The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 16, 1895, Page 14

h THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 1895. WILL-MAKING JAMES S, HASKINS' HOBBY. ter part of his life, and it is believed that - Some Queer Develop he could not have written so fine a hand. His wife did most of the writing for him. ments in the Contest | vife ttorney Cross declared in 1891 Bt . | Mr. Haskins told an_old friend and busi- YeSterday | ness associate, Charles Heintzen, that he | had made no will, but intended when he | died hali of }llis 52\).00? es;)nte should go to | his widow and half to his brother. ANEW WILLEVERY YEAR | Mre. Haskins was called as a witness . | and was asked to produce any specimens | of her husband’s handwriting that she | might have. She produced the ten addi- | tional wills and several letters and signa- Eleven Specimens Produced | in Court, on Paper and ) on Wood. TESTIMONY BY MRS. HASKINS. Beginning of the Legal Battle That | May Possibly Affect the | Fair Contest. Eleven wills, all purporting to be written | by James S. Haskins, were produced yes- | terday in the celebrated contest before | Judge Coffey. | Most of these were written on paper, but | three were on wood. All were of the same effect as that already offered for probate by Mrs. Haskins. One dated August 6, 18 six years later than' the document previously presented, but as-there 1s no | change in the terms it.is regarded ‘merely | a republication. The contest: still s cen- | tered on the will of August 6, 1888, and the i tures. 5 A photograph of the probated will was offered in evidence, but it was ruled out on Attorney Deuprey’s objection that the original document was available.. A long interruption followed, while the attorneys, Mrs. Haskins, Mrs. Craven -and her daughter looked-over alot of letters | that were to be offered for the perusal of the jury. “I hope your Honor will excuse us a mo- ment,” apologized Attorney Ford. “We will make haste more rapidly- on account of this little delay.” 3 “Mrs. Haskins, you have brought into court the documents mentioned. in vour ’:lll\}mnu. have you?” asked Attorney Ford. “You have brought all the wills lefi by your husband, have you?” % W “Th: “1t he will of 1888, is it not?”’ is Mr. Ford offered the will in evidence and Attorney Deuprey attempted to have it un- derstood that the document was in the ac- tual’ -handwriting of Mr. Haskins.' This point by the defense was not successfully established and the document was filed with the clerk merely as one of the Haskins wills. Mrs. Haskins stated that she was the widow of James Haskins, and that she had lived with the latter from' the time of MARGARET CRAVEN AND HER MOTHER, MRS. NETTIE R. CRAVEN, AT THE HASEKINS WILL CONTEST. [From a sketch made by a “Call” artist.] other documents, including the boards, are valuable only as evidence. The unexpected crop of additional wills ‘was an entire surprise to the contestants, who had expected to cope only with the will they had already seen. Mrs. Haskins explained that her husband maade will- writing a sort of a hobby. He had not much else to do of later years, and when- ever his birthday anniversary came along he celebrated by renewing his last will and testament, decreeing always and in almost ing terms that the estate should go s wife. That is why all the wills bear the date of August 6. In the year 1879 there was no writing- paper available, and so Mr. Haskins took a small section of a three-quarter inch pine board and wrote on that. Three years later, in a similar emergency, he used the cover of a wooden box. - 1n 1887 he wrote two wills_on the same ddy, one on the blank end of the box-cover and the other on the paper. The wills date from 1886 to last year, and as there are only eleven of them in- all, it is supposed that some have been lost. Margaret Craven, the actress, was the central figure in the courtroom full of men and women at the bezinning of the contest yesterday. Attired in a dark blue costume, which was lightened only by her white gloves, a long gold chain suspended from - her shoulders and red and pink roses in her bonnet, she intently watched through a black-dotted veil and leanea on the chair before her as she listened to the testimony. At the right of the sad-looking actress sat Mrs. Haskins, her widow’s veil thrown back from the gray hair that was curled over her forehead, and the silver-rimmed spectacles that she wore added to her in- tellectual appearance. Mrs. Nettie R. Craven, the sehoolteacher, whose name has been prominent in the litigation over the Fair will, occupied a commanding position just 'behind her daughter and Mrs. Haskins, and she fre- quently conferred with the latter and the attorneys. The lawyers and the