Gaston Means Interviewed by Family Attorney, 1917

The Monroe Journal, Sept. 14, 1917

Gaston Means Interviewed by the Family Attorney…Man Under Suspicion for Killing Wealthy Woman Talks Willingly…Met Lawyer at Door

Concord, Sept. 13—Phil. C. McDuffie, attorney for Mrs. Anna L. Robinson, mother of Mrs. Maude A. King, who met a mysterious death near this city on the night of August 29, was in Concord today to have an interview with Gaston Bullock Means, business manager for Mrs. King. Mr. McDuffie asked to have a talk with the former manager of Mrs. King’s affairs and received an invitation to call at the Means home.

A short time later in company with C.B. Ambrose, Mr. McDuffie called at the home and was greeted at the door by Gaston B. Means. After being seated, Mr. Means said:

“Mr. McDuffie, whom do you represent?”

In reply the lawyer showed him a letter embodying power of attorney from Mrs. Anna L. Robinson. He also explained that he had a letter from Paul and Will Robinson, brothers of the dead woman, but Mr. Means did not ask to see it.

Mr. Means then asked, “Who is this with you?” Mr. Ambrose was introduced with the answer that he was a man assisting the solicitor in the investigation. Mr. Means then asked if he were a representative of the federal government, who which Mr. Ambrose replied, “Yes, from the department of Justice.”

“I shall have to ask you to leave,” said Mr. Means. “If Mr. McDuiffie wants to talk to me, he must be alone.”

After the federal agent had left Mr. McDuffie said:

“I want a full, complete and definite statement at once, and under the circumstances it seems to me that you would not want to wait for the executor of the will to act. It would be better for all concerned that you be exceedingly frank at this time and under these peculiar circumstances.”

Mr. Means was then asked for all documents or affidavits in his possession in connection with the alleged will. To this Mr. Means replied that the original will was in the possession of a big New York lawyer whose name he refused to give.

Asked if he had consulted with former Justice Charles E. Hughes, Mr. Means replied that he had not consulted with his personally but that Mr. Hughes had been indirectly approached by persons representing him.

Mr. Means then brought out some papers bearing on the will case and asked that McDuffie look over them. The attorney did so but said he did not find them relevant to his search for Mrs. King’s property.

“I insisted,” said Mr. McDuffie, “that in justice to Mr. Means and everyone in the case that he (Means) should make a more definite statement about the financial matters, as he had almost entire charge of Mrs. King’s finances.

To this Mr. Means replied that his recollection was almost blank that he had asked to see if the solicitor could get the papers here. With these he said he could go over the entire transactions to the satisfaction of everyone. He expressed the greatest willingness to tell everything and was eager for everything to be known.

Mr. Means was asked what was the greatest amount of Mrs. King’s money that he had for her at one time. To this he replied that he had as high as $90,000 to $100,000 about January 1^st.

Mr. McDuffie then asked to get an understanding of the plan of operation between Mr. Means and Mrs. King; how he got so much money and whether it was turned over without any receipt, contract or power of attorney.