Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-08

Why He Was Cut or From Her Enormous
Fortune-His Schemes Against Her.
From the Chicarn Trihnna

II
Why He Was Cut or From Her Enormous
Fortune-His Schemes Against Her.
From the Chicago Tribune.
SAN Francisco, July 31.-The death Of Mrs
Millionaire Hopkins-Searles has created q pro-
found as well as gosspy sensation in this city.
and at present the general understanding here
is that Timothy Hopkins, who was adopted by
Mr.. and Mrs. Mark Hopkins. coached by a num-
Der of sharp California lawyers, will contest the
will, which they claim was made as the result of
undue influence on the part of Widower Searles
and Attorneys Thomas E. Stillman and Thomas
II. Hubbard who were about three years ago
given power OF attorney for Mr.. and Mr.. searles
About thirteen years ago Mark Hopkins. first
husband of the late Mrs. Searles, died, leaving
an estate worth probably SIS, OOo, 900, but rap
idly increasing.
In due time, through the ability Of Judge
Sanderson. now deceased, but at that time the
leading attorney of the Southern Pacific rail-
road-and the father Of Sybil Sanderson, who
has created such Juror in musical circles in
Europe on account of her wonderful lyric
power and marvellous beauty-the estate was
settled, the widow receiving half Of the estate
ana the balance going to the relatives, part aud
parcel alike.
A long time before the death of Mark Hop
klns he and his wife had adopted the good
looking son of poor family named Hagan. and
he was treated as their own.
Shortly after Mr.. Hopkins death the widow
put young Hagan-Hopkins at work in a clerical
position at Oakland, preparatory to more IN
fuental and lucrative positions.
few years later, about nine years ago. Mrs.
Hopkins considered Timothy capable and at
her request he was made treasurer and di-
rector of the Southern Pacific Company at a
salary of $40 900 per year.
The Young man sOOn after taking the position
OF treasurer inaugurated throughout the entire
system Of the Southern Pacific Company pro-
cess OF economy never before known or dreamed
OF among pretentious operators. He issued or
ders that ali experimentation the heads
down, including Leland Stanford. president OF
the company; Charles Croker and Coils z.
Hunting ,ol, vice presidents; A. \. Towne, gen.
eral manager, and the army of lieutenants and
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. substitute 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 III 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 not
withstanding the fact that Croker 4 Co., the
great printers and publishers, and Bancroft 4
Co. patroniZed the railroad company to the ex-
tent of tens of thousands of dollars each wear.
1t is curious, though fact. that although
stanford and Huntington objected to the limo
walton and claimed that they should at least
have white paper t. Use in their correspondence
With those high in authority. such rs the Presi-
dent. George L. Edmunds. Chief Justice Field,
Congressman Morrow. Felton,. Clunie and
United States Senators Sargent, Miller, Hearst,
Fair Jones and Stewart. the adopted son-for-
merly Sacramento gamin-carried his point
and cut down expenses in a way that would
have down the heart of n Shvlock good. limo
thy afterward used to show with delight let
ter from &. L. Huntington. at the expiration of
a year OF his parsimonious business course. in
which Mr.. Huntington admitted that young
Hagan-fiopkins had saved to the poor. strug-
Cling Southern Pacific Company s66.0O0.
About this time Mrs. Hopkins presented
Timothy the place at Menlo Park formerly
owned by ex-senator Milton +. Latham.
lhe adopted son, whose sun of fortune
this time married niece of Mrs Hopkins, and
the opinion was general that the wedding and
the present OF a $500. 900 home were proof pos
hive that Mrs. Hopkins meant to make
Timothy her sole heir.
Timothy at this time had his place of bust
ness IN the same room with MIR. Chas Croker
and Mr.. Crocker's eldest son, Charles Fred
erick Croker. While there and while his
adopted mother was quietly living at Great
Darlington, fondly thinking him busily al
work figuring on lead pencils, penholders,
door mats and foot scrapers, he was plotting,
from him saying that Crocker pere and
Crocker ills were attempting to defraud her.
She responded to the letters by sending
Thomas Z. Stillman, a New York lawyer of the
firm Of Stillman, Hubbard x Co., to San Fran
cisco to investigate the matter. Mr. StiI,man's
Investigations revealed most astonishing state
OF affairs. He soon discovered that Nh. Croker
and his son were using no fraudulent means
but he did discover that Timothy, The migrate.
full adopted son, who had been showereG with
wealth, had in his employ number of detect.
ives. whose duty 1t was to keep constant
watch on Mrs. Hopkins, his adopted mother
and to repor. to him all of her actions that
might lead them to believe that she contem.
plated a second marriage.
When this was reported to Mrs. Hopkins she
was so incensed that she welded Mr.. Edward
Searies, disinherited Timothy deprived him OF
the dictatorship in the company, and placed
MIR. Stiliman in the position in his stead Sub
sequently MIR. and Mrs Searies gave Stillmau
and Hubbard power of attorney for life.
1t is thought that the many millions of dol
lars that have been left by Mrs. Hopkins Scarles
to her husband will provoke all attempt on the
part OF Timothy to break the WILL particularly
AS she was over sixty years Of age when she
married Mr.. Searles.
While the people Of California are to q GER
tain extent indignant ut the fact that the vas,
wealth left by tie widow will go to Mr.. Searle.
in the east instead of being left to circulate il
the wes: where it was accumulated, there is moi
much sympathy expressed for Timothy.