The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-01
SHE WAS SHREWD
Fannie Murphy