The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-07
MRS. HOPKINS DIs1NHERITED SON.
Why He Was Cut Of from Eer Fort
lse4e-His Schemes Against Fer.
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why He Was Cut On from Fer Fort.
ve4e-His Schemes Against Ter.
From the CHICAGO Tribune.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 31.-The death Of
Mrs. Millionaire Hopkins-Searles ha!
created a profound as well as a gossipy
sensation in this city. and at present the
general understanding here is that limo
thy Hopkins, who was adopted by Mr.. and
Mrs Mark Hopkins, coached by a number
# sharp California lawyers, will contes,
the will, which they claim was made as the
result of undue influence on the part OF
Vidower Searlas and Attorneys Thomas E
Stillman and Thomas H. Hubbard. who
we're about three years ago given power OF
attorney for Mr.. and Mrs. Searls for life.
About thirteen years ago Mark Hopkins
first husband of the late Mrs. Searles, died
leaving an estate worth probably $35 900. :
200. but rapidly increasing.
In due time, through the ability of Judge
Sapderson, now deceased but at that time
the leading attorney of the Southern Pacific
railroad-and the father of Sybil Sanderson,
who has created such a Juror in musical
circles in Europe on account of her wonder.
full lyric power and marvellous beauty-the
estate was settled, the widow receiving half
of the estate and the balance going to the
relatives, part and parcel alike
4
Hopkins he and his wife had adopted the
qood-looking son of poor family named
Hagan, and he was treated as their own.
Shortly after Mr.. Hopkins death the
widow put young HaganSHopkins at work
in a clerical position at Oakland, prepara-
tory TO more influential and lucrative posi-
tons.
A few years later, about nine years ago.
Mrs Hopkins considered Timothy capable.
10,
and director Of the Southern Pacific Com
pany at a salary of $4,000 per year.
The young man, soon after taking the
position of treasurer, inaugurated through
out the entire system of the Southern Pa
clfic Company a process of economy never
before known or dreamed of among pre-
tenUious operators. He issued orders that
all departments from the heads down, in
GLIDING Leland Stanford. president of the
company; Charles Croker and Coils P.
Huntingdon, vice presidents A. n. Towne,
general manager. and the army Of lieu
tenants and subordinates-should substi-
tute thin buff paper and envelopes
to match, to take the place of white
letter paper. Nothing but the cheapest
kinds of penholders, pencils, and all articles
used in clerical work could be used: bound
books gave place to books without binding
foot scrapers and door mats entirely dsap-
peared from the offices; and every little Job
Of printing was let out to the lowest bidder,
Notwithstanding the fact that Crocker &
Co., the great printers and publishers and
Bancroft q Co. patrOnized the railroad COM
pany to the extent of tens of thousands of
dollars each year.
1t IS curious, though q fact, that although
Stanford and Huntington objected to the
innovation and claimed that they should at
least have white paper to use in their CORE
spondence with those high in authority,
such as the President, George F. Edmuuds
Chief Justice Field, Congressman Morrow,
FELTON,, Clunie, and United States Senators
Sargent, Miller, Hearst, Fair, Jones and
Stewart, the adopted son-formerly Sac
ramento gamin-carried his point and cut
down expenses in way that would have
done the heart of a Shylock good. Timothy
Rtterward used to show with delight letter
from {. 2. huntington, at the expiration Of
year Of his parsimonious business course,
In which Mr.. Huntington admitted that
young Hagau-Hopkins had saved to the
poor, struggling Southern Pacific Com
pany" 100000.
- About this time Mrs. Hopkins presented
Timothy the place at MEMO Park formerly
owned by ex-senator Milton F. Latham.
The adopted son, whose run of fortune
seemed at this time to be at its zenith, had
by this time married a niece of Mrs Hop
klns, and the opinion was general that the
wedding and the present of a $500, 900 home
were proof positive that Mrs. Hopkins
meant to make Timothy her sole heir.
Timothy at this time had his place of
business in the same room with Charles
Crocker and Mr.. Crocker's oldest son,
Charles Frederick Croker. While there
and while MS adopted mother was
quietly living at Great Bar
rington, fondly thinking him
busily at work figuring on lead pencils, pen
holders, door mats and foot scrapers, he
was plotting, and soon Mrs Hopkins began
to receive letters from him, saying that
Croker pere and Crocker fills were attempt
ing to defraud her.
She responded to the letters by sending
Thomas &. Stillman, New York LAWYER of
the firm of Stillman, Hubbard & Co. to
San francisco to investigate the matter.
MIR. Stillman's Investigations revealed a
most astonishing state of affairs. He soon
discovered that Mr.. Crocker and his son
were using no fraudulent means, but he did
discover that Timothy, the ungrateful
adopted son. who had been showered with
wealth, had in his employ number Of de-
tectlves, whose duty was to keep a constant
watch on Mrs. Hopkins, his adopted mother,
and to report to him all of her actions that
might lead them to believe that she con-
templated a second marriage.
"hen tnls was reported TO MRS. hopkins
she was 30 incensed that she welded Edward
Seares, disinherited Timothy, deprived him
OF the dictatorship in the company, and
placed MIR. Stillman in the position in his
stead. Subsequently Mr.. and Mrs. Searles
gave Stillman and Hubbard power of attor-
ney for life.
It is thought that the many millions of
dollars that have been left by Mrs. Hop
kns-Searles to her husband will provoke an
attempt on the part of Timothy to break
the will, particularly as she was over 60
years OF age when she married Mr.. Searles.
While the people of California are TO
certain extent indignant at the fact that
the vast wealth left by the widow will 20
70 Mrs. Searles in the east, instead of being
islt to circulate in the west where it was
accumulated, there is not much sympathy
expressed for Timothy.