The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-31
How California NIilliOnaires Have Been Bled
by Wicked Women.

How California RIillionaires Have Been Bled
by Wicked Women.
San Francisco Letter.
Some few years ago an eccentric Frenchmau
died here possessed of cool million or SO. He
had no heirs here, but there were a score of
| nephews and neices In France. When his will
was opened it was found that the old man had
provided literally for ALL and to Salie Hinchley,
former wellknown actress who has lived here
for many years, he had left an annuity of $500 a
month"; to be paid her 80 long as she lived. But
Sallie pooh poohed this provision. She began
suit at once, claimed to be the wife and to have
dower-rights and all that and she made such a
hubbub az to scare the French heirs out of their
$50 900 in cash in lieu of her annuity, and 800,
600 besides She now lives in fine style here.
| and though no longer young woman by any
means, is attractive and leads quiet and re-
spectacle life
The dead Ralston was prey to adventuresses
as long az he lived He was a man Of open i'm
moraities, and numbered his mistresses by the
dozen. His bachelor apartments on Commercial
street, which occupied whole floor and were
fitted mp in regal STYLE were the scene of many a
champagne supper to a choice but soiled coterie
Of friends. After his death his estate was not
openly attacked, for the excellent reason, per-
haps, that there was nothing to be gained by it,
for Ralston died pauper. Sharon, who took
charge OF his affairs and wound up the estate.
did, however pay some small sums to two or
three Of the women who had been dependent
upon Ralston, and by that means secured quit
claim deeds" SO to speak Out of the wreck of
the Ralston estate was saved for his widow the
country residence known as Little Belmont"
and $40, 600 to support the family. This has all
been disspated. Mrs. Ralston got into evil habits
and contracted evil associations. Her property
is now all gone, and she has, it is believed,
wholly lost the respect of her old friends and her
family.
w. S. O'Br1en. the dead bonanza monarch,
thought he would save scandal and money, too,
by fixing up matters with all his chere amies
before his death. ''Uncie Billy" had been one Of
the boys in his earlier days, and later on,
at the period Of his affuence he had not
forgotten the companions of his more
youthful joys. 1t was said that there
We're no less than four ladies who lived
handsomely at Mr. OBrien's expense during his
later years Not that they were all his mis-
tresses by any means but at some time or other
in their lives he had relations with them, and he
felt the obligation to care for them. Uncle
Billy" was i'll for several months bfore he died,
and during his illness he took his old partner
and friend Flood into his confidence and be-
tween them they provided for all the ladies IN
the handsomest manner To each was decided the
beautiful house she dwelt in and sufficient sum
to support it, together with furniture horses,
carriages, etc Rumor put the cost of all this TO
Uncle Billys estate at $500 08O but it was all
done quietly, and not soul bat Flood knew
From each of the ladies' was taken castiron
document signed, sealed and delivered releasing
W. o. " DITCH anu Ills estate from any claim
whatever.
But, alas! Uncle Billy forgot one innamorata
Of the days of his poverty A Mexican woman
in humble life called one day at the Nevada
Bank. not long after O'Briens death. and asked
to see Mr.. Flood The latter recognized her at
once. She had been 'friend" of Uncle Billy's
when Flood and O'Brien kept the Auction
Lunch and Saloon" The woman who seemed
quite poor, asked if Mr.. OBrien had not left her
some little keepsake Flood said he had not
He must have forgotten me-" she said and
then she pulled from her pockets bundle of
yellow, faded love-letters of Uncle Biys, writ
ten in a mixture of pretty bad English and hor-
rible Spanish. and said: He used to think SO
much Of me; | was greatly shocked to hear of
his DEATH" The woman did not ask for any
thing, but the cool-headed Flood knew that he
must get those letters, for an innocent woman
with that budget was too dangerous a quantity
to allow to run loose in a community filed with
hungry and INSCRIPTIONS lawyers. He sent for
his co-executor, j. V. Coleman, nephew of Uncle
Billy, and the two took the woman into private
room. Whatever took place there nobody knows,
but the letters passed into Floods possession and
it was afterward learned that the O'Brien estate
was charged with $40, 600 illegal expenses in Sc
curing certain quit-claim deeds"