But if the
case is anything like the papers say 1t is
shall not appear in it,
At the remarkable examination Whicn
Magistrate Kempner conducted at the
bedside OF the old man at his home on
Saturday. the nurse, Decker, explained
the sudden entry into the case of Mr..
Gardner by saving that Mr. Haslett had
asked him to get the former Senator to
talk over a bill Haslett denied this
fatty. and said that he did not know
Gardner. and did not remember Of seeing
or talking with him at his house.
The old mans statement to the magis-
trate indicated, It is alleged, that his
mind was upset when he signed two
different wills. late at night. on the 18TH
and 18th, at the instance of Decker and
Gardner. as il is charged he did. He said
he expected his former lawyer. Lord. to
attend to ali his legal business Decker
sfterward repudiated his first statement
whom examined in the chief magistrates
Office Saturday. in the presence Of War
ren J. Lee Assistant District Attorney,
snd other witnesses.
Male Nurses Testimony.
he was informed of his rights, and
estifed freely at this last examination.
He admitted that he had suggested to
the old man that he call in Mr. Card
ner to SEQ about will when he thought
that Haslett was near to death. and
learned from him that he had some
relatives Magistrate Kempner interro-
gated him and he answered, in part, as
follows:
On or about the 18th. about the second
day ! was on the case, there were some
papers Mr Lord had drawn up. and Mr..
Hsslett signed them; so the next DAY I
was talking TO Mr. Haslett, and he asked
me whether he signed any papers the other
night ne didn't recall what they were. ]
said yes he signed n power of attorney
for Mr.. Lord lie said AN right
talked 10 him-it was rather disconnected
and / asked II he had any relatives, and
he said he bad some relative by Tue naIllo
Of Thoine: that ne knew the old gentleman
was dead.
asked him II he had any other rela.
tives, and be said ne had a Miss Ellen,
think lie said Samuels and he had Mary
Thorne Gibbs; she Is married ana me-
husbands name IS Gibbs. lie sara lhty
were all the relatives he had in the worlo
that he could recall: that he thought II was
were all So / thought that there mlsH,
POSSIBLY be some collusion gong reIInnf,vei In
DIDN'T kunsv and thought the ftidliNSs
should be informed, If there were any ~
i went and saw Mr. Gardner about Il
Q.-Had you known Mr.. Gardner previ
ouSly? A-About three weeks befofe thls
met him al the Excelsior Valve Company.
Q-Your acquaintance had EXTENDED oIs'
period of only three weeks! A. 81, -,
that was all. AS | had met hin' ills naii' ,Ii'
was the first one i'm my memory that caliiI
10 me. and / knew he war, an attorney.
oidn't know anything at all about nIS y. j.. =
yious life; had read In the papers pIs fsv
6!6n't recall that until was talking a lev g
days ago about IL, and II came 70 III, ~
that ne had been up for the ~ i'm,
business, but j didn't know AZ tne dI,a dna,
that he was the orc. asked M. va va vsr
II he was the same one, and ne sald yeb
that there was nothing az All, as ,,;. IaI
he was concerned; he said he was arqu,, ,a.
ted. I asked him II that was rlSht' ""
little bit curious myseli, 80 ~, a
Q.-When did you ask him TINS Not "a /"
the time that you metz At was hoVn vh
the middle OF this time; ;,otsnr can have for
gosicn--I won't be positive Of that wen
and saw him and told him the naluiv n1si',,b y
the case and asked him what ,y, ne ,"v ,her
about g. lie said he didn't know; 'nea ea
might be something going on tl,e ,,er an
wrong and he said he would come oKJr W., "i g.
talk 10 Mr. Haslett If wouid iet NJ" - ~ a.
house / said Mr. Lord was geneIaHS
the houac until 10 O'Clock or W. nc - 20 y
he would call thereafter sair line en on m
lie called. think, the hrst u"s o' "