jury occupied the left .of--the courtroom and spectators thronged the-rest of the space. After a jury had been impaneled ex- Senator Cross of the firm of Cross, Ford, Kelly & Abbott made the opening state- ment for the contestants, James and Wil- liam Haskins of Sierra County, and their mother, Mrs. William Haskins. He said that. James- and William Haskins were mechanics in England. About thirty-five ars ago they came to California. James cured an interest in the Live Yankee gravel mine in Sierra County and made money. The contestants charged that the Has- kins will is & forgery. They would try to how that by comparisons of handwriting. james Haskins was 65 years old when he gied. He did little writing during the lat- her marriage, in 1862, until last August, when the husband died. “Wer u familiar with your husband’s handwriting?”’ T was, “Had “Yes, “I hand you a letter dated San Fran- cisco, Sent. 23, 1894, signed James Haskins. Do you recognized the handwriting of that letter?” “It looks very much like his writing.” “Could you say whether it is his or not?” “] cannot. It is very much like it.” “What is your best judgment in the matter?”’ “I have no best judgment in the matter. It looks very familiar, but I cannot say it is his handwriting.”’ “Youdon’t care to express any opinion about it; whether it is or is not the hand- writing of Mr. Haskins?” “No, sir.” Another letter bearing the James Has- kins signature was presented to the wit- ness, and Mrs. Haskins said: ““This looks more to me like hisbrother’s writing than his. This looks to me like his brother’s writing.”” “Which brother do vou refer to?” “William Haskins.” “By Wiliiam Haskins you mean the father of George and William, the petition- ers. Is that right?” “Itlooks to me so.” Several other letters were produced, but the witness gave no positive identification of the handwriting. = Mrs. Haskins recog- nized some letters of her own, and the in- quiry proceeded. “‘How many wills do you know of your husband having written?” “I could not tell you how many ?” “Quite a number?’’ «Yes.” “How many did you ever see?" I cannot say.” *Quite a number?” “Yes,” ‘“When was he accustomed to write these wills?”’ ““On his birthday, August 6, every year.” ““That was a custom of his, was lt'%’ “It appears so.”’ “Then you made a little more of that day than of other daysin the year, it being his birthday ?” “Yes, sir.” “Did he immediately put these wills in your custody 2" *‘Not always.” “Did he sometimes?” “Sometimes, yes.!" “Well, when he didn't put them in your custody what else would he do with them ?” ld “He would put them away, sometimes in his pocket-book.” o j"gow long would he usually carry a will?” “I don’t know.” “When did he begin that custom ?’’ “In 1863.” nullreuuently seen him write?” Highest of all in Leavening Power.— Latest U. S. Gov’t Report / al @) Bakin Powder ABSOLUTELY PURE “And each birthday he would make a new will?’ “I could not say every year.” “But usually ?”” “Usually.” “Do you recall a_ birthday when he didn’t make such a will?” “I didn’t take notice.” He would gener- ally tell me that my present was so and so, stating that he had remembered me.” “Meaning that he had made a new will in your behalf?'’ “Yes, sir.” Mrs. Haskins was asked whether her husband had ever given lessons in hand- writing, and she declared that she did not know. She was questioned at greatlength about her husband’s relatives and about his history prior to the time of the marriage, but little information was obtained. . The oddity of the will-making was illustrated by the two declarations on one piece of wood. At one end the following will was written in ink: No. 2202 LEAVENWORTH STREET, AN Francisco, August 6 1882, This is to certify that I, James Haskins, in my right mind, bequeath to my beloved wife, Mrs. James Haskins, all my real estate and all Iam possessed of, to be her separate property. JAMES HASKINS, On the other end of the piece of wood is the following: - SAN FRANCISCO, August 6, 1887. Thisis my last will. Igive to my wife, Mrs. James Haskins, all I die possessed of, to be her separate property. JAMES HASKINS, George Haskins, a nephew of the maker of the wills and one of the contestants, had come from Forest City, Sierra County. “You are the son of Wilham Haskins, are you n?t?” Attorney Ford asked. o am.> DIVIDED DEMOCRATS, Federal Officials and Gold Men in the Minority. MAJORITY FOR SILVER. Irreconcilable - Conflict Now Going On in the Dem- ocratic Ranks. 