The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 5, 1897, Page 12

F RANCISCO CALL, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5 1897. e e s e e e e e SUIGIDE AND WILL MYSTERIES CROWD THE PROBATE COURT Judge Coffey Hears a Noted Case Alive With Dark | - Problems for the Tribunal to Solve. JOHN CAPROY DIED. | HOW Three Shots Fired in a Room, Unheard by Attendant Kearney. A NEVADA JURIST CLAINS ESTATE. A, L. Fitzgerald,a Contestant, Against the Stepdaughters of the Late Capitalist. John Gallagher, M.D., autopsy surgeon—(by of the wound ap- flicted. 1 it was se es; seli-inflicied wound. There | question about that. Verdict—self-inflicted. | One of the things that made it appear as | if the wound was self-inflicted was the fact thatdeceased often threatened to | end bhislife. Judge Fitzgerald was away | at the time of Capron’sdeath. He is here now, and his attorneys will ask many | more questions of those who wers around | the aying man than Coroner Hawkins ever dreamed of propounding. The next siep in the stors unfolds itself | in the appearance of Mrs. Nellie McDer- | mott of Natoma street, this city, with a | | holographic will made by Capron on April It grants most of the Capron es- i 16, 18 tate to Judee A. Fiizgerald and his | family. The Jud, tather-in-law had | been a friend of pron and had granted | bim favors and given bim situations by | which be laid the foundation of his for- | Judge Coffey and a jury are testing the | validity of a Coroner’s judgment of sui- | cide in the case of Capitalist John 8. Capron, who was adjudged to have ended his life by a bulleton June 29. He was shot, but a will contest now in progress will cause a thorough investigation into the question of his demise. Artorneys for one of the contestants discredit the ver- dict and hint at a deep mystery in the un- fortunate old man’s last bours. The case was on ull day yesterday. Both Judge and jury are now engaged in trying to unravel the mysteries that sur- rounded the last Jays of the old man’'s ite. His two wills and sirange letters are now under close scrut The will under which the stepaanghters make claim was | dated March 13, 18%, the other one April | : | g | a | g My Dear Madge: When you recei the pleasur the old man. of For what I did for you Iio crumbs that George Sundgrem bro: your fect almost on the ground in saved you from frozen feet a forts of life. this one would hs your own mothe e thought would life of your sister and still living. But I heve no reason no treatment since I have been 1 did when I gave 'hem in trust to you. I hope ouch wiil bura your fingers, and Yo (Sign R R R AR A R R R R R R R R R E A AR R R : : E : E E : : 16, 1897. Joh: 8. Capron was well known all over the Wes:. He was found dead at his home, 1319 Devisadero street, early on the morning ot June 29 He left sevzral wilis, an estate worth $150,000, thres step- daughters, who claim under one cf wills, and a name for spotless integrity. District Judge A. L. Fitzgerald oi Eu- reka, Nev., an old friend of tne deceased, claims the bulk of the dead man’s fortune | under a holographic will dated April 16, | 1897. Under this instrument the step- daughters are each remembered for about $10,000. The well-known Nevada jur- ist is now in tne city making a fight for the share named in his friend’s last will. The other interested persons engaged in the great legal battle three stepdaugh- ters—Mrs. Hattie M."Kearney, Mrs. Mar- garet Manion ana Miss Mamie Grear. Their contention is that their stepfather was insane in hislast days; that he was unduly influenced by Judge Fitzgerald, and that the will propounded by the Judge does not express what was the dead man’s real intention. In opposition to this view, Judge z- gerald stands by the will of April 16, 1897, denies undue influence or any in- fluence save the proper one of friendship, and alleges that the stepfather despised his stepdaughters before he died, and thought they nad treated him cruelly. The story oi the contest is quite interest- ing, and the striking points natarally group themselves in chapters. Chapter 1 brings the world face to face with the sudden and tragical-death oiJohn 8. Capron. His bedy was found in nis bed; cause of death, a bullet wound. James Kearney, nephew of the husband of one of the stepdaughters, who is contestant in tbe case, was sleepin on the foot