The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-19
ROMANCE OF ONE LIFE
,vcALLED BY THE DEATH OF
YOUNG BREokINRIDGE.

t5;gh Life, Marriage to a Beautiful
"a wealthy Woman, Divorce, Poll
,,os and Threats to Kill Enter Into
the fair.
From the Ne,o York Press.
Tho death IN California Of Hon. John W.
prsckiuridge, son of Vice President Brock
inridge under Buchanan, already been an
Do,,nced. ended career that reads like one
- Bret Hsrte's romances.
The tendency to drift to the Pacific coast
/, orsst of fortune has resulted in bringing
,bsre many descendants Of famous men.
SINE worthily uphold the historical family
-.r,e but the greater part are renegades
~, seek in the western country to escape
,.or, the restraints which society and civil
jzstion impose IN older settled
I.nds. Many Of these men have
Nod remarkable careers, which could be
..-sIleled nowhere outside of that country
- sudden vicissitudes in fortune. One of
~ the strangesU of these careers was that of
Preckinridge, younger son of the famous
Tontnckian, who had lived in California
tor many years, was chosen member of
~, ,Sa state assembly in 1888 and formed the
,nost conspicuous figure in the Californian
JaIsgation to the democratic national con-
xsntion Of the following year.
When Young Breckenridge arrived in
coiifornia he received q warm welcome
tr1m the southern colony, which is strong
so5 socially infue ltial in San Francisco.
Tbs Groins, Tevises, Haggins, Thorntons,
WcAlhsters and other lights of the ''chiv-
sIrvn society received him with open arms.
Ea was fine looking man of the southern
tyne-tsll, slender, graceful, with the face
md carriage of his famous father, aud, as
svents proved, with much of that fathers
cast of thought aud temperament. He had
stndled law, as so many we'll born south
men do, not 80 much for the purpose of
Engaging actively in tie practice of the
profession as a good preparation for the
career of politics. which is just as much
the ambition Of young southern men now
as it was before the war.
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.
Young Breckenridge, with the prestige of
his name and his personal attractions, en-
loved gay life in the fashionable society
Of San Francisco. He became engaged to
one of the daughters of LLOYD Tevis, the
executive head OF the great express firm of
II ellis Fargo & Co. Tevis was q Million
ARE who made his money unaided except
nv abilities of very high order. There has
been no shrewder man at bargain on the
Pacific coast. In connection with J. B.
Haggin, another Kentuckian, who counts
his wealth by millions, Tevis bought up
whole SQUARE miles of land in Kern Tulare
and Fresno counties. getting it for a mere
nominal sum under the desert land act. The
land is good grazing and farming land if
properly irrigated, just like thatin Colorado
and Wyoming. which has been seized upon
in precisely the same way by big specula-
tors. In this wav Haggin aud Tevis sue
ceeded in getting hold of about one-fifth of
the land in California, and their
herds of cattle literally fed on
a thousand hills. They have tried all
kinds of experiments in agriculture
and irrigation; they have bulIdozed all the
small settlers 10 the neighborhood of their
vast domains; they are as much lords of the
counties in which they have secured so great
a foothold as were the medieval barons of
England.
1t was into this family OF large wealth,
and the influence which wealth brings with
it, that Breckenridge entered. He was
aouudantly supplied with money, and he
had the Kentuckian's passion for cards and
horsehesh which ls-capable of getting away
with sn unlimited amount Of coin. He was
down on some of the paternal stock ranches
in Fresno county and led the life of a
wealthy planter of the olden time. He
lived free life, became a great favorite
with the men among whom he mingled,
plunged more and more into dissipation and
debt, until finally his wife returned to her
fathers house in San Francisco, and a suit
for divorce wes soon afterward begun in q
quiet way. The grounds alleged were cru
city and intemperance. No answer was
made, and Mrs. Breckinridge, still Y Dung
and very pretty woman, obtained her legal
liberty.
THE IDOL OF THE COUNTY
The divorced husband remained about
Fresno, and one day when one Of his cow
boy friends was arrested for some infringe
ment Of the law Breckinbridge volunteered
TO defend him. The knowledge OF law and
the natural eloquence which he showed in
the little country court room made his
reputation among the lawless community.
He secured the acquittal of his client, d
from that time on If any festive cowboy got
into trouble be steered straight for Breckin-
bridges office. His fame as a public
speaker became uoised throughout the
country; the moral foibles which he had
betrayed, aud which might have damaged
him in more straight laced community,
rather tended to help him among men
whose code Of morals was very like those OF
B! ct Hartes heroes.
So the son of a famous father became the
popular idol of his county, and at the fall
election Of 1888 was chosen assemblyman by
large vote. He went in on the strictly
antl-monopoly issue, which was the war cry
OF the democrats With most Of them il
meant nothing more than sop to the public
20 secure votes, and they joined hands with
the railroad company to defeat any legisla-
tlon aimed at the abolition of freight con-
tracts, discrimination in passenger and
freight rates and the evasion of state taxes.
but with Breckenridge his extreme anti
monopoly doctrines were evidently legacy
from his father. The man with whom the
southern wing of the democracy tried
70 overthrow Douglas, and with
"Inom they counted on crush
ing Lincoln, had more extreme views than
any other politicians of his time. His son
seemed to have inherited with the fortune
OF ais father much of his peculiar mental
I"lst He did good service in the state
legislature and at an extra session IN show
ins the uDsoundpess of the railroad position
and the urgent necessity for some legisla.
tlon which should curb the power of the
oIe monopolies in the stote. He spoke with
30 much feeling aud conducted the fight
Win 50 great ability, that hs gained much
reputation throug bout the state, and his
ualhe was frequently mentioned for con-
et%s lie was among the chief supporters
VI ", thurman for the presidency, and IN the
SGnllcago convention Of 1884 seconded the
Onlo mans nomination.
THREATENED YOUNG SHARON.
Dung Breckinridge subsequently, came
INTO notoriety owing to the marriage Of his
uNorc. d wife to Fred Sharon, the only son
Vi the famous Nevada senator and defend
duJ IN the suit broi1C ht hv Sarah a lthas