'FEW CLEVELAND SUPPORTERS, The People to Reslst the Attemipts of the Gold Men to Control the Party. D An attempt to interview a number of the leading Democrats of this: City, both in and out of office; reveals the fact that there Rl [ . %&J'é "ny lu. pg g Hao #er2a c Tctle owewa | T ga,??z 7 an e rewco i o 40(70(%6%/379 %ne | will Jgeve Wd awntd 3 i o ik 1 i THE ~HASKINS WILL THAT WAS WRITTEN ON A PIECE OF PINE BOARD. “When did your father die?"” “On September 2, 1894.” “Your mother is Sarah Ann Haskins, one of the petitioners?” “Yes, sir.”” “She was your father's wife, was she?" “Yes, sir.”” James and William Haskins, the broth- ers, had some unpleasantness at one time, itappeared, relative to. the sale of water wotks, but. that was not-enough fo cause him to disinherit the nephews. “That trouble was betwe>n -the . two brothers, was it ?"” asked Mr. Ford. “We would like- to know,” -said Mr. Deuprey, “‘whether it was between: James and William Haskins. - There were twelve members in - that: -Haskins family, we understand.” “it is true,” retorted Ford, “that there is a bitter factional ‘warfare brewing in that party. - The recent action of the Na- | tional Democracy.to force down the people | of Kentucky and Iowa -views on_ the money -question: singularly " at" variance with the action of that party’s professions in the past regarding silver has ‘arcused a deep feeling of resentment in' the Tank and file of the party in'California, and they are watching the movements of the National Democracy, through -the - Federal officialg of this State, with an eye of suspicion and distrust. The Federal officers, with but one excep- tion, so far as they could be seen, “‘with one accord began to make excuses,” some saying tiis and some that, but all declin- MRS. ELIZABETH HASKINS TELLING THE JURY AEOUT THE WILLS THAT HER HUSBAND MADE, [From a sketch made by a “Call” artist.] were twelve, but at the time in question all but two had gone to that bourne from which no Haskins returns.” “And where no lawyer can ever reach them,” added Judge Coffey. The contest will be resumed at 2 o’clock this afternoon. THE ASSUMPTION. One of the Most Notable Catholic Fi Celebrated With Solemn Cere- monies. The Feast of the Assumption of the Vir- gin Mary was commemorated with solemn services in the Catholic churches yester- day. Masses were celebrated in all the City churches as on Sundays. At the cathedral and St. Ignatius the ceremonies were very imposing. Very Rev. J.J. Prendergast was colebrant of the high mass. In the evening solemn vespers were sung by a male choir, for the first time in the history of the cathedral. Twenty-five boys and twenty men, under the direction of Father Hannigan, were divided into quartets, and each group sang a part in the concerted numbers. The sanctuary was beautifully decorated, while the Virgin's altar was most profusely ornamented with rare blossoms and clus- ters of colored lights and candelabra. The Assumption is celebrated as one of the greatest days in the Catholic church, though the event commemorated is not a dogma of faith, being nierely a pious tradi- tion, which has been celebrated from the earliest years in church history, when it was pre: ched by the apostles. sts An average of three British seamen lose their lives every day by drowning, and 300 British :teamers and sailing vessels are o0st year'y at sea. ing to discuss the probable action of the Democratic party in - California on the uestion of silver. A most pronounced ifference, a difference which is irrecon- cilable, is found in the opinions submitted of those of the party whoare untrammeled by the weight of Federal office. 0. M. Welburn, Collector of Internal Revenue, when asked for a statement of his opinion on the action which the State Democracy would probably take on the monetary question, said: Now realley that is a question upon which T should rather not be interviewed. You really must excuse me. It would perhaps arouse antagonisms which it would be prudent to avoid at this time, for, as you know, the Federal office-holders have been charged with much of an unpleasant nature touching this question. Please to ex- cuse me, as I prefer not to be interviewed at present on this question. John F. Wise said in reply to an inquiry as to his views on the probable action of the party on the silver question: Now, my dear sir, T have not the time to de- vote to this matter now. Iwould much prefer to be excused. Iamin haste to keep an im- rorunt engagement and you must let me off o-day. William D. English on being interro- ated as to the action of the Democracy of this State on the silver issue, said in his terse yet pleasant way, which was slightly clouded by vexation, *“I’ll bemuch obliged if you will excuse me from expressing m! views on that <finenion. Just excuse me.” Frequent calls upon Frank McCoppin, at the Postoffice, failed to catch him in. John P. Irish said: Iam & monometallist, and I believe that the Democratic party will, without a question, adopt this policy in its treatment of the subject. We cannot do otherwise in this State and be consistent. The well-known contract law_of this State which makes all of our current obli- gations &‘yme in gold expresses the senti- ment of the people beyond question. 