The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 12, 1900, Page 1

- The VOLU LXXXVIII-NO, 42. SAN s FRANCISCO, THURSDAY, JULY 12, 1900. PRICE FIVE CENTS. AND IS sion in Judge Troutt’s Cour ion of the Sensatiomal Charges of Fraud Dramatic Conclu The Dishonored Attorney Re- lates in Detail How He Formed the Conspiracy and Organized the Shameifu! Piot to Rob the Estate of the Intestate Dcad. Preferred by The Call. L R e S e roesesebebebeDel e e o e m e e S e e e o + & H ant attain: 0’ there who remefn- !‘ & ed from | 4 ¢ ed a black- | ¢ s | s There were | { probably thought of | [ ade toward | & 3 . k4 ® c thief, the pur- | ¢ S * unscrur 1 * y unscr upulous, i & . n old woman p{ 41 e 4 s | T T + € 7| ; e T e ment as a vehic - 5 4 ho knew him ® 2 | . ! | @ f * 4 ® | 3 . expose | 4 & 1 had been | 4 3 Judge Troutt's Probate & S ¢ is paper did so with no other | ¢ b3 to assist in the punish- | ol ment of rascals and to warn the Court | * L 4 1 that it has control of interests so dt:p-!t b3 [ 1 ortant to the community that S e | ¢ ness is akin to criminality. When | { b Il asserted that the estate of a| d! £ . an had been stolen by a bogus| ¢ 4| i m Judge Troutt’s court, it spoke | & o which John M. Chretien con- | ¢ :\ | ted the n to whom 3 i i 1 bl t had awarded the estate of 4| ivane was an impostor, o | oafer, a roustabout of tender- | § + amed Charles Latner. | 4 1 - o | ced by Fred Hansted.| ¢ b own as the blackieg, | = : i :: JOHN M. CHRETIEN CONFESSES HIS CRIME. . en confessed yesterday | @-46—4—0——0—+—0-+6 OO0t GGG NGOG0 00000-00 004000000 s was the truth. He decla d that r no mercy and expected to his crimes. n wk He and Hansted mpersonated the dead cre the only guilty ones had produced the heir said he had done the He had supplied the impostor with every fact in his.representations Latner was induced to make a deposi- tion which was carefully prepared by the scheme=. The bogus heir was persuaded d, Dutchy ien oung d Chr rest ned to be his payment of what he cl operty. The inevitable development such affairs came, however, much ker than Chretien expected. The s heir was improvident, extrava- t and reckless. unscrupulous attorney in his ower, “Young Dutchy” began to levy ackmail. He was insistent in his de- for money, even resorting to blows to enforce them. He forced the rei lawyer to secure loans, to ne- ate forged checks, to make fictitious fers and secure money from what- sonrce he could. The men had quarrels and Chretien was be- racually led toward a precipice ¢ exposure could not be possibly 1 upon | ¢ that 1 had val conspired to induced men a perju . i had rer, presented tit negotiated d for and shrewdest money money equal e value of and had ended by finding himse of being blackmailed 2 from place to place by the m who had been his fellow conspirators He shocking detail of the he robbed the estate of wor Rauer was induced to advance Notary Lee D. Craig was per- e eve plot 1 ed to issue fraudulent acknovledg- the With insulting calmness | ments gnd Chretien’s unsuspecting ne- he told how he had lied on the witness t was deluded into forging stand before; how he had de-| signatures. It was imperative that ceived ¢ ys and the Judge of | money should be raised at any hazard the co how he had thade an ignorant | and Chretien began to reap the evil servant kis pecting and unknown ts of his crime long before exposure acco ce i s criminal scheme. The | ca In desperation he paid the bogus crowded to its very| heir money to leave the city, but the i men, but there| impostor returned to renew his ce except for the de- | blackmail and to in upon a satisfac- unblushing, con- | tion ot his demand. Hansted was per- scoundrelism which | sraded to go to Cape Nome, where he an in the wime:s‘ now is, and the bogus heir was sent out st incredible that | ot the State. Chretien was paying a ter- a unk so low as to ble penalty for his offense against the rrible seli-abasement of | intestate dead. He seemed to pos- Then came the final crash, and last on John ) etien sess a ve t for dishonor. He was it John M. Chretien and his ncgro picture himseli far blacker | servant, Robert Colthorp, slept in the of his accusers would have | County Jail. After Chretien had made He presented, perhaps, the most remarkable instance of dead con- science that ever was given in the local | plied him with incessant questions, ourts of justice. He had gone the pace. | They wanted to leave nothing undone There were men in that courtroom | or unsaid which would shed light on the who knew him when he was an hon- | scandalous affair. As one of them said, orable member of the legal profession; | the issuc involved and the conclusions done his coufession, as it has been outlined, the 2ttorneys appointed by the Court sign the document and insist upon the | Knowing that he to be 1eached were of interest not alone | to the people of the city, but to the en- | undation of jus- | i been attacked and | ted | < | tire State. The very f tice in California undermined and the attorneys in | upon striving to learn every particular | of the conspiracy. As this searching in- quiry progressed a series of startling | facts was developed. It was discovered that Lee D. Craig. one of prominent notaries public in this city, has been grossly negligent in the man- agement and policy of his notarial busi | | | ness. his signature to documents