Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-11-12
COINS WIDOWS.
They Contest the Dead Capt.
talist's Will.
Two Domestic Establishments
and the Result.
An Interesting Story Developed by
the Trial.
Yesterdays Proceedings in the Case.
George w. stoll's Testimony.
A Statement of the
Case.


Bernard Cohn was begun yesterday be.
fore Judge Clark in department two Of
the superior court. Mrs. Delphini
Cohn is the contestant. She claims to
have lived with the deceased for twenty
years and in that time bore him seven
children. Four OF the children are now
living. Their names are Bernard, Mi
guel, Marcus and Edwardo.
Cohn came to this city many years
ago. He was a Prussian bv birth and a
firm believer in the Hebrew religion.
He died in this city November l., 1889,
at 81 years of age. He was married to
Esther Norton and by her had three
children, Julius, Caspar and Carrie.
During the twenty years Cohn is said
to have lived with Delphini Varelas, he
continued in the relation of husband
and father to Esther and her children.
In fact, he led a dual life, spending a
portion of his time with Delphini and
the remainder at his other establish
ment. This mode of living was con-
tinued, it is said, up to the time OF
Esther's death on June 2, 1885.
1t is alleged that Cohn died intestate,
and both families claim the estate.
Esther's children claim the property
under the statutes of descent and dis
tribution. Delphini and her four chill
dren claim the rights of widowhood and
heirship.
There are three issues in the Casa
contest to the account of distribution, a
petition to establish heirship and action
to quiet title.
Cohn was a very prominent man in
n ~ 10 hold ort,, h in, ~,
the firm of Hellman, Haas q Co. He
served as councilman and was president
of the council. Later he ran for tax
collector, but was defeated. The value
OF his estate is variously estimated, some
persons placing it as high as $500, 900.
Geo. w. Stoll was the only witness
examined yesterday. His evidence was
of an unimportant nature, merely going
to show that he saw Cohn enter the
house on Sainsevain street and treat
Delphini and the children as his family
The case then went over until today.
Counsel for the plaintiff make the fol-
lowing statement OF the case.
sWnen Cohn assumed his relations
with Delphini Varelas he gave her to
understand that he was single man
and told her they would be married in
good time. He supplied her with funds
to repair and furnish the house on
Buena Vista street. where they lived
for some time before moving to the
Sainsevain-street house, where Delphini
lived at the time OF Cohn's death.
1.-THE union was very culpable and i'm
proper, we admit, but whether Cohn
was prompted to it by mere lust or by
coniugal infelicity with Esther, we are
not informed. Certain it is that after
the birth of Caspar there was an open
split between them, and his relations
with Delphini became stronger and more
atfectonate. She was a very beautiful
woman and is said to have been the
belle OF Los Angeles in those days.
That she was faithful to Cohn during
all the twenty years they lived together
is not disputed l think, and it is certain
that all the children are striking images
OF the deceased.
'After the death OF Esther, Delphini
and her mother assailed Cohn to COM
plete the promise he often made, that
as coon as he was released from his
matrimonial bonds with Esther he
would marry her.
s'In reply to these beseechings Cohn
said he would marry her as soon as
little time passed, for decency's sake;
and in six months after Esther's death
he set about marrying Delphini. Now
Delphini was Catholic and wanted to
be married by priest, and Cohn being
Jew, wanted to have it done by a,
rabbi, so there it was. About this time
was all the talk, and there the parties
were married by contract. This sug-
gested to Cohn that contract would
do it, and Delphini asserting, he drew
up contract, in which he married Del
phini, and acknowledged all her chill
dren to be his.
sImmediately following his wfe's
depth he took up his residence entirely
with Delphini and acted the husband
and father, and of this there is ample
proof by reputation and otherwise, we
think, to satisfy the court.
tWhen Cohn became attacked by his
mortal sickness, he felt that he wanted
to die in his faith, and fearing that
priests might be called in upon him if
he remained at his home with Delphini,
he left there and went to another part
of the city and resided with his
daughter Carrie, who was Mrs. Kahn.
While here we understand, and the
facts show, that every exertion was
made upon him to sever his connection
and deny his relationship with Delphini.
He accordingly sent man named Mike
STACK, who was coachman in his
family, to steal from Delphini the con-
tract. which Mike did, delivering it into
Cohn's hands.
s.Delphini reported to Cohn her loss
of the contract and complained OF it,
but she did not know who had taken it,
or for what purpose or where it had
gone. Cohn treasured her, saying that
In that event he would make ample pro-
vision for her in his will. He drew a
will and showed it to several parties,
but the will was never seen after his
death and we infer that it was destroyed
by his children by Esther in order that
they might appear as heirs to the whole
estate.
.'Howeyer this may be the fact is be-