1should favor the system adopted by France. There they have about $800,000.000 of gold and about $750,000,000 in silver circulating side by side, and France achieved this by abso- lutely withdrawing silver from free coinage. In the single gold standard there is no dan- ger of gold overtopping silver. When silver is produced in excess of gold-it is impossible to maintain a parity of the two metals as money. We must have a fixed policy. In the light of the contract law of this State all talk of free and unlimited coinage at & ratioof 16 to 1 is absurd, What means would I take to check the out- flow of gold from the treasury which has been so marked during the present administration? Well, the outflow began long before the pres- ent administration_came into power. I would favor issuing #346,000,000 of interest-bearing bonds and sell them for gold, and call in, re- deem and destroy the $346.000,000 of green- bscks. The shrinkage in the currency would be supplied under the law of 1875 by the banks furnishing National banknotes. If this should be done the treasury could safely redeem all silyer certificates in silver—that i, in all prob- ability very little silver would be called for, and the silver and silver certificates would stay ‘in_circulation practically on the unit value of gold. m‘%nited States Surveyor-General Green id : Iam not a free-coinage silver man, but I am inclined to the opinion that the majority of the: Democrats of the Stateare freg-coinage men at the ratio of 16 to 1. T cannot'tell what the action of the party will be when the ques- tion comes up for consideration, but I do know that no greater. disaster could overtake the steadily reviving business interests of the country and - the laboring classes generally than the enactment of a free-coinage silver bill at.the proposed ratio of 16 to 1. Why do-1 oppose such a measure ? - Because I ampersuaded that the laboring classes, as far as the money question is concerned, are ;wener off .to-day than they have ever been be- ore. A dollar will buy more goods to-day :than it ever could: before and labor. receives. the cor- Tresponding benefit. Again, if silver should “be recognized by ths Government-as money on the basis proposed it would at-once double the cost_of goods, of all commodities, while labor would be slow in re- ceiving any appreciable increase in pay. To what cause do. I attribute the export of gold from -this country during the present National" administration? I will “be very frank tosay that it would require considerable thought - and investigation to answer. that question. ' I am uot prepared on the moment to answer it. Has the alteration in the. tariff had nothing to-do with the ‘output of gold from the treas- ury? No, I think not; but let me say that there are’so many causes so complex in their nature that have combined to bring about the present condition of affairs in ‘the National treasury that it is very hard to designate any. definite-cause as being a.‘prominent factor in producing the. present condition 'in monetary affairs. Money. 4s: & medium’ of exchange, and’ we want the ‘best possible medium of “exchange for our money. -There can be but.one best, and that best when: applied. to thecurrency question means gold, and thisis true. because. nature - has - furnished. it so. ‘sparingly and diversified it through the earth so. completely as to make of it just the proper substance upon which to base the finances of the world. Isnot: the possibility: of & monopoly. in-the monelm¥ world based uponithe fact that it is possible for a few persons: to own -and control the gold ‘of the world? - No, I donot think so; and if true, the free .coinage: of silver woul place- us -in no- better- condition, for silver could be controlled equally as well.: ‘The facts in the case are that: this.whole silver craze is but the result-of perhaps some thirty men who own the silver mirnes of this country.and Mex- ico, and they are seeking 10 pass a free-coinage measure solely-for their.own profit. Legislation eannot stop the flow of gold from our National treasury, and good times will only come with the restoration -of confidence, and that cannot ‘be until ‘the. silver craze has had its day. Samuel - Braunhart,. Port ‘Warden “and author of ' the tinancial plank in - the last Democratic platform, when asked as to the probable action of .the Democracy- of this State on the silver question, said : Tam firm in my belief that fully 90 per cent of the Democrats oi California are in