signed by men whom he had never seen. He had | leit the door open for a palpable fraud |and the conspirators had through it. When Chretien had finished his con- fession, which was listened to in silent interest by hundreds of astounded men, the Court ordered him into the custody of the Sheriff to await future proceed- ings. The colored man, Robert Col- thorp, was also arrested, and with Chretien, was taken last night to the County Jail. A remarkable condition of affairs has resulted from this sensational case. Chretien is in the County Jail, but there is no charge against him. He cannot be detained without accusation very long and the police and District Attor- ney Byington are at sixes and sevens as to what to do. The police insist that it is the duty of the District Attorney to call a meeting of the Grand Jury at once | and indict the imprisoned lawyer. Dis- trict Attorney Byington replies that such a course of action is not his duty, but that a complaint should be made against Chretien by some of the inter- ested parties and proceedings could be begun at once. The police retort that such a procedure would delay the mat- ter unwarrantably long in the Police | Courts. Here the matter stands, but it | is probable that some decision will be reached to-day. During the investigation yesterday James Taylor Rogers was also examined and gave his version of his connection with the sensational, scandalous probate crime. books of the Hibernia Bank were pre- sented in court. Joseph S. Tobin, the acting Mayor, had custody of these rec- ords and declared that he wanted the | Court to understand distinctly that he had answered the summons to bring the records into court only through cour- the most | It was shown that he had affixed | jumped | During his examination the | | tesy and not to create a precedent for further demand. His remarks were con- sidertd to be particularly opportune. He caid that the bank has found it abso- lutely necessary to keep these records ¢ from the eager eyes of scrutiniz- 1g, scheming, corrupt scavenger law- | vers, who use their information to stesl | estates. A s passed through the room at these re- | marks and the ordinary incidents of the | ziterncon werg resumed. It was not | long before the whole story of crime, conspitacy and theft had been told. The mvestigation was closed. Every grave | allegation which The Call had made had been proved, and for the expose which this paper had given Judge Troutt expressed his thanks. A ring of thieving lawyers had been destroyed. A warning had been given to those who might seek to emulate the | evil success of these conspirators. The | reputable members of the bar had been aroused to a sense that a crime reflect- | ing deeply upon them had been com- | mitted and must be exposed. The court | had been convinced that in matters as | sacred and as serious as is the care and | protection of the property of the dead, | the most absolute vigilance must be ob- | served. And when John M. Chretien | was taken from the courtroom in which | he had practiced as an honorable law- ! yer to the County Jail. malefactors such | as He had reason to fear that it is dan- | gerous to rob the property of the in- testate dead. HATEVER wrong has been { W done has been done by my- ! self and Mr. Hansted. Whatever harm and wrong has been | done has been mine, and I am the only man to suffer. I am the only man that ought to be blamed for this entire thing. That is all I have to say, gentlemen, and I am willing to | answer any questions you have. That was the confession made by John M. Chretien before, Judge Troutt yester- day.- He had exonerated everybody, even to the unfortunate negro whose greatest crime was the doing of his bidding, and then when he came to himself and Han- sted le took the blame. Chretien's story was not all told, for back of it there is the suggestion of Han- sted’s demand for money and his threat of exposure if it was not paid. 3 Chretien confessed that he got $400 from ‘the estate, but he paid dearly for it. It must have been worth $400 to have Dutchy day, demanding money when c-fli“:“m there no %:2 threatening to CoSer B tell the whole 1 affair if the Fmoney were not somewhere. Chre- nificant buzz of comment | | tlen could not get it from the estate, so he went to Rauer, and before Rauer would pay it the miserable sinner had to sin again and again. and forgery. per- jury, false representations and deceit of eve kind marked his headlong career toward publicity and the penitentiary. It was the most dramatic scene that | has ever been enacted in a local court. ‘When the Judge called for order Chretien | stepped forward. It was announced tha he had a statement to make, and permi sion to make it was granted, and then for nearly all the morning the man testified against himself, taking all the blame and | offering only this explanation, *I must have been crazy.” A Dramatic Recital. There was not a sound in the courtroom | during the recital. There was not a man | to leave his place through those hours of self-accusation; there was not a word lost | upon the throng that filled the courtroom, stood along the rails and overflowed into the lobby and from there into the corri- dor. They sat and stood and stared— open-mouthed, open-eyed—and watched the man Who had started so well, talk himself behind prison bars and into a convict's garb. . There