Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-06
Espiritu Chijulla Gets Half
the Miguel Leonis Estate.
Proceedings Yesterday in the
Various Courts.
The Leonis viii Contest Is Settled
at. Last.
A Woman scorned, With Actor Carroll
ia the Caste-Remanded to Jail.
Court Notes on Cases Which
Came Up Yesterday.

day at 8 20 am, and by $40 in the
evening verdict had been returned.
The result OF the trial is favorable to
the claim OF Espiritu Chiiulla, and
against that OF Nettie Pryor, who is
debarred from any of the benefits OF the
estate, although she is declared to be
the child of Leonis by Librada Pryor.
The verdict was in the form of questions
and answers, as follows:
''Did Miguel Leonis, deceased, and
Espiritu Chijulla agree to be man and
wife Yes.
'If yes, when August, 1859.
''If yes, was it followed by a mutual
assumption of marital rights, duties and
obligations 2-Yes.
.'is the Child, Nettie Pryor, child
begotten by Miguel Leonis, deceased?-
Yes.
''If yes, did he publicly acknowledge
her to be his child?-No."
The last answer is the one which shuts
off Nettie Pryor from claiming a share
of the estate by denying her legitimacy.
The argument in this case was COM
pleted Thursday evening by w. T. Will
Jams for the claimant, Nettie Pryor,
dtOCl IL lldu kOiC Oh piAlOC 0aJ a.. ~
journment was then taken till yesterday
morning at 8 O'Clock, when the court
read very brief instructions to the jury,
and at 9:25 sent them out to deliberate
on verdict. The whole day was spent
in the jury9room, and the result even
then was not unanimous on all the
counts. The estate is valued at all the
way from 5000, 900 to $500, 900, and of
this snug sum the old Indian woman,
Espiritu Chijulla, will inherit half, the
other portion going to the French heirs
The history of the life of the old
Frenchman, Miguel Leonis, makes an
interesting tale. He came to Southern
California with the earliest settlers, and
died in this city in 1890, having been
fatally injured by fall from his wagon.
A little oyer thirty years ago he met
Espiritu, whom a jury has declared
to be his widow, and the two began
living together at Gel Escorpione,"
which was the name of Leonis's ranch.
Espiritu has at different times lived
with two other men, and by one had a
son named Juan Melendez, who made
his home also with Leonis.
The most intimate friend of Leonis in
this city was Don Jose Mascarel, and
whenever the old Frenchman came to.
town room always awaited him at the
house OF his friend. Fifteen years ago
Librada, daughter of Mascarel's who
had just separated from her first hus-
band, was staying at her fathers house.
Leonis made one of his periodical visits
at the residence, and was given room
next. to Librada's. Mrs. Mascarel went
to her daughters room at IL O'Clock one
evening and found Leonis and Librada
in bed together. The couple were
scolded roundly, and appeared to be
duly repentant, but the result OF this
slip was daughter. who was given the
name Nettie Pryor, the latter part OF
which was the name of the man whom
Librada subsequently married.
Leonis frequently called on Llbrada
after this occurrence, paid all the ex-
penses of confinement, and seemed to
take great pride in his child. But he
forgot all about her in his will, which
was made in 1882. This document pro-
vides that $4,000 shall be placed in trust
for Espiritu that $4,000 more shall be
paid her to use as she pleases, and that
all the rest of the estate shah go back to
France. Aproyision is added to the will,
however, which says that if Espiritu, who
is called faithful housekeeper," con-
tests the will in any manner, she shall
get nothing. s
The jury, however, has awarded the
old lady more money than she ever
Thought of possessing in her widest
dreams, and more than she could spend
in lifetime. cfr
ga WOMAN scoRNED."
John Carroll, an actor, refused the
hand of a wealthy and fair lady several
years ago, when she thrust it at him,
and he has regretted it ever since. Car
roll used to be one of the cleverest men
on the variety stage, SO he says, and
could "do an act" with the best of them,
but he has sadly degenerated since then.
Friday afternoon while Carroll was max
ing for this city from San Francisco, on
the front end of blind baggage car, he
was ruthlessly pulled off at Burbank by
Constable Curran and lodged in Jail.
Carroll told Curran about the woman
in the case"as soon as he was taken in
custody. ''She is around here in the
bushes somewhere; can't escape her.
She won't let me go ten minutes from
her." Curran asked a few questions
about the mysterious woman, and
learned the story which he told Judge
Smith and Drs. Kierulff and Kannon,
sitting as an insane commission yes
terday.
Carroll's story is to the effect that ever
since he refused the hand of the sup
posititious lady she has been following
him about from place to place, persecut-
ing him by all the means in her power.
She followed him when he walked across
the desert and paid people to refuse him
anything to eat. She has had him ar
rested number Of times, and fixes it so
that he can't get work at his profession.
He tried to get job in San Francisco,
but failed because she got ahead OF him,
and then he came down this way
to avoid her. She followed him closely,
however, and he heard her talking out
side the jail at Burbank.
When questioned by the doctors, Car
roll admitted having received blow on
the head in Pueblo about five months
ago. He was adjudged harmless lu-
natic and turned loose.
REMANDED TO JAIL,
Judge Smith yesterday denied the
writs OF habeas.corpus sworn out by At
torney Hugh ]. Crawford in the cases OF
John O'Day and John Powers, petty
larceny thieves, and remanded the pris--
oners back to Jail. The writ was asked
on the ground that in amending the
penal code the last legislature had re-
pealed by implication the clause under