favor of the free_and ‘unlimited coinage of silver. I am equally. sure that they will insist on a fair and open expression of their views on this matter when it comes up for party action. I don't believe in the sincerity of the profes- sions of those who advocate international bi- metallism. Some grounds for sincerity may lie in the’ claim of some men who think it doubtful that a parity of the two metals.can be maintained by this country alone. Judging by the past the advocacy of interna- tional agreement on this question is merely a pretext to prevent legislation on the part of Congress. The Eastern press ridiculesinter- national bimetallism, declaring it to be im- practical; thatinternational legislation can no more effect the value of silver bullion than the { legislation of this country alone could do. They (the monometallists) claim that the laws of trade alone can establish the valuesof the two metals. All true bimetallists, on the other hand, hold that by the retirement of all currency below the denomination of $10, and the open- ing of the mints of ihe country to the conage of both metals without discrimination, an un- limited demand would be created, and that would maintain the parity of goid and silver at the ratio of 16 to 1. This I believe to be the well-nigh unani- mous sentiment of the people of California, and the Democratic pnrl{ ‘will be sure to take action in accordance with such views when the time for action comes. This contest for the rehabilitation of silver is one between the masses and classes—the classes for gold and the masses for silver. The general reduction of all property values and of all the products of labor and the threat- ened establishment of industrial slavery must necessarily be charged to the attempt by the cl:lssex to enforce and maintain the gold stand- ard. It is singularly strange that we have thus far srmitted England to dictate a financial policy E?r us. England asa creditor nation will never consent to the remonetization of silver. It would be well to remember that when England, in 1816, demonetized _silver, the Latin Union, Germany, the United States and other countries coniinued to maintain the double standard without. -depreciating the standing of the white metal. Since the last State Democratic convention several of the leading Democrats of this State, who then opposed the free and unlimited coin- age of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1, have since become strong adyocates of the white metal at thatratio. g The re})en(ed declarationsof the Democratic: })urly of this State, as evidenced. oy its. plat- jorms, can leave 1o doubt in any one’s mind as to-what the - fair and untrammeled sentiment of the party really is and whatit will be if. not Ssereen by the pewer of the National Democ- TR through' the Federal -office-holders at Washingion. There will doubtless be:-an attempt to pack the next _convention in -the'inerests of th goldbugy, -as:recentlywitne sed in Kentucky and fows.. Should the attempt succeed, there will be a Tévolt; and such & one, t00; &s Will };‘nd o desertions from the party all along the ne. 3 Inanswer to the question, ‘What will-be the probable action of the State Democracy: in regard._to the silver question? . Gavin McNab said: It is difficuilt to foreécast the action.of a ‘con- vention {0.be held nearly ' a year hence. ‘Con- ditions prevailing at . thé titie of meeting will most likely prevail over any opinions held - at present. i ¢ Nothing is more cléarly exemplified in the olitical system of the United States than revo- ution of political sentiment. Opinions ‘in- variably yield to conditions. - If next year the ersperlty which seems to be rapidly return- ng shall be completely re-established, conser- vanve tendencies in the matter of platform will be more pronounced than they have been or are now. ; 1f peonle are generally prosperous and satis- fied they will view radical alterations of an existing system, when suggested, with distrust and fear. Great changes in governmental policy have seldom occurred in times of general abundance and contentment. It is when pinch and flover!y leave no room for satisfac- tion with the present that people are prone to change. They have less to risk then. Do I deem’ the action recently taken by the Democracy of Kentucky and Iowa on the silver question to be in harmony with the feel- ing and sentiments of the Democracy of this State? That it is impossible to determine with- outa convention. Until some definite expres- sion of popular sentiment, advocates of each side are at iiberty to indulge in ‘prophetry. I believe that the solution of the currency uestion will be reached without doing vio- lence to commercial relations or upsetting financial systems. As