was no hesitation in Chretien's manner. He had made up his mind and the relief which a final decision brings with it had restored the ‘nerve so badly shaken by the searching questions of Tuesday. He told a plain, straightfor- ward tale, without attempt to shield him- self and without regard to Its effect upon his future. It was not a nice story. It was a story of as cold-blooded and dev- flish a swindle as ever robbed a grave, | and sympathy for the self-accuser was | buried under the ever increasing convic- | tion that he had forfeited all claims to | sympathy. He told how Sullivan was found, how he was coached, how his fraud progressed and how the negro Col- thorp signed his name whenever neces- sary. And then, when he had made his state- ment, the lawyers took him in hand and plied question after question, searching into every point and every situation, and sparing neither the witness nor his part- ners in erime. The end of it all was an order that Chretien be placed in the custody of the Sheriff, there to await the fate the fu- ture has for him. His punishment has not been decided. upon, but it will not be long before Chretien approaches the bar where for so long he henorably pleaded, not as a lawyer, respected and esteemed, but as a man upon whom the shadow of | the penitentiary has already fallen. The Investigation Closed. The investigation closed with the ad- journment of court. It had been long and | exciting, and a strain upon the Judge and the lawyers and all sconcerned. and it was Wwith a sigh of rellef that the end was greeted. Everyone made statements for ‘himself and for those represented. Every- one had a chance to explain, to praise or to blame, and everyone appeared satisfled when the court’s order closed all business until to-day. Besides Chretien’s confession, the only { to him wi | Chretien and Roge! | tions of heirship between to the HRETIEN CONFESSES HIS CRIME PLACED UNDER ARREST nvesti- ‘Shocking Story of Deiiberate Fraud Planned by Unscrupu- lous and Crafty Schemers to Enrich Themselves Dishon- estly Through the Medium of the Probate Court. James in sensat Tay n of the day was when Rogers shortened up the wic his lamp of information and threw but feeble light in the path of the investiga- tion. He was r b d for his lay H Me ey, but B: acted iis attorney, more than once, remarks McHperne as call cknowledged half a without seeing the signer sign and without Rnowing who he was but the notary had no explan: was asked if he had s asked him if he had although Chre tell b a receipt acknowledge said he had not been there in with the Sullivan matter. Ruef Explains. er witne arding the ex-Public Admini -, from the ope the proceedings, and his first chance an explanation he eagerly ized He made a complete statement of all that happened in court, how he had waited for their ques- nem, and how Re had never known the details of the Rogers helrs, because tell him, nor of John Suilivan, Chretien had him in his own han tement cleared Drinkhouse and him- £ of any blame.in the matter. and a tement to that effect was made by the Investigating counsel. Patrick Ryan of the Hibernla Bank was also called to show just what the bank's books really did show about t age of the deceased Joseph Su he did not testify without a pr upon because | explanation from Joseph Tobin, attorney for the b who e3 ned that the bank’'s books were not usually brought into court, but that an exception would be de in the matter pending. That closed the day, and then Judge Troutt, in a few words, commented on the case and expressed his sorrow that he had ever appointed Chretien as an attorney for absent heirs. “It is a mistake I shall regret all my life,”” he sald, and his voice choked. His own position in the matter. he said, he would ndt comment upon, nor would he even allow the attorneys” who had con- ducted the investigation to declare that he had been shown to be absolutely blameless. “The court is subject to criticism,” he said, d will not reply to it." Th he dismissed the petition to dis- tribute the estate to John Sullivan, which reopens the case, and appointed Cormac Donohoe & Baum, attorneys for the Brit- ish Consul, to look after Rogers’ heirs. Chretien’s testimony was as follows: Chretien’s Confession. Yesterday 1 called upon Captain Seymour and informed him that I was destrous of making a statement and he o ac- cept it. I told him that I wa be at 1 prepared to here or anywhere that he might suggest any hour, day or night. He asked me to | be here this morning at 9 o'clock at his office. 1 was there at 8:30 o'clock this morning. 