of the bed whers the capiialist was killed. There were t ree shots, some of which went ligh and wild, plowing through the headboard of the bed and through a picture hanging high on the wall. Itisin evidence that the attendant for such was Kearney’s office in the sick room-—did not uear the shots. They were heard by a policemzn and others, who had some difficuity in rousing the house- bola. The inquest was held July 2. The Cor- oner’s records are very brief. The foliow- ing are the entries on the books at the Morgua: 1 quest of JonnS. Capron, July 2, 18 James Kearney, machinist, 1319 Devis dero~Well, about ten minufes past 2 last Tuesday morniug my aunt woke me, and she wanted to know who was making ihatnoise, She wanted me 1o 2et up, and Idid not wake. Iem a very hard sleeper,and I turned over and went 1o slcep again. The next thing I neard was a shot, and I zot up and ran to the bed. I saw the revolveriu his hand. I took it out of his hand (Capron’s) and I woke the rest of the family, and then volice officers came in. That is know about it. Don't know any for his commiting suicide. He had made statements that he would com. mitsuicide; was in no financial or dome: trouble tnat I knew of. He was sick, and when he got biue he said he would kil] Limself. Mrs. Joseph G. Kearney, aunt of the witness and stepdaughter of Capron—Capron was sick eighteen months. Heard him make a state- weni that he would commit suicide. CAPITALIST CAPRON'S BITTER LETTER. at least it shall be a res: from the abuse of your tongue. knowing that you can revel in the hard-earned wealth of family was enough for you to try to make my life a little more pleasant, but I might have known that vou would not do so, for any woman that would forseke her poor old grandma ana her own Mormon father and s.sters and three brotuers has nothing out a corrupt heart. ud you and your mother in a horrible condition, g'ad to get the d piaced you whers you had ali the com- I furnished you with a hou=e and a stove to keep you warm, and wood to burn, and even had 1t sawed and split for your mother. have made you a little mo:e kind to You have also be, Uncle Oremus Ney’s stage-robbing and Siate’s-prison life, and also the ur Mormon brothers, and your father, who is k bas made me feel very different to what nade the deeds and signed the mortgages and notes and woulda send vou out of tue world before I shut out my own life. Not dated, but supposed to have been written about April 16. tune. Capron was a great friend of Mrs. Mec- | Dermott and her mother. In the hours | of his deepest loneiiness and desolation | he visited their modest little home on Natoma street, told ti.em his sorrows, | partook of their chicken dinners, and made them his mo<t confidential friends. When Mrs. McDermott produced the | will Judge Fitzgerald lost no time in having it offered for brobate. Some of the reasons that impelled the old man to change his mind and annul the provisions of the first will, favoring the stepdaugh- ters, appear in the testimony of Mrs. Mc- Dermott. Judee Fitzgerald offered the will for | probate on July 1. On the same day, by advice of his counsel, Henry Maynebaum, ve this I shall be laid away to rest— You will have and the rest of the Mormons of the ght you from his restaurant, with tie snows of Eureka. I it wasthat Al wged me to keep the secret of your W to keep the secret longer. Your that every doliai of my money that were it not for poor littie Loretia [ Orp Max Caprox. Gwmugmwn,uuummxunmwm he got an order from Judge Slack appoint- ing him special administrator of the | Capron estate. With tiiis he got power to | take possession, in the name of the court, | of ali bonds, notes and personal property. | These effects were at once transferred to a | private box in the office of the Union Trust Company. Chapter three opens with a move on the part of the girls in the case. Tuey hired the following attorneys to do battle for them: Reddy, Campoell & Metson, John H. Durst, Jacobs & Wolif and E. P. Mo- gan. They at once began to checkmate the legal moves of Attorneys H. E. Higa- ton, Henry Maynebaum and E. S. Pills- bury, who represent Judge Fiizgerald. The first thing these attorneys did was to offer their will of Marcu 13, 1896, for vrobate, asserting that all other wills were invalid and worthless. That meant the beginning of the strategies that culminated