Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-10

! for he had planned everything on such royal
| lines that no retrenchment was possible.
The great hotel, which was to cost 8, ,000,-
600, had absorbed that amount before 1t had
| risen more than one story above the founda-
tion, and ultimately cost $4,000, 900. He
| drew money from the bank to tide over his
affairs, but times grew worse, the bonanza
millionaires controlled the situation, and
they showed no mercy. Finally exposure
of Ralston's overdrafts came, and the Bank
of California was on the verge of failure,
and Ralston drowned himself in the bay.
sharon's Trials With Sarah Althsa.
Sharon, Ralston's partner, had nearly as
much tragedy in his life, although he died
in his bed. He had phenomenal success as
miner and manipulation Of mining stocks.
He gathered fully SEC. 600, 900, but Ralston's
failure crippled him for a few years Then
be began to build on his property in this
city, and the rentals of these houses and his
large returns from milling ores on the Com
stock once more put him in possession Of
large sums 1t was in 1883 that Sarah Al
thea Hill, Missouri girl, brought suit
against him for divorce and division of his
estate, alleging that he had married her BY
contract. The publication of the arrest of
Sharon on these charges produced great
sensation, although those familiar with the
inside of Sharon's affairs knew that negoti-
ations for a compromise had been going on
for months.
1t would have been money and reputation
gained for Sharon if he had paid her quar-
ter of million and thus sealed her lips.
But ne was stubborn, and her way of ap-
preaching the subject angered him. Her
temper was fully as violent as his, and when
her wrath was once aroused nothing could
stop her. The details of the notorious suit
are familiar to all newspaper readers
it became a by-word with the humorous
paragraphers. The case revealed more folly
and vice than any similar case In the history
of the courts in 80 years It took rank with
the celebrated cases in the English courts
Although Sharon pretended to care nothing
for these exposures, his intimate friends
knew that he was morbidly sensitive. Every
taunt. every caricature, every sneer told on
him. He aged rapidly under the terrible
ordeal, and the climax was reached when
Judge Sullivan gave judgement in favor of
the woman, and decided that she was en-
titled to half of the community millions
Foretold Hoodoo That Came.
Sharon's rage when the news of this de-
cision was brought to him is said to have
been terrible. The feeble old man cursed
Sarah Althea and all her tribe, cursed the
judge and even his own lawyers, who, he
said, had mismanaged the case. He called
down upon them the same suffering he had
himself endured, and foretold the hoodoo
that would brood over them. In his wrath
he seemed to become 'feig," as the Scan
dinavians say. He drew picture of Sarah
future which has been reproduced almost to
the letter. He wound up by booming him
self to unending torment if he should ever
pay one cent to the woman who had caused
him so much trouble, and he made his heirs
take an equally fearful oath that they would
spend the last dollar of his estate in the
legal fight against her. Sharon lived long
enough to know that the upper courts
would ultimately reverse Judge Sullivan's
decision. He died fully ten years before
his time, worn out by the passions aroused
by the divorce suit
His heirs followed his instructions to the
letter. They beat Sarah at every turn in
the courts; they bounded her in private;
they we're largely responsible for the vio-
lent scenes that occurred in the Federal
Court that led to the shooting of Judge
Terry. They made it dangerous for anyone
to do a friendly act for Sarah or speak
kind word to her. They defeated Judge
Sullivan twice in his efforts to get on the
State Supreme Bench. Everyone who had
aided Sarah in the courts was attacked
covertly and made to suffer. In fact, a reg
ular blight has fallen upon nearly everyone
connected with the case, and the 'Sharon
hoodoo." as 1t. is called, has become local
by-word. Sarah Althea is the latest victim.
Her brilliant mind is wrecked, and she is
now communing with spirits and fighting
over again the battles for the millions that
she is fated never to grasp.
Troubles of Other Millionaires.
The other bonanza millionaires have suf.
fered almost as badly ct the hands of fate in
their domestic lives as Sharon did. Old
Mark Hopkins was the financial brains of
the big four on this coast He was re-
markable mathematician, and no one ever
surpassed him in skill in drafting contracts
and making estimates. Even Huntington
conceded Hopkins rare ability in this line,
and never offered any suggestion. Hopkins
had no pleasures aside from the accumula-
tion of wealth. Neither Hopkins nor his
wife left. any bequests to charity. Their
millions have done no one any good, except
to furnish an impressive illustration of the
vanity of riches.
Directly across from the Hopkins castle
is a large lot belonging to ex-senator James
G. Fair, the bonanza millionaire. Fair is
regarded by many as the ablest of the firm
that included Flood, Msckay, O'Brien and
himself He is still in the prime of life,
but he is working now merely for the sake
of retaining his wealth and the power it
carries with it. 1t is nine years ago that
Mrs. Fair obtained divorce from her hus-
band He made no defense, and
she secured freedom and a, 60o, 900.
She was an Irish woman of no
education, who had helped Fair when poor
She bore him five children. Great Wealth |
proved a curse to the children. The Oldest |
boy is just dead. . victim of drink. The |
second son is now in Europe, but he is |
likely to follow in the footsteps of his |
brother. Neither was ever trusted by the |
father. He simply gave the lads an allow |
ance. They had passed beyond his control |
long before their boards came. The girls |
have always behaved themselves but of |
course they are no help to the man who has |
millions
Floods Mansion but Big Tomb.
Millionaire Flood took more comfort in |
his family than Fair ever did, but he also |
had hard luck. His eldest son for years |
drank heavily, and was frequently en-
gagged in disgraceful scenes It looked as
though he would 60 the way of the Fair |
boys, but just before bis fathers death he |
seemed to receive some moral bracing up,
and he has since attended to business fairly |
well.
Floods daughter was her fathers favor |
lite. She was never pretty, but her millions |
brought her many suitors, among them q |
son Of General Grant, but she grew 80 sus-
picious that all who paid court to her want
ed only her money thst she wouldn't be- |
lieve in anyone. Hence she is still unmar- |
ried and has nothing but her three or four |
millions to console her. Flood himself was |
L. g. L.