The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-23
TERESA'S HOARDS.
The Strange Story of Her
Hidden Life.
nlAr10NDS IN DIRTY RAGS.
Who She Was, Where Her Relatives
Are, How She Made Her Money
Are impenetrabie Mysteries.

4 somewhat curious fe-St0ry rose to the
surface yesterday in Judge Coffey's court.
Il was the story of Teresa Guiliermo.
Chilean.
Sc was not an old woman, being only So
At the time of her death, but she had lived
IN this city for twenty years.
That would make her at the time when
Size arrived only little past 80, and accord
ing 10 all accounts she was lovely, seduc-
ave siren al that age.
Young and beautiful-with the warm,
dancing blood of the South in her veins
surely such a combination was destined to
engender a thousand friendships.
But if so where are they to-day9
For months the authorities have been
searching for her relatives to enrich them
and no one can be found who even knew
Ter.
She was Chilean. and even Chile has
been searched for relations without avail.
Twenty years a resident of San Francisco
and not friend nearer that an aequant-
ance.
STAY, there was one-her husband.
Yes. this strange creature had husband
and be it was who brought the matter up in
court yesterday by applying for the dis
trhution OF her estate.
She had husband. but even he did not
know much more about this Chilean sphinx
than any haphaZari acquaintance.
d
SCI running up the Umatilla and Coquille
rivers.
SIZE married him when she was apparently
near her end. and for years he supported
her in the mean dwelling. which was her
choice
lie was good to her for he believed that
hers was a stunted life, forced back upon
Itself through want If cOpgenial subsistence
II M without
Perhaps, too. he felt battered that to him
hi In 4 "a -
crusted nature yield. He thought that he,
and be alone. could supply the warmth of
sympathy TO this seif-concentrated woman.
Size never allowed him TO pass within the
inner circle of her thoughts. He was good
10 her. and she reciprocated according TO
her IDEAS.
She preached the doctrine of economy in
cessantly. She would take all his money,
aud there would always be plenty 10 eat in
the cupboard, some tobacco for both to
smoke and a warm place to sleep.
I'VE are poor, we are poor. my friend.
she would say gently when be proposed
having friend or two In the house or that
a change Of quarters would be desirable
How did she EN- ploy her time when her
lnsband " * away on his trips?
No one seems 10 know, only that no one
was allowed TO step ACROSS the threshold.
Once when a stray boy in this Latin quar-
Ter, where she resided, peeped into the
dusky liyIng-room he reported he had seen
the woman with her hands full of shining
stones
Bat people said she was only telling her
beads and that Tonic had been bewitehed
bv her EVIL eye" to see falsely.
But one day she died.
Jose, her husband. sorrowed but little.
She had never been q part OF him, and he
remembered that he had always been good
u her.
So he buried her decently and started in
TO clear up the house prior to vacating it,
What would q single man want with
whole house, anyway
But here some of the mask. held in place
during her life so consistently by Teresa,
now fell little aside
The house was treasure bank and stuffed
vi b money and jewelry.
Diamonds were discovered wrapped in
dirty rags and thrust in creyices of the
walls; little rolls OF golden twenties re-
posed in piekle-iars; watches, lacepins,
Grains and nuggets came to light from every
conceivable quarter
Under the hearthstone. even, roughly
rolled in sacking, were found four gold
nuggets ana 2 pair of eluster-diamond ear
rings valued at SEQ.
There was a book, too. telling Of more In
the Safe Deposit Company's care, and Jose
was dazed by this sudden Danae shower Of
wealth
All told and appraised, this woman's es-
tate amounted to S116l5
Jose was honest and tried to find Teresa's
relatives. in order to share his good fortune,
but here he was completely at fault.
lie found that his wife had been known
at various times as Teresa Blanco, Teresa
COndrars, Teresa Contreras. but this was
said to be because she did not know how 10
write spell her name.
No one knew where she had amassed her
wealth, no flock of relatives, as usually &C.
ours. claimed legal right
he w0man's secretive life was followed
by AZ appropriate silence.
The money was paid into court and an
administrator appointed.
Jose was given half the estate, and then
further search was made for some heirs-at-
law.
Hon. Patrick Egan, the American Minister
to Chile, was even applied to for informa-
ton regarding heirs in that republic, but
wrote back that the fullest investigation
bad resulted 10 nil
1t seemed as il a deadwall had arisen be
tween the woman and her past never to bt
pierced.
The secret Of her origin and her life hai
apparently no elew to IL, and Jose GuillefmC
will probably be the sole beneficiary OF it'
mysterious fruits, so darkly gathered.
And perhaps he deserves it, for was no
he good TO her when no one else was anC
when LIE looked for No return?
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