knowledge of the func- tions of the metals as money becomes general there will be less of sentiment and more of businees sense in the discussion. It will be treated as a matter of business, not of rhetorie, each side will concede and adopt the ad- vantages of the other and when that comes to pass not very radical congressional enactment will be required to settle the question. Has not the sentiment of the California Democracy been enunciated in its past plat- forms on this question lumflentlz to indicate the sentiment of the party on the question? The sentiment of the party as it existed at the meeting of the last State convention was, I think, well expressed in its platform. Harbor Commissioner Colnon gave his views in answer to the following questions: 1. What in your estimation will be the action of the Democratic party of this State as to the restoration of silver? That will t deal upon the ex- tent to wlw ;-:n :l Democr':?ia voters is represented in the convention which will formulate the expression. I believe the so- called “sound-monsy element” of the party {5 aiready imdustrionsly engaged in deavor to see that the convention shall be of such a complexion as to fayor the Presi- dent’s idea. What movement, if any, is takin glaca on the other side to counteract this ave been too busy of late to ascertain. I be- 1ieve the sentiment of the disinterested Demo- crats of California to be in favor of the free and unlimited coinage of silver on the American ra- tioof16 to1. Whatan answer thisis, if I rightly estimate the teeling of the party, to the asser- tion 0 1ndustriously made by the other side that the proposition of iree coinage emanates from the silver-producing States and is a scheme of the miners, for California produces no silver to speas of, but is the leading gold- mining State. : .2 Will the party, in your estima- tion, be controlled by the administration, as in the recent conventions in Kentucky and Towa? I very much fear that it may be. You know there s a direct personal intérest felt by those who are working for the promotion of the ad- ministration idea ot “‘sound money” and fre- quent sales of bonds to replenish the gold re- serve. That is to say, the slogan comes from headquarters, and it is one of the things that they are for, to take it .up and send it a'ong the line with & new zest at each boost of the cause. If Cleveland converted Carlisle to the extent of per- suading him into expressions directly opposed to those which he uttered when he was not thinking of & Cabinet position, why should not Mr. Carlisle, as_Secretary of the Treasury, be able to bring around the army of subordinates in his department ? There is something to be feared here, and if information which reaches me is reliable some movements to that end ‘have already taken place. The hand of the ad- ministration is already seen in the prelimi- naries. 3. To what cause do_you attribute the export of gold from the National treasury? To the hunger of the financial cormorants in this country and in Europe for another output ©of bonds, It is the grandest scheme of plunder that wiis ever devised by man. It.is impossible to'maintain the gold reserve under Secretary Carlisle’s administration of the treasury, when every form of paper presented is made payable in gold at the option of the holder. Goid flows o Europe and back again for speculative pur- poses rather to satisfy any balances of trade, and the Governmentas at present administered promotes the speculation at the expense of the people, from whose earnings the interest on every issue of bands must be paid. I regard the issuance of bonds in time of peace asa crime against.the Republic, which should sub- Ject those responsible for it to impeachment. 4."What' means can be taken to restore the business interests of the country? None that I know of save the. full rehabilita- tion of silver as a money ot final payment. The only thing the -matter with the business of the country is the disturbance .and stagna- tion which result from a steady and persistent depreciation of values:in- general. There is certain fixed relations between the volume. of money, considered as & unit, and the- volume of exchangeable things, considered- as a unit. Increase'the one and you .increase the other— that is to say, double the volume of money and. you double the volume of exchangeable things; as expressed by their price. in-terms of money, This must be.admitted. Well, the trouble with business is that the volume or money has been decreased by a half, and prices have shrunk away. correspondingly. The only way, there- fore, to restore - the former relation and again enjoy the good times that were, but have de- parted, is to return to the free tise of silver as money of full power. 