in the battle nowon before Judge Coffey. Yesterday was one of the most important days in the case, as Mrs. Hattie M. Kearney was on the stand. She testified concerning her stepfather’s last iliness and told of the | affection she and her sisters bore him. | was seen in letters wherein | the McCoy note and’ mortg: These statements are all bitterly contested by Judge Fitzgerald, who introduces letters to show that |the dead men despised his step- |daughters in bis declining days and regretted that he could not cut them off without any money atall. Letters to the effect that he suspected their desire to see bim dead wers introduced. Extracts irom a letter 10 Judge Fitzgerald com- plete one phase of a chapter of an old man’ssorrow. He seemed to be infinitely sad and annoyed, in spite of,his wealth, going hunted to his grave. The follow- ing is an extract from the last letter he ever wrote. Itis dated June 28th: The girls have treated me most shamefully the past two montbs. In fact, I may say that 1 beiieve they have tried in more ways than one to_shorten my unhappy l1fe, and I know what Iwill be obliged to suffer when 1 get heipless. Life s now miserabie to me. Iam 100 nervous to tell you all that I am obliged to pucup with. I do hope you will see to it that they get 1o more than I have left them in my will. I wish I could have cut them off without a dollar, but thougnt it best not to do so under the circumstances. I am glad Idid uot adopt oue or either of them. The old man suffered a great deal in his | declining vears and often longed to dash the burden of what he called his *‘un- happy life” from his shoulders. The depth of his sorrows and disappointments he threatened to end his life. These threats were so fre- quent that his friends ceased to worry much about them. The following ex- tracts from a letter written in April sbed light on the unhappy man’s domestic troubles and general grief: SAN FRANCISCO, April 29, 1897. Judge A. L. Fitzgerald—MY BEST FRIEND: Whea you receive tnis I will be in my grave. I have left a psckage, containing my will and 1 have made ou saw. about the same will as tne one In the same letter the following ex- pressions occar: Judge, these girls have et times used me cruel, and I truly believe tiey have tried to keep me in & nervous state in order to hasten my end, hoping then to revel in my hard earn- ings. Ibelieve Hattie would have been bet- ter to me had it not been for her sister Madge. * * * I am sorry I left Mamie as much as I did,and 1 aw almost tempied to open the will and change it. I hope you will deal with toem just as they deserve, for Madge and Mamie have been cruel to me. i wish I had leil them only $5. When they find I have left a will they will try to hide tnings. There is a book in mv desk that has an account of everything. Make them pro- duce everything. and if they attempt to break my will fight them to tue biterend. Your old ‘riend, JOHN 8. CAPRON. A strange phase of the case came to light yesterday in the evidence of Mrs. Kearn-y. She swore that, though her stepfatber was divorced from her mother in 1885, she never knew it until after Cap- ron’s death. the case intensely interesting, and ths courtroom is crowded with spectators at all times when the case is on. The contention of Judge Fitzgerald is that the will made in favor of the step- daughters was never anything more than | & aeclaration of trust. They say Capron | consulted Attorney Maynebaum about a vear agorelative to suing the girls 1o break the will. The attorney advised his client to make a demana for a revocation. The girls were consulted and all agreed, so Ca- pron reporteaq, to sign the instrument at any time the formal demand was made. First one thing and then another deterred Capron i{rom kis purpose. He seemed to fear the women, who, he said, made him nervous, and he decided to reach the mat- ter by making another will. Itis that will which 13 now under fire. Much interest attaches to the case from the fact that Judge Fitzgerald is a weil- known jurist. He was formeriy president of the Methodist college at Santa Rosa and is as well known throughout Nevada and the West as any man on the Pacific Goast. On the other hand it may be said that there is no blemish on the characters of any of the contestants. The evidence thus far offered by the contestants is prac- | tically undisputed by