1 to state that I come here freely and voluntarily and whatever statement I make is of my own motion and of my own accord. I have not been promised anything. I have not seen any of the counsel connected with this case in any way, shape or form, nor talked with the Judge nmor anybody representing him. nor any of the attorneys or newspaper men or anybody connected with this case in any way, shape or form. And with that I wish to make the following statement: My connection with this estate began the day beore 1 was appointed by Judge Troutt to represent the bsent heirs. Mr. Ruef in- formed me fhat on the following morning he was gotng to file a petition In the estate of Joseph Sulllvan and that he thought it would be a good thing if T wds appointed to repre- sent the absent heirs. as he would like to ce me make a fee out was a case where an attorney for absent heirs ¢hould be appointed. That is the onmly con- versation 1 had’ with Mr. R The next morning I came out with a blank application, I called upon his Honor, Judge Troutt, In his chambers a little before 10 o'clock and I asked him to appaint me in the case. He took the application and looked at it and he said, ““This 15 out of order.” I said. “What do you mean.” He sald, “I have a way of doing this. I have first of all to investigate and examine into the estate and see If it is necessary that an attorney should be appointed. After I have discovered that an attorney is to be ap- pointed in the case I want to see that the appointment is agreeable to the pecple rep- resenting the estate. If you will leave this appointment with me T will see the attorney— who i the attorney, by the way? 1 sald, ““The attorney for the Publle Administrator, Mr. Ruef.”” He sald, “T will see Mr. Ruef or his representative, examine into it and if it is proper and I think it 18 right that you should be appointed the appointment will be given to Mr. McElroy, my clerk, and you will be netified 1 picked up my hat and just as I started for the door Mr. Keane came in through the other door. Mr. Keane Is Mr. Ruef's clerk. Judge Troutt said: “Mr. Keame, Mr. Chretien has just applied here to be appointed attorney for the absent heirs in -the Sullivan estate. Do you know anythinz about it™" Mr. Keane said: “Weil, he would be agreeable to us. In fact. we would take it very kindly If he was ap- pointed.¥ Judge Troutt then said: ‘‘Well, it there is no objection. under the circumstances, and you have hly examined the papers of the estate and you know that an attorney is to be appointed?’ Chretien’s Appointment. #ald: ‘‘Yes, because there is an absent Rogers would not | His | of the case. as It | a reasonable 0. s entirely T said § Mr. Ruef ¢ He sald nk $100 ptable would us* te in this ', shape or for And 1 t at the grossest kind of n dome by the newspapers to t in this matter How the Combination Progressed. Ru. Mr. attorney Ruef has had matter w possible way d as far as I am concerne: he did not kmow had anything to do with s or form, exce | him and presented my ¢ ler for the $100 and me or two other conversations I had with him. That is the only thing I had to do with Mr. Drinkhouse. The only connection I had with Mr. Rogers was when he served the notice n me, I asked him when he would have oroofs. That was, 1 tober. He sald that he w October, o whenever the time forgotten when the time was, within twe or three months. came up 1 went to s aBd he told me he e o not been able to get all the proots that wanted and would I g and so then we all a stand over until the em * that time T we : ogers and de- ed his proof. and he said whatever stato- ments he had to | file a paper in court. which I believe he : it was never served on me that I know of. but e filed it in | court on the day of the hearing. I asked Mr Rogers why he had changed his mind in refer. | ence to it; in fact, It was asked him here in open court In my presence, and Re said thos Mr. Rauer bad convinced him by examining the records of the Hibernia Bank that the facts set forth by the alleged Mr. Sullivan ‘were | correct. 1 or Mr. Hansted, or any one that I | know of, never gave Mr. Rogers one doilar that I know of. Mr. Rauer's only connection with the case was that of a money broker, that ls, advancing money in the estate. He took no part in any transaction otherwise. Judge Goucher was at my office twice—I sald once yesterday, but I recollected afterward that he had been there a second time. The first time he was introduced | to me. the second time he came up after the | final account had been filed he brought me a copy of it. the only time that I ‘e seen Judge Goucher. McEnern He brought you a copy of the final account He brought me a synopsis of the account th: | bad been filed by the Public Admintstrator. lfl:-: Mr. Hansted had come out here, it appears, with him in the morning, and then he brought the memorandum on half a sheet of yellow aper. T don’t know of anybody else to speak of now in connection with the case. I think these are ail the people that were connected with the | case. 1 want to exonerate all of those people that T have mentioned as far as I am concern- ed personally, and to say that I know that nothing was done in it that they had any con- nection with. Chretien Takes the Blame. Whatever wrong bas been done has been done by myself and Mr. Hansted. I want to exonerate the colored man who testifled yes- terday, and I want to say furthermore that his statement was absolutely true from beginning to end, and whatever harm and wrong has been dome has been mine. and I am the only man to suffer; I am the only man that ought to be blamed for this entire thing. That is all I have £0t to say, wentlemen, and T am ready to an- swer any questions you have. Mr. Lloyd—Here is a deed purporting to be signed by “John Sullivan, sole surviving heir and brother of Joseph Sullivan, deceased,” to 3. J. Rauer. Who signed the name of John Sul- Ihan to that? Robert Colthorp, the colored man, at my request. Did you say anything o him about the pur- pese for which you desired him to sign the No, sir; he did mot boy had been cleaning cut your office for time, had he not? Yes, sir: for & number o