The San Francisco call., 1913-08-26
Judge Van Fleet, Satisfied
She Had No Plan to Cor
rupt Diggs Panel, Dis
misses Citation
WIDOW, LECTURED,
ALLOWED TO GO
AS No Evil Result Fol
lowed," Court Expects No
Harm From Incident

Convinced that Mrs. Charles D. Lane
had no motive behind her remarks on
NE Maury !. Diggs case to Juror Will
lam S. Bliss in his Office in the Hum
boldt Bank building Wednesday, Judge
Van Fleet read lecture to the widow
of the Alaska millionaire in the federal
rourt yesterday and dismissed the cita-
lion for contempt
A few hours after the dismissal Mrs.
Lane was on her way to San Diego to
resume her visit that was interrupted
by the order of the court Mrs. Lane
went to San Diego the same afternoon
She visited the Office of Bliss. She had
no sooner arrived there than she start
ed to return to San Francisco.
Gordon Hail. attorney for Mrs. Lane,
answered for her when her name was
called. saying Mrs. Lane was anxious
to relate the occurrence. Mrs. Lane
took the witness chair and told of her
lifelong friendship with .sWill' Bliss
and Mrs. Anthony Caminetti, whom she
knew as a girl Mrs. Caminetti is the
mother of F. Drew Caminetti, who was
with Diggs and the two girls in the
Reno elopement.
Until Wednesday, when they planned
20 take luncheon together. Mrs. Lane
said she had not seen Mrs. Caminetti
for more than two years. In speaking
Of the Diggs case, Mrs Lane told Mrs
Caminetti she knew one of the jurors,
Mr.. Bliss, and in reply to a further
question by Mrs. Caminetti said she
thought him to be "a man of very de-
rided opinions"
Mrs. Caninetti did not say anything
to me about speaking to Mr. Bliss
about the case, that is certain Mrs.
Lane said.
The remark Juror Bliss misinter-
preted, according to Mrs Lane. was:
Did the newspapers quote you right?"
She was referring to the court incident
when Bliss got up in the jury box
and asked for a statement the govern
ment had, but had not introduced as
evidence.
6 Mrs. Lane told in detail of the mine
transaction she consulted Bliss about
1t seems Bliss, who is mining capi-
talist, knew the financial condition of
a man who intended buying a property
Mrs Lane was interested in She had
never had business dealings with Bliss,
but said she thought she was init
mately acquainted with him in a social
way"
SEES NO PLOT TO CORRUPT
L feel there was no settled purpose
to influence the Juror in your mind at
the time" Judge Van Fleet said. Your
statement regarding your friendly re-
Iations with Mrs. Caminetti gave the
affair an unpleasant appearance. l
think I see in your remarks the nat
ural desire of your sex to help friends.
AS no evil result followed, l am sure
no harm can come from the incident.
It am glad I am not called upon to
visit punishment in this case, for 1
think that persons who approach jury
men with the intent of interfering with
justice are guilty of the highest crimes.
1t would be unfortunate if justice in
this court, or in any court, were inter-
fered WITH
The trial of Caminetti viii begin at
10 o'clock this morning before Judge
Van Fleet. The entire day will be de-
voted to the examination of talesmen
for the jury. 1t is likely the first
witnesses for the prosecution will not
ne called until the afternoon session
tomorrow
All Of the witnesses have been sub
penaed to appear today.
GUILTY PLEA RUMoR PERSISTS
The rumor that Caminettfs attorneys
have decided to have him enter plea
of guilty has refused to down, notwith-
standing statements from S. Luke
Howe, Nate Coghlin, Marshall Wood
worth. attorney for the defense, and
Caminetti himself.
Matt 1. Sullivan and Theodore Roche,
special government prosecutors are
planning to open the trial of Diggs and
his attorney, Charles K Harris, of Sac
ramento, on charges of subornation
of perjury, September 2. If this
schedule is adhered to, the Caminetti
case must be completed in several
days less time than was consumed
by the trial of Diggs.
In the Diggs-Harris case the govern
ment plans to rely entirely upon the
statement of Nell Barton, the girl
who carried the proposition from the
office of Harris to Marsha Warrington,
Diggs' companion, asking her to change
her testimony regarding the Reno af-
fair Miss Warrington viii testify
again in the Harris case.
Both Miss Warrington and Lola Nor
ris will tell their stories again for the
government in the Caminetti case. The
defense will not call Diggs, but Cami-
netti will relate his side of the story.
The indictment against Caminetti is
in four counts. The two additional
counts of the Diggs' indictment, which
had TO do with the purchasing of the
tickets for the transportation of the
two girls, are not included in the
charges against Caminetth