the opposing forces. The court and jury will therefore simply have to say wuether the well-known capi- talist and money-lender was insane when he made the will giving the bulk ot his fortune to the son-in-law of the man who | laid the foundations ot his fortune, or | whether hisdisposition of his estate, under | the belief that ke was being harassed and | hounded by those whom he had befriended in their helpless infancy, was the act of a sane mind. To Cure a Cold in One Day Teke Laxative Bromo Quinine Tablets. Drug- gists reiund the money if it fails o cure. Zoc. These sidelights all make | MAGITRE EARLY BIRD - CAMPALGN Max Popper Quietly Opening It Through the State With Clubs. i iNG DISTRICT ~ WORKERS. State President of the Iroquois League Starts General Organization. ‘SULLI\'ANITES ARE FOR NAGUIRE. Wiseacres See in the Governorship Fight the Hope and Goal of the Dictator's Faction, Congressman Maguire’s gubernatorial campaign is getting along nicely and quietly, like an early bird on a fresh and veaceful morn, but there is a low and swelling accompaniment that is being played on whetstones hereabouts, for the keen joy of knifing “The Little Giant” already bles<es in anticipation the hearts of a host of Democratic anti-Maguires. Popper, president ot the State League of Iroquots Clubs, has actively in hand the great work of organizing one or more Democratic clubs ander Iroquois auspices in every district in the State, and as Mr. Popper is one of the most ardent of Maguire’s supvporters, it is being freely charged that he is using the Iroguois organization to get up a big Maguire ma- chine, The scheme which President Porper has besn authorized by the leagwue to carry | out conterpiates the appointment in | each district of one man, wuo shall in rurn teke unto himseli four or five other Democrats. These shall, if possible, or- ganize a club or clubs, but if nut they suall remain agents for the distribut on of campaign lilerature, etc., and the doing of concerted political work. Mr. Popper has not formally appointed these Demo- cratic nuclei, but he has made up his mind as to a majority of them and all will be named and notified soon. The operation of the new primary law is to be one of the first things to be pressed on the atteution of these club fathers, and each one wiil receive with his appoint- ment a copy of the new law with instruc- tions to see tha: Supervisors et al. do th eir duty promptly and proverly in January. It issaid that they are mainly Maguire’s friends who are being named, but however that may be this is the list so far as Max Popper has decided oo 1t: Alameda County— Postmaster Obermiller, Haywards; T.C. Stoddard, Alamedn; Alex Rosborough, Oakland. Alpine—Trea-urer J. d’Arcy, Markleville. Inyo—A. 4. Eibeshutz, (ndependeuce; Judge R. .linor, County Clerk D. J. Hession. . L. Hayes. . Caminetti; C. L. Culbert,County John J. Suyder. Mendocino—J. C. Ruddock, Ukiah. Merced—County Clerk E. Hicks, T. C. Law, Shasta—H. C. Brainerd, Keddin Modoc—District Attorney J. E. Baker, Marion Hughes. Mon terey—District Attorney T. J. Riordan, B. V. Sargent, V. P. Wilkins, Saiinas. Napa—District Attorney Theodore Bell, He . Nevada—sSenator C. H. Prisk, Grass V lley; County Clerk John I. Greaney. Orange—Ch rles Edeiman, Orange. Placer—J. Hamilion, Auburn. verside—Mark Plaisted, County Clerk A. J. Condee. S i SIS\ The late Colonel J. Mervyn Donahue in his will provided that a fountsin should be should be dedicated to the mechanics of this city. ) s Lidl , AN TR Kern—William Pushell, Alfred Harrell, Bakersfield. 4 Kings—Editor Dewey, Hanford; Distriet Attorney M. L. Short, County Clerk F. Cuu- ninghan. Lassen—District Attorney W. J. Barry. Plumaz—County Clerk H. C. Flournoy. Sierra—District Artorney F. R. Wehe: Los Angeles—John P. Moran. Marin—R P. Troy, James E. Manney. Mariposa—Dis rict Attorney J.J. Trabucco. Tuolumne—D:strict Attorney J. B. Curtin, Sacramento—J. C. Gorman. San Benito—County C:erk G. M. Foote. San Bernardino—James Bovd. San Diego—Oscar A. Trippett. Sun Jowquin — William M. Gibson, Frank Nicoll, Disirict Attorney W. B. Miller. Sap Luis Obispo—Wlliam Graves. San Matco—Judge George H. Buck. Santa Barbara—County Clerk T. C. Bradley. Santa Clara—Victor Scheller, Sam Rucker, H.A. Pfister. Santa Cruz—William Casson. Solano—Raleigh Barcar, Vacaville; J. M. Minnehan, Vallejo. Sonoma—District