Salt Lake Tribune | 1912-02-18 | Page 2 | Court is Held at Bedside of Aged Recluse

ICOUBT IS HELD JIT BEDSIDE OP flGEDJCIM I Brooklyn Magistrate Unearths I Conspiracy lo Get Posses-I Posses-I sion of Estate of a Mil- lion a ire Hermit. 1 I NURSE CONFESSES AFTER HIS. ARREST I Officers Looking- for Former State Senator Frank J. Gardner of Race Track Investigation Fame. NEW YORK, Fen. 18. Former Senator Frank J. Gardner, at-, at-, toniey for the eccentric million-! million-! aire, Frank E. Haslett, who is crit- ' ically ill in his Brooklyn home, known as the "house of mystery," i and wanted in connection with al ii leged conspiracy to defraud his client, wan arrested early this (Sunday) morning. 1 By International News Service. TtTEW YORK, Feb. 17. Holding J court at the bedside of tho agc-1 millionaire recluse. Samuel K. Haslett. at his "house of mystery," mys-tery," 338 Keuison street. Brooklyn, in the midst of jiold and bills totaling more than $10,000 scattered over the ' floors, Chief Magistrate Kcmpncr this afternoon unearthed nn amazing eon-cTNTaev eon-cTNTaev in ret possession of the her- Imit's estate, and immediately hiid a warrant sworn out for former State Senator "Frank .7. Gardner,' of raeo track investigation nolorinly, jmd caused' the arrest of George Decker, a nurse. ' TIaslett's wife was burned" to death twenty-five years ago arid from that lay to this tho old man has lived like n banished man. To man but the to-ohisc to-ohisc is known to have crossod the portals of the mansion until last Tuesday, Tues-day, when he was found helpless in the street with his feet frozen. Ho fold the police he was on his way to communicate with his lawyer; .John D. j Lord. Lord engaged Decker, the nurse, ! to attend his client and he was sent home. Friday, Mr. Lord received a , Communication 'which aroused his sus picions and he turned the missive over I to the police, Decker, it appears, when he entered the house as a servant, found .hat tho old man wfiH possessed of a large for tune. The next day he is said to have sent for Gardner, who achieved con siderable notoriety in connection with the race track bribery scandal. Legal papers were drawn up, giving Gardner I power of attorney and full possession i of the property and money. Haslett Higncd these papei'H and a third person was called in to witness the signatures. Then Gardner notified Mr. Lord to turn over the Haslett property. Magistrate .TCompncr found tho re-i'Iusc re-i'Iusc literally buried in dirt and money. Ho took charge of the mansion, ordered it renovated and deposited the money.