5. Do.. you deem: the ‘expressions finance of - the- Democratic recent conventions in Kentucky and Iowa to.be in the interests of the people and would :you favor like action by -the Dem-. ocracy of this State? Those expressions are in’ favor of the ailied interests and against the people, for the reasons which I have already given. - This, indeed, ap- on Earty in - itg nited States ‘to-day—the combined interests against the unorganized masses-of the popula- tion. 'When the Democratic. party takes sides with the former it ceases to be worthy of the name and is destined to.certain defeat. The Ear:g can no more win on the lines laid down y the President than Mr. Cleveland could ex- pect to evoke a demonstration by posing as a hebetudinous dude. The one anlg be no less in contravention of nature and tradition. than the other. SWALLOWED LAUDARUM, Clarence Travers Causes Ex- citement in. Chief Crow- ley’s Office. He Was Arrested for Grand Larceny and Attempted to Commit Sulcide. Clarence Travers, an actor, is troubled with a suicidal mania and between 5 and 6 o’clock last night caused quite an excite- ment at police headquarters by swallowing a dose of laudanum. On August 7, Mrs. Ormsby, who lives at the Meredith Hotel, on Turk street, went to the Cliff House. When she returned she found that some one had entered her rooms and stolen a diamond - stud valued at $150 belonging to her husband, $8 in coin and a valuable valise. Suspicion fell upon Travers, who, being out of a job on the stage, worked in the house. The police weré notified and . Detectives Bee and. Harper recovered the stud ina awnshop, where Travers had pawned }I)‘ravers became alarmed and - made prep- arations to leave the City. Last evening | Detective Dan: Coffey and: Officer George | Brown arrested him on-the Stockton boat and took him to police Lieadguarters. Coifey left the Chief’s ‘office for a mo- ment and- as -soon_ as-his back was turned Travers whipped a ‘smallbottle of lauda- num out’ of- his: pocket, uncorked. it and placed ‘it.to his lips. - He had swallowed about-half of the contents when Officer Brown grabbed - the: bottie from him.- He was hustled over to the Receiving Hospital and treated -successtully. - He . was" then taken to the City. Prison and booked for grand larceny In’ his pocket:'was found a letter ad- dressed to the Coroner in..whick he said: have followed - the- stige the last few years; but find - that a. voice -alone cannot, bring happiness. ‘Thongh young in years Tam'tired of life. - Who-can blame:me for seeking the unknown?" When in -Sacramentd ‘some . time -ago Travers attempted. to commit'suicide, but the druggist had- given him liquorice and | water instead ~of “laudanum and the at- tempt was futile. e RAISED TREASURY NOTES: Government Agent Harris Catches a Young Counterfeiter. Charles Howard, a “youth of 20 years, was arrested-af the Midway Club rooms by Government, Agent. Harris last night and taken to the County Jail. The charge against Howard was that of raising $2 United States treasury notes to $10 notes. His .method was the careful erasure of the figure 2 and word two from a“note, and the substitution of the figure 10 and word ten wherever necessary. Then he would make a purchase somewhere and pass the counterfeited note, receiving back change in good money. One of the victims of such'a purchase was Robert Strahle, a streets. It happened that Howard ‘took into.his confidence G. H. Ryan, a whose sphere of work is tNe looking up of stolen bicycles. - Ryan informed the Gov- ernment officers, with the result that How- ard was last night caught in a trap. ——————— 8. 8. Simon oun Trial. 8.8, 8imon, the *“cowboy detective,” was on trisl in Judge Morrow’s court yesterday on a charge of impersonating a United States of- ficer. Some strong testimony was put in by the United States District Attorney, but Simon is confident thet he will be acquitted. ———— A Wife’s Claim to Property. s Kitty Drasdo is suing Paul Drasdo for di- vorce. She claims that there is community g:oper_ty of $20,000, and she has had her hus- nd cited to show cause why a receiver of the estate should not be appointed. —_——— A Family Jar. : GREAT AMERICAN IMPORTING TEA CO.'S Stores are selling MASON FRUIT JARS At greatly reduced prices. 