Attorney Emmett Seawell, R. A. Thompson. Yuba—Sher.ff . E. Inlow, D. A. Ostrom. Sutter—Sheriff Thomas L. Smit! Tehama—District Attorney H. P. Andrews. Trinity—County Clerk R. L. Carter, John McMurray. Tulare—W. H. Aiford. Ventura—assemblyman T. A. Toland. Yolo—Sheriff G. W. Griffiu, Byron Ball. County Clerk C. J. Eubanks, ounty Clerk W. F. Ford. Glenn—R. H Long, F. Geis, Lake—R. H. Lawrence, G. W. Mustell. Contra Costa—A. C. Bai.ey. Del Norte—Judge J. E. Murphy, L. F. Cooper. Siskiyou—Treasurer R. H. De Witt. El Dorado—A. 8. Bosquit, Prentiss Carpen- ter. Humboldt—F. A. Cutler. The Maguire campaign looms up in the future of the lccal war between the Rain- eyites and the Sullivanites, and gives it a significance beyond thatimvparied by the charter and the issues of local politics. It is observed that the Sullivan committee of 110 1s composed by a ierge majority of the friends of Maecuire, who will Temain able to run the affairs of the faction in his in- terest. When the Rainey Democracy gets around to State politics after the charter election it will be anti-Maguire from stem to stern. Political speculation is thas easily forecasting a Maguire and an anti- Maguire delegation to the Democratic State Convention,and therein apvears the only hove of the Sullivan Democracy of securing any dominance in the local party in the end. The hope tnat there will be a Maguire majority in the State Convention that will seat their delegation and pro- nounce them the regular machine gives them a goal to work for, whalever woes may betide them here below, in the city of ever-warring Democrats. A CENTENARIAN DEAD. Lucy Evans, Formerly a Slave of Thomas Jefferson, Died Yesterday. A Remarkable Woman Who Did Much Good During Her Long and Interesting Life, Aunt Lncy Evans, a colored woman, 100 years old, died at the home of her daugi- ter, Mrs. Julia A. Harris, at 1608 Jones street, yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Evans was a typical “down-South’* negro,and during her life told many in- teresting stories of slavery times. When a zirl of about 25 she was owned by Thomas Jefferson, and wa: house- keeper in his family. She had a re- markable memory. and told friends of the visits of George Washington and Andrew Jackson to the house of her master. Among the treasures sie has a picture of Jackson and Jefferson taken together. She lived witn the Jeffersons atabout the time the daughters of the ex-Presiaent were being educated, and often spoke of the wonderful fact that the girls were sent to Europe to school. After the death of Jefferson she and her husband were sold to a doctor, who took tuem to Galveston, Tex., where they re- mained until 1857, when they were again sold to a man who brought them to San Krancisco. In those early days, versed as she was in the art of preparing herbs for medi- cinal purposes, her services as a doctor and nurse were greaily in demand, and many of the early pioneers owe their lives to her careful nursing. Until recently, when her increasing nge prevented her, sbe has been a ladies’ nurse, and is well known among soms of the wealthiest families in the city, who will greatly miss her in time of sickness. The death of Mrs. Evans was caused by old age, and was as peaceful astne burn- ing out of a cand!e. The past few days she bad not been feeling as well as usual on account of the fact that she was cutt- ing her second set of teeth. Yesterday she seemed particularly bright, and had just finished eating a hearty lunch when the grim messenger came with his summons. Mrs. Harris had left the room for a minute and on re- turning found her mother had fainted. Siue was put to bed but did not regain consciousness, A fewdaysago, in talkingof her life, Mrs. Lvans said that all she wanted now was to be assured that she would be given a re- spectable burial. There are a number of people still living here whom she nursed, and it is expected that they will see that her last wish is gratified. —_————— Death of M. De Witt. Mortimer de Witt of the firmsof M. de Witt & Co. and De Witt & Harris died at his home, corner of Oak and Webster streets, yesterday of vluro-pneumonia. He was born in New Jersey in 1836 and came to this State in the early fif:ies. For over thirty years he has been £ T il | i T STy closely identified with the grocery trade of San Francisco, and for many years was a part- ner