New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-09
TOPICS IN LEADING CITIES.
SAN FRANCISCO.
THE LICK TRCST-1HE SANTA BARBAhA
BELL-MULDOON AND BlBBY.


SAN Francisco, Sept. s.-The Lick Trust. one OF
the most successfu attempts to feed upon great
estate and prevent the legatees from reahzlpg
dollar OF their inheritance, will soon be exposea ia
court Five years ago James Lick died. beouesth-
ing property valued at So, 100000 to various
societies and for charitable and scientific purposes
The Board of Trustees named IN the Will entered on
the work OF settling the estate. Many times the
ecatees tried 70 secure distribution OF the estate
Int without success The trustees claim that tine
beouests must be paid in the regular order, ana as
the first is for the telescope OF the Mount Hamiitoh
Observatory which cannot be completed lot n'o
years the prospect of settlement is remote unless
tho law steps in and hastens 1t. The estate mas
hem reckl,ssly managed. The best piece OF prop
.rtv "a the popular hotel known as the Lick House.
1t is controlled by one OF the trustees, vet paysa
profit of only $500 monthly The revenues ave
souandered on alterations and the refurnlshlhg Vi
rooms The uphosterer who gets TINS prohtapio
work Ia another trustee. AS the mousse Is rlcniS
furnished and is donga good business. it could be
rented for five times what IL now brings IN Inc
value of the entire estate is diminishing every year.
FINALLY this week. the Society of Pioneers. which
ia among the legatees decided to bring suit to
compel An accounting II 1t serves other purpose
IL will expose the methods by which limo estate
has been wasted and will prove warning 10 mill
onnaires to not delay beneactions until alter dea'n'
,ood eYamnle of thsWestern passion for modern
,z,ng everything antique is furnished by the town
nj Santa Barbara The old mission OF that place had
one of the bandsomest of the bells brought out from
Sp.in to tho California missions. IL was OF
ouaint form and superb tone. Now the old bell mas
BEEN shipped to this city for recastng in modern
FORM In a similar spirit half dozen peautiiui
mission churches in California still fair preser-
vatIon are allowed TO fall into decay or are partly
restored with cheap materials and in vulgar style.
Even among Catholics there seems to bo no rover
ence for these impressive memorials of the power OF
the Church in early days.
The ease with which favored convicts may es-
cape from State prisons was shown this week by
the fight of DR.. Chafant, the dentist who muir
dered Josiah Bacon several years ago. IN tho Bald
win Hotel Chalfant trusted about the prison
and looked after the inmates teeth. woman
who visited him gave him suit of Clothes ana
changing his convict garb fo- black suit lie coouy
walked ont of the prison. He came here last night
with false whiskers and an overland ticket ana
sbool, off the dust of the city from his feet. When
he passed the California line ne tried to remove the
whskers but failed, and in readjustnx them he
was so AWKWARD that a detective arrested him.
thinking he was Utah train robber. lie was
years of his time in prison.
Two murders have Stained the local criminal
record this week. one the result of G quarrel the
other due 10 the careless handling of n pistol by
two friends on drunken debauch. Both the guilty
men expect acqu.tal. which is the only logical
result OF halfwitted juries and neglect to enforce
the law when a conviction Is occasionally secured.
II. II. Bancroft. the California historian. has gone
Ia Mex leo and al America for year TO study
documents anil antiquities. lie Is accompanied by
three assistants and proposes TO carry on hrs histor-
ical work without intermlssion. lie Is scholar
and Il ahoal OF the printers with his History Of the
Pacific States II is to be hoped that there will he
no delay IN the issue OF this work. which promises
to be a formidable rival in to the British In
cyclopgdia.
General Sherman and tho Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher received much social attention tins week.
Mr. Beecher's lectures were crowded but he has
stirred up people bv giving to reporter his old
views OF the Chinese question.
A greater crowd than welcomed Dir. Beecher
gathered to witness tho GrRco-Roman wrestling
match between MuldooD. the former New York
policeman aud Bibby. the English athlete Null
doom Won after a struggle lastiAs nearly two hours.
An enormous tent has been opened Tor these con-
tests and an athletic fever raging, even the dudes
having caught the infection.