The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-18
A COLD BLUFF"
w. G. Nicholson Posing Now as
the Injured Husband.
he Has Sued for Heavy Damages for the
Opening Of a Letter Resulting in the
Loss of His Bride.

On Monday last William G. Nicholson OF Oak
land filed complaint in the Superior Court
against Charles Claffey, proprietor Of the Lick
House, asking that tribunal to compel the de-
fendant to pay him $4,000 damages which lie
AYERS IS due him for the criminal act of one of
Mr. Clatfey's employees. in having opened a
sealed letter.
Nicholson claims further that the clerk by hav-
ing made the contents OF the letter known to
others has caused him to lose his bride OF a
couple of months. In an interview on the sub.
ject OF his cause OF action he declared himself as
follows:
II was married on April 23d at San Rafael to
Miss Wooley, but TO do so we had to elope. AT
that time 1 was roomIBg at the Lick House,
where 1 left my baggage during my absence.
Upon our return the next day l wrote letter to
my friend, DIR. w. D. King, which addressed to
him at The Lick House, where he was stopping
This note l handed TO San Francisco District
messenger to be delivered, and his slip bears the
Lick House receipt.
"PERsoNAL AND IMPORTANT"
" In this letter | asked the doctor to pack my
yalise with certain articles l left loose in the
bureau drawers, and TO bring them TO me at a
rendezvous named in the letter that night. 1
also told OF my eloDemenI, oil the manner had
Outwltted the old lady, and applied. admit,
several uncomplimentary terms TO her. knew
That the letter was private and did not think OF
the possibility OF its being opened.
"As soon as the letter, which / had marked
personal and important was delivered the
NJ, d. /
the contents to Mrs. WOoey and others. The
letter was then resealed and delivered to DIR.
King, who did not learn until afterward that it
had been opened. Mrs. Wooey then hired a
couple of detectives 10 watch DIR. King and to
follow ME as soon as we had met at the rendez-
vous.
WIFE LOST IN THE BARGAIN.
DIR. King came with my baggage, and left
for Oakland. Observing that was watched and
followed by detective, tried TO eyade him.
but / fell plump into the hands of the other one.
1 a the Lick Housa- and "A
tervlew. eDsued. Mrs. Wooley asked, Haven't
you said or written anything against me? and |
said no. thinking and Knowing that Dr. King
would not give me away She then let the cat
out OF the bag and learned all. My wife then
fell irremediably under her mothers influence,
and left me.
Last week I swOre ont writ OF habeas cor
pus, knowing she was being detained against her
wishes. Ii was called up last Tuesday in Oak
land and lost 1t by her swearing that she did
NOT want TO live with me; but believe would
have gained the case had she understood that she
was under oath. She thought she was making
statement, and was too thoroughly under her
mothers Influence to tell the truth. That is the
Whole case. | have lost my wife by the criminal
act of man whose employer propose TO hold
responsible"
ONLY "A COLD BLUFF"
Mr.. Claffey, proprietor of the Lick House. de-
clned, when approached ior an interview last
evening, TO m axe any positive statement relative
TO the opening OF the letter. " The affair is now
In tile courts. Nicholson has brought his suit
and the whole story VIII be tod." he said. 81
40 uOl WISH 10 dHllCIpdle llldl event Dy NY NeT-
sion, for do not want 10 prejudice any one The
Whole affair Is a cold bun,' blackmailing
scheme"
Then waxing warm on the subject and forget
ting his declination 10 be interviewed, NJ Catfey
continued e Nicholson is after money. Only
last week he had his young wife In the court in
Oakland in a habeas corpus case. He married
her for money and lie tried TO get it from her
mother. Upon his failure TO do so, he declared
that he would have money. and that If he could
not get it from the 'old woman lie would get t
some place else, even IL he had to rob bank
He is an adventurer, pure and simple, aud for
one who is only % years OF age is rather nc.
cOmplished.
NO COMPROMISE IN STORE.
I" have nothing to say about the virtues OF
his case against Inc and you must wait until the
case is called in court 10 learn more, but you
will find that he will be proved blackmaier. 1
have only this TO say, would hate to offer S1o0
to close the case it would be just so much lost,
so quickly would he accept it,"
Mrs. Emily y. Wooley, mother OF Nlch0ls0n's s
bride, who has been staying at the Windsor
House on Washington street, Oakland. left on
last Friday with her daughter for The South.
She is a wealthy lady and her home is in New
York State. Miss WoOley is said 10 be unusually
attractive and accomplished
William g. Nicholson, tue plaintiff, succeeded
yesterday, when fling the Complaint, in having
the court fees remitted by Judge Murphy, on the
ground that he is in destitute circumstances.