Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-06-23
"THOMAS H. BLYTHE."
A Downey Banker Amongst the
Heir of tho Deceased niIliOnalre.

heads this article Q1oQ IN Cne Guy vi Oah
Francisco, leaving an estate at that time
worth at least $4,000, 900, and which
said estate has increased in value until
it is now worth at least 20,000,0 900. AT
the time of his death little was known
of the millionaire Blythe, except that he
was the sole owner of that splendid prop
erty on Market street in San Francisco
comprising all OF the block of land and
building bounded by Market, Grant
avenue and Geary street; and being no"
the best block Of real property In the
city of San Francisco, and, perhaps, the
very best upon the American continent,
from the fact that its position In the city
of San Francisco makes it the key to the
entire business portion of the city.
Mr.. Blythe had so lived that none OF
his most intimate friends seemed at that
time to know much about him, or who,
or where, his kinspeople, if he had any,
lived. Having left no wife or family,
and dying intestate, it was for time the
all.absor rbing topic OF the community as
to what disposition would be made OF his
vast fortune. But this question was
soon settled 80 far as claimants were
concerned, for it was not long until they
began to epring up in all parts of the
world, and of almost every name and
tongue. However, as the news of his
death spread, and the fact of his having
no family or leaving any will became
known. his relations of the same name,
Blythe, residing in different parts of this
country and in Scotland, began to trace
their family record to find out the degree
of friendship, if any, to the late million
aire Thomas H. BLY, the, which investiga-
tion resulted in the filing of the claim Of
Henry T. Blythe and others to said
estate.
Mr.. B. M. Blythe, SON of James 7.
Blythe. Banker and President of the Los
Nietos Valley Bank, at Downey, Califor-
mia, and his cousin, Capt. j. W. Blythe,
of Fulton, Kentucky, are entitled to more
credit in securing this vast fortune for
their kinsmen than any other member
of the family name. On the morning OF
the 9th of April, 1888, when the news OF
the death of the millionaire, Thos. H
BLY, the, was flashed over the wires and
was being published in the press of the
country, Mr.. B. M. Blythe was then
living in Texas. On seeing the
notice in the morning paper of the death
of the San Francisco Blythe and, having
heard Of the millionaire and that he was
a relative, with his usual foresight and
impulsive nature at once sat down and
wrote to the Public Administrator of San
Francisco, requesting an answer as to
the extent and condition of the estate.
In due time Mr.. Blythe received letter
from the Administrator that convinced
him that the late Thos. II. Blythe was the
relative of his fathers family. Since
that time, and continuously, Mr.. B. NJ.
Blythe and his cousin, Captain j. M.
Blythe, have not doubted their right to
inherit said estate, and have not lost a
day, but have continued in the steady
and systematic prosecution of the claim
of the Blythe family to this vast fortune
After some years of travel to England
and Scotland, and full investigation of
the whole question involved in the title
of this fine estate, Captain j. W. Blythe,
of Fulton, KY, has succeeded in secur-
ing evidence, that cannot be overcome,
of his and his family's right to this prop.
erty. Besides the splendid blocks of
city property in San Francisco hereinbe-
fore named, this estate consists of $50, 900
acres of fine land in San Diego county,
CAL, and l 800, 900 acres in Old Mexico,
and mining and many other valuable
properties in California, Nevada and
Oregon.
The Blythes are of Scotch Gypsy stock.
John Blythe came to America before
the Revolutionary war from Glasgow
Scotland, and was soldier of the war
of the Revolution, and was the great
uncle Of Thomas II. Blythe, and from
the said John Blythe sprung all the
Dlrkhn al fo tot thio tot
who now have their proofs in court.
Henry T. Blythe, the Oldest and prin-
cipal claimant to this vast estate, is a
resident OF Blytheville, Ark. He arrived
in this city yesterday morning to be in
attendance at the trial, which begins on
the 10th of July. He is one of the
leading citizens OF the State OF
Arkansas, both in church and State,
he having been several times elected to
the Legislature of his own State, and be-
ing the the leading spirit in all church
matters of his town and county. He is
a man of fine mental and physical ap-
pearance, is 73 years of age, but does not
yet one of Gods noblemen.
The other claimants to this estate, If
they think they have any chance of sue
C6bb, WILL bOOu pO uuoOcClNOu, ioi -lotI-
ing can defeat the claim of the Blythe
family.
Tha friends of the little English girl,
by name Florence Blythe, who claims to
be the illegitimate child of Thomas II.
Blythe, have heretofore thought, or
claimed to think, that she had some
chance of success, but from information
in the possession and within the knowl-
edge of the writer hereof, she has not the
shadow of show to get one cent OF said
estate.
And 1 will add in conclusion, from my
personal and intimate knowledge of this
case, and from the complete and fully
connected chain of evidence, nothing can
defeat the claim OF the Blythes, or pre-
vent them from establishing their lawful
right to inherit this magnificent fortune,
and it could not 60 to people who would
use it for q more noble or righteous pur-
pose. have never had the pleasure OF
knowing or meeting a more noble or
honorable set of men than the
Blythes. Henry T. Blythe, John W.
Blythe, James, T. Blythe and B. M. Blythe
are of the very best of men, and from
what 1 know Of them and their families,
they are all of the same substantial stock
of our revolutionary fathers. They are
all men of means, acquired by persever-
auce and that energetic industry so char
acteristic of the family, and several
hundred thousand could be raised in q
very short time, if necessary, to carry
this matter to the higher courts. They
k1a0,p thew are right. and are the only