of W. B. Cluff. The funeral will take place irom Simpson Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church Saturday at 12 ¥. erected in San Francisco in honor of his father’s memory, and that it The sum of $25,000 was devised for the erection of the fountain. An effort was made in the courts to set the provision aside, but the executors of the estate—Peter McGlynn and J. F. Burgin—insisted that the desire of the testator should be fultilled, and the court decided in their favor. An order was adopted by the Board of SBupervisors setting apart ample space at the intersection of Market, Battery and Bush streets on which to erect this fitting monument to the memory of Peter Donahue. The executors, having $25,000 in ingly anx ous that the work should reflect credit on the artistic taste of Californi hand and perceiving that the sum would question of inviting world-wide competitior for the design was discussed. The genius displayed by Douglas Tilden in bis design for the Paelan fountain at the intersection of Market, Mason and Turk streets convinced the executors that 1t would rot be necessary to look beyond this city for a beautiful and artistic design. Mr. Tii fountain in accordance with the model. It was stipulated by the executors that the design should be acceptable to them. The accompanying illustration is from a sketch in clay of a design from which Mr. re, McGlynn and Burgin for their approval, to M den was therefore commissi procure a fountnin graceful in design as well as massive and enduring, were exceed- 2. There was no thought of having the mechanical work done elsewhere, but the ioned to submit a design and erect the He began the work and may in his first effort please the executors. . Tilden will, within the next ten days, make a finished cast and present it MORE WORK, LAY T WORKERS City Hall Park Commis- sioners OQut for Im- provement. PETITION A T0 SUPERVISORS. They Will Not Stop at Secur- ing the Market-Street Pleasure-Ground, ARE READY T0 BRANCH OUT, Other Works May Be Undertaken if the Proper Sanction Be Given. The members of the City Hail Park Commission, while sure of the success of their enterprise, seem to have a slight ob- jection to devoting their time exclusively to securing the park, but desire also to do something else for the good of the city at the same time. The park is a sure thing, there is no doubt of tiat, but many other improve- ments are badly needed, and the Commis- sioners think these can be secured at the same time as the park if the matter be left in their hands. This was suggested by Mr. Dobrmann at a meeting of the commission held in the Mayor's office yesterday afternoon, and it at once became popular, and the follow- ing communication requesting further jurisdiction will be presented at the next | meeting of the Board of Supervisors, 1 To the Honorable Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco—GENTLEMEN: The following resolutions have been unani- mously adopted, and are herewith submitted to theearuest consideration of your honorable board: WHEREAS, This committee was appointed at the request of the Board of Supervisors with speciai instructions to investigate and report upon the advisability of the reacquisition by San Francisco of the former City Hall lots for park purposes; and whereas, after careful con- sideration of this proposition, your commite tee believes that a report upon thissubject alone would neither do full justice to the views of the members of the committee nor | be satisfactory to the voters and taxpayers of | San Fransisco; therefore, be it | Resolved, That your honorable board is here- by respectiully requesied to include within the province of this committee suck other necessities and contempiated improvements as are also desirable, but canuot be pro- vided for in the regular tax levy of the city and couuty. Permit us to mention among the matters of absolute necessity the following subjacts: (1) Suitable buildings wherever necessary for hospitals and for school, police ana fire de- partment purposes; (2) An improved sysiem of sewerage and drainage; (3) Modern pave- ments upon & number of our principal sireets. This committee should eiso be authorized to consider any propositions for 1mproving and beautifying this city, so as to add to its desir- ability for residence and business. Hoping that the foregoing conclusions will commend themselves to_the favorable consia- eration of your honorable board we remain, very respectfully yours, THE COMMITTEE. THEY WILL B3 PLEDGED. Candidates for Freeholders Must Stand By Civil Sevvice Reform. The charter convention decided last night that their candidates for freehold- ers should be pledged for the three prin- ciples of home rule, economy and civil service reform, but it was not until afier some very warm discus:ions that'it was i so decided. The matter came up alter the special order of the evering, which was for the nominating and eleciing candidates for the Board of Fresholders. Osgood Putnam staved off the election part of the programme by introducing a resolution postponing the election until next Thursday. The resolution provided that the nominations be made on the floor of the convention last night and to-night | P2 and by the chairman of the committee of five sending in the names of eligible citi- zens before noon next Monday. It also provided that those eligibles whose names were presented after next Tuesday night shall have consenied to serve, and it also gave power to the com- mittee to present the full list of nominees in printed form, showing to what National party each candidate belonged. The six Democrats and six Republicans and t:e three of other parties receiving the ma- jority of votes polled should be declared elected. The resolution was adopted. There was a warm debate over the ques- tion of pledging the candidates, J, J. Dwyer and others contending that the men should go unpledeed, for there were many things in the charter which even the members of the convention did not approve. Gayin McNab and others said that the candidates should be pledged to the basic principles of tie charter. O. Putnam moved that candidates be pledged to home rule, economy and ciyil service reform, but the opponents of the pledge souzht to nullify the motion by amending so as to embody all the prin- ciples in the charter. The matter was finally disposed of b adopting the original motion. 3 It was decided to appoint a committee of five to prepare an address to the publie. But five names had been placed in nom- iuation before adjournmen:, ————— Interstate Coursing Meet Forty-eight creck dogs of the State - pete Saturday and Sunday at lugleah;’e“é:::‘:. ing Park for & purse of $270 hung up by the Interstate Club. After the course many of the fleet-footed hounds will be taken to Merced for the big interstate meet there. Foliowing is the draw: ssagoerey vs. J. P. Dick- k00000 00T0 0000000 0CO00O000000000I00000000] Grui'c & Danne'nn!m sou’s Premier, C. D. Tayior's W Tompking' Victor, P. Cioney’s ;J\';?.’fgéa?if Muher & Lynch’s Ei Dorado, J. Quane's Fire wman vs, J. Quane’s €. n Morse, Montezuma kennei’s Gurden City s, “asha kennel's Kittie Seott, Cronin & McD: Juld’s Fannie H vs, D, Hooper's Coollawn, J. Meuzies' Masier Mee Gregor vs. J. McCormac's Black Prince, D. Scolt's Lord Byron vs. D.Leonard’s Benda- | Cork v H. Wilson’s Laska vs. £. Murph: Newman's Red Cloud vs, D. Sanni 3. J. Edmond’ G Bean Brumme, J Micklnsky’s Ta Ra Ra, Dr. Norman vs. J. Sex- long, Grace, Swinnerion, vs. D. Hooper's er's Hercule 3 Montezuma kennel smith’s Vigilant, P. Suilivan’s Snow vs. M. Tiernan’s Valley Maid, E. Brown’s Alurer vs. James McCormac's Whnite Lily, J. Anderson's Litue Pete va. J. E. Cohn’s Oakwoud, Norion & Trieger’s Mary R vs. J. J. Edmond-Clorgel, D. Ward’s Speculation vs. George Walsor g Don Caster, Jumes Byrne’s Occideutal vs. & amonte kennel's Grazer, S, Regau’s Blick Bip firamonte kennel I's Arapahoe v me | Magic, Ed Hean: y's Knway s R. G. Enskin’s General Burnsby, R. Struble's Jinny Kay’s Port Co-ta Lass, S. A, Portel’s (K Our Baby vs. Larckey & R e - IMPROVED ITALIAN OPERA. Last Night’s Performances of +Caval- leria” and ““Pagliacci”” Were Largely Different. The Italian Opera Company at the Cali- fornia Theater went another long strids to the good last nightin the double bill of “:Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci. Apart from instances of vnllianti(x"lnv3d~ ual singing the operas were x_xven_wnh in- telligent attention to dnammc_nnuy. The casts were tactfully made up, and the singers seemed to find _lheir best moods in these passionate minaiures of ihe newer Italy. Mascagni’s melodrama was well dune. The acting, both in stage b s and spirit, the tempi of the music, an_d that portentious, sultry atmosphere, which at- tends only on a skillfully directed per- formance, were brought out with faithfual identity. Yor some strange reason ihe cyorllls was not up to its usual unanimity in * Caval- leria.”” and its average tone was too heavy to admit of graccful shading. B'u_! n “Pagliacci” it was lythe ana even. There must have been a few choice Italian re- marks {rom the chorusmasier betwe: pieces. S Montonari was again victorious. sang and acted Santuzza with beautiful appreciation, It was a strenuouas charac- terization, without, I am giad to note, one banal tour de force to mar its mean- ing. Agostini, too, sang Turiddu with pieasing legitimacy, although his action might have been more gaivanic. The quavering Signor Francescon: showed a disposition toward doing the best he could in the part of Alfio, and Adelina Fauton illumined Lola with a stout affa- bility that was notout of piace. . Vallini and his band were in tbe pink of form throughout both performances. To say that he was compelled to repeat Mas- cagni’s intermezzo would mean nothing. All ieaders arealways comvelled to repeat it. But Vallini made you forget that it ever had been worn soiled and shiny. He gave to it rhythm, peculiar accentuation and versatility of touch that were abso- lutely new. ¥ ~‘Paghacci” introduced Cioni, the com- pany’s stellar barytone, as Tonio. He nas a wide, splurging voice, .hat is warmly magnetic, but_handicappea by more or less vibrato. He acted the partenthusi- astically and well, and there were many times when his voice came withouta waver. The sensation of “Pagiiacci” was Col- lenz, who in Canio seems to find an out- let for the very best that is in him. Collenz’s voice 1s notof even purity, but his top notes are true and polished, his humor distinguished and his presence alert and plausible. He made of the Punchinello a strong and satisfying im- personation. Last night's work was good enough to prove the man who planned the ‘Gio- conda” opening with that wobble-throated cast to be entirely deserving of whatever bard luck may attend tiie profits of the season. ASHTON ETEVENS NEW TO-DATY. e ) Doctors’ visits are always costly and are many times unnecessary. _ If only for econ. omical reasons, send for Dr. Pierce’s Com- mon Sense Medical Adviser. It is much cheaper than sending for a physician, and may save you very many doctors’ bills, Besides_that, it will give you some new ideas. You will very soon learn to be ob- servant of many little signs of illness that now pass unnoticed. The better you know the symptoms, the more surely may you prevent serious illness. For this reason it was written. Dr. Pierce has sFared no pains in con- densing a world of useful knowledge in these pages, for the use of busy people. The early symptoms of many common ail- ments are described, and prescriptions given for them. The book will be found especially interesting and helpful to wo- men. Inits 1008 pages there are 300 illus- trations. You may have this great and good book free, by sending 21 cents in one- cent stamps to World’s Dispensary Med- 1ca‘1 A?ocnauor:, B}i‘flaln‘ N. Y. Ten cents extra (31 cents) will give you the book i fine French cloth hindinz.y ok et one part of DR. PIERCE’S [ % chanism come to a stand-still, and expect the balance of the machine o run along Smoothly, The digestive organs are the most important 1t of the human machine. They must be kept In running order, or there will be a breakdown When they don’t run smoothly, the doctors call it constipation. The blood becomes impure, and the whole system suffers from slow but sure poi soning. Every imaginable malady may result. Dr. Pierce's ~Pleasant PELLETS. PA [CO00000CIO000000CI0000000 I @ Going to Atwater: It don't do-to Pellets never fail to cure constipation, '0000000 ® ® ® ® ® ® @ ) o)) =4 ‘vfl o B o)) < Take the $2.50 Excursion TO-MORROW and see the Alfalfa Fields, Fruit Farms 20d Vineyards of Merced Couny. Special train leaves foot of Market st. 7 A M. SATURDAY, Nov 6. Arrives ATWATER 11:35. FREE BARBECUE at M AUCTION SALE of w,uuu)' SCO[0000000 000000 ucres of estate of J. W. MITCHELL, ¢« ceased, at 1 P. M, RAIN OK SHINE, fartuer pariculars see haudbills or McAFEE BROTHERS, 108 stonigomery st. Fg @ 3 - San Francisco. 000000 0CI0000000, TYPEWRCT i & ALow ALL MARKES. L.&Mm. ALEXANDER, 110 Montgomer: