Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-10-30
A VaHuab lie Memorandum
Scrap of Paper Kept IS Years
DQcidaS "a E,aW Shit

A suit in San Francisco involving the
title to the international Hotel property
was decided last week by little scrap OF
paper kept by a lady for eighteen years.
The San Francisco ''Bulletin'' says of it :
The Montgomery Avenue Commission
erS awarded $57 900 damages for approprIa-
ting q portion of the property for street
purposes to the supposed owner, the defen-
dant. Brown then brought suit to compel
defendant to reconvey the property back
to him, claiming that defendant only held
it as a security for money loaned. The
case came up for trial in August last, and
the contest lasted for over two weeks
Brown made out strong case for himself,
and but for a very fortunate circumstance
| would probably have obtained Judgment.
The turning point of the case hinged upon
| a.small piece of paper containing figures.
In 1856 Miss Stevenson came to California
to New Y DIRK, to testify in q suit instituted
by her against one De Witt Hopkins
Brown at the time was acting as agent for
the international Hotel property. Not
being accustomed to testifying i'll court,
she expressed to Mr.. Brown fears that
she might be overcome with nervousness.
He said that all that was required OF her
was to tell about her purchasing the hotel.
He tore off an irregular piece of paper
from the margin of newspaper, upon
which he placed figures of the several
amounts which she paid him for the prop
| erty. These sums footed up to 81, $50.
| After she had given evidence in the case,
and fearing thai she might be carried. up
again to testify to the same facts, she fold
ed the slip OF paner and placed it under the
| lid of her jeWelry box. This box contained
a magnificent diamond necklace, brought
| p,L
| The box and valuable contents were sub
sequently deposited in u New York bank,
where they have remained untouched for
! eighteen years. When about to START for
California she took the iewelry out of the
bank, and on opening the box, this small
piece Of paper was found adhering to the
lid. Thinking it might be of service to her
in the coming trial, she brought it here.
Her attorney, R. II. Lloyd set to work to
ascertain in what case the i5ures were
used. Miss Stevenson had no recollection
Of the title of the suit, in which court it
vas tried, or Wien. Accompanied by Mr..
Lloyd. she visited the City Hall and, after
d careful inspection Of the various rooms
which are now used rs court /, gister
| offices. it seemed to her to BE- tue room
where the trial took place It also appear
to her that man named Hopkins was
mixed up in the case. The records Of the
| Old SUPERIOR Court (Which formerly occll-
pied this room Were overElauled. and II
was fOnnd that Miss Stevenson had teStihed
in the case above mentioned. The notes
taken on the trial by the attorneys in the
Ease were also found. Brown wasa witness
| and he sWOre that he had no interest il
the property, and was only acting as the
agent for Miss Stevenson, at a monthly
salary of 500. The effect of this newly
discovered evidence rather exposed Brown
aud his attorneys. He evidently fiattered
himself that this ancient case would not be
resurrected, and he had not the slightest
idea that the hasty memorandum he had
made had been preserved. Miss Stevenson
is now the wife of P. Kirby, late Of Kirby
| Byrne & Co.