1 dozen jars, pints, in box -50¢ 1 dozen jars, quarts, in box. .80c 1 dozen jars, halt gallons, in box. -80c Inspect our Improved Jelly Glasses, 85¢ per dozen, {}esrs to be the new alignment of parties in the | butcher of -Twenty-sixth and Sanchez | cial detective, | D. 0. MILLS ON SILVER, The Millionaire Is Opposed to the Free-Coinage Move- ment. INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT. He and His Son, Ogden Milis, Arrive on One of Their Business Visits. D. 0. Mills and his son, Ogden Mills, arrived here yesterday evening from Sac- mento, where they had stayed overa day on their way out from New York. Mr. Mills, who is staying at the Palace Hotel, said last evening that he would be out here two or tnree weeks. He make one or two trips a year out to look after his Jarge interests here. Speaking of business in the East he said last evening that while it was not bad and had not been for a year there was not expected much activity for another year. 7 “Prices are down,” he said, “and many things will have to adjust themselves be- fore there is much change, but that may be expected soon.” Mr. Mills was told that a great deal of interest was taken in the question of free coinage of silver here. “Idon’t see why Californians shoula be bothered about it so much. They are not so much inter- ested in silver. While I am in favor of bringing about the circulation of as much of both metals as possible under any sensible arrangement, I am opposed to the free coinage of silver by this country inde- pendently. It would drive out our gold and mjure our credit. Theré is not much agi- tation over the question in the East. There very few are in favor of free coinage. The question seems to be better understood. “Yes, the silver question is being agi- tated a good deal in England, but the sil- ver people there do not advocate inde- pendent free coinage of silver by that coun- try, but some international agreement by which more silver can be used. I believe that in time something of that sort will be done, and I am in favor of any sensible plan toincrease the circulation of silver.” A DENTIST SURPRISED. One of His Patients Gets Too Much Gas ‘With Startling Effects. Thomas Johnston, a young man living on Fourth and Minna streets, went to the office of Dr. Morse on Post street to have a‘tooth extracted. He was afraid of the pain and gas was administered. Just as the dentist was preparing to pull the tooth Johnston sprang from the chair like 2 madman and began to break every- thing in sight. He had demolished a mir- rorand several chairs when he was seized by the deutist and his attendants and forcily held down till the patrol wagon was summoned. Johnson said he remembered nothing about breaking the mirror and chairs. Jaundice Caused His Death. Alfred V. Burks, alias Alfred Wilson, died from liver troubles and not from phosphorus. That is what & chemical analysis of the stom- ach and liver has revealed. Burks was taken sick at 904 Kearny street ana removed to the Recelving Hospital, where he died. % Good health is better \than diamonds. Health is life. No pleasure can ‘be taken without it. It is “the most precious thing in the world, and many people are careless about it. = They neglect their little ailments— they ignore nature’s danger sig- nals and run right onto the rocks @ of disease. All diseases have insignificant beginnings. Cone sumption is but the fruit of neglected catarrh. A slight cold develops into pneumonia or bron- chitis. A little indigestion grows into “liver complaint.” 3 _ The best way to cure a disease is to_prevent it. The next best way is to catch it before it de- velops to its worst stage. Dr. Pierce’s Golden Medical Discovery is a medicine for the whole body. It searches out the weak spots and builds them up. It is a strengthéner, a purifier and a cure. It puts the digestive sys- tem into an active, healthy con- dition, purifies and enriches the blood and forces out all poisonous matter. . Taken in time, it will cure g8 per cent. of all cases of consumption. Itis a purely vege- table compound that works in perfect harmony with nature. It tones up the whole body and pro- duces strong, hard, healthy flesh. It has cured hundreds of cases of consumption, bronchitis, asthma, clironic niasal catarrh and kindred maladies; -which- had withstood -the effect of every other medicine. A large- number of testimonial letters and photographs of those ¢ured have Eeen printed in book form, We- will send the book (160-pages) free, if you will send your address, also this notice and & cts. for postage, to World’s Dis- pensary Medical Association, Bufe falo, N. Y. Factory To Feet, In the direct line of economy. From our Factory to cur Salesroom is only down- stairs. - No drummers’ salaries, no retail profits, no high rents to come out of the price of the shoe. That's why we sell Men’s Calfskin Shoes for $2.00. We guar- antee these equal to the various three- dollar shoes on the market. You put that dollar in your pocket when you buy of The Big Factory Retailing at Factory Prices. Retailers’ price, §3.00; Factory Price, - $2.00. Ly wemSondninmev oo Rosenthal, Feder & Co., 581-583 MARKET ST., Open till 8 P. M. Saturdays till 10, SR O e G