The daily gazette., 1877-12-12
Ra;lstOn'S WealthyWidOW
A STORY OF THE PACIFIC COAST |
AND OF THE FRENCH CAPITAL.

NA'+ - y 2 ION
A STORY OF THE PACIFIC COAST
AND OF THE FRENCH CAPITAL.
Made Rich bg the Generosity Of he,, Husband.
'wsgse,ide,so adpcnissr Sn',,s nsr r'Sperty on an
From the San Francisco Chronicle. I,
of the myriad writer's who told the
mournful story Of the death of w. g.
Ralston, not one reverted to the sacred
romance of his life. There were few
who Knew the secret, and those who did
rarely spoke Of it. EARLY in the fifties
Mr.. Ralston had frequent occasion Ia
| visit New York, bis business calling him
there. He there became acquainted with
Miss Louise Thorne, a daughter of IA
prominent and well-to-doS New York
merchant and granddaughter of Commo.
dore Vanderbilt. The two became at
tached to each other, and engaged them
selves to be married. But the union was
opposed by the parents. The opposition
was brought to an end, however, by the
death Of Miss Thorne. Ralsten could
not forget his first and only love, but by
degrees he was led back into society. he
became acquainted with Miss Lizzie
Fry, niece Of Col. J.. D.. Fry. To her
he showed much attention. Finally Col.
Fry requested to know his intentions to-
ward his niece. With rare frankness
Ralston replied that he had consecrated
his love to her who had gone before him,
but that if Miss Fry, with the full knowl-
edge of this, wonld have him for hus-
band, he would endeavor to make her life
as happy as possible. With this under
standing the wedding took place. AL
though TO outward appearances all went
fair with the couple, those who knew
them best were aware that they were
married but not mated Mr.. Ralston
sought relief In the excitement of bust
ness. Mrs. Ralston had her idiosyncra-
cies, some of them of a nature to cause
her real friends pain. While abroad in
Enrope, Mrs. Ralston became acquainted
and very intimate with the artist Inmali,
Epeculiarities of Al = 80 ~1s .iS-'
The death ofs,Mr. sRalston took place
on the 10Th of July, 1876. He had made
a will long time anterior to his death,
giving all his property to his wife. This
will was admitLed to. probate, and A. J,
Ralston, j. d. Fry, Thomas Brown and
William Sharon were named as its execu.
tors but Brown and Sharon re nonnced
the trust, leaving the two former gentle
men as sole executors. ;..,.. ~ ,itrf,',,,,
On the day of Mr.. Ralston'sl death he
executed an instrument by which he
transferred to William Sharon all Of bis
property, both real and personal, wher
ever sitHated. to collect and receive the
rents, increase and profits thereof, and tC
apply the same, together with the pro.
ceeds of all the property so conveyed, tc
such purposes and uses as Mr.. Sharon
might in his Judgment deem best for thu
| full protection of all the interests con
cerned. BY this instrument the will wa.
nullfied, and the entite estate, to the ex.
clusion of Mrs. Ralston and all othel
heirs, passed into the absolute control o
Mr.. Sharon. Mr.. Sharon applied himsel
to settling up the estate of his dead friend
When he had completed the settlement
Mrs. Ralston appointed A. j. RalstoI
and w. FL. l.. Barnes, her attorneys IL
fact, by general power of attorney, Il
settle any accounts Mr.. Sharon NIGH
have with her as sole devisee under he
husbands will. The result showed tina
the estate was in debt TO Mr.. Sbarol
several hundred thousand dollars. Thi
result would have left Mrs. Ralston al
most penpiless, but Mr.. Sharon CAV
Mrs. Ralston $150,000. He, also mad
her a present of very valuable estat
and about thirty acres of land, worth al
together $4,000. He also allowed her +
furnish this establishment from the Bel
mont mansion and Mr.. Ralston's Pin
street residence, under which permission
she took nearly every article of vertu, tn
most valuable paintings, all the fin
linen of both places, and furniture wort
not less than $4,000, and which coul
not be replaced for 100000. She ais
received a large amount from d. Q
Mills.
During his lifetime Ralston hat
; been a heavy stockholder in the Viz
; ginia and Truckee Railroad and hi
entire interest was purchased by MI
Mills shortly before the former
death. MIR. Mills paid Mrs. kalsto
fall dividend on this stock, amount
lug to $16, 600. At the time he die
Ralston was heavily insured in variou
life companies, and on these policie
,, the total sums collected, aggregatin
over $68, 900, went directly to Mr.
Ralston, land were invested carefully
Her estate was then worth wort
labvut $206, ,080 TO invested as to real
lze about $1,000 q month income
This property was the voluntary gil
of her husband's q friend. stE
In 1875, Mrs. Ralston went to Ell
rope, ostsnsibly to live quietly in Pal
I is and there educate her children
/ Instead, however, she started an e2
peasixe .establishment--s there
which 1t is said she yet owns
Q Scandal was soon busy with her q
II fair. She managed to dispose OF he
iample income, and a large portioi
lof the principal. Those who wer
Il most familiar with her mode of livin
q assert that she had aid rendered he
g in spending the, money by a. ma
.. named J. A. Chandor who gave hin
!. . self eu; as the son of an America
CONTRACTOR In st. Petersburg, an,
q with whom she became acqaainteda i
7 the steamer on the voyage. ChandS
+ represented himself to be a singl
8 man, but subsequent development
r make clear the fact that he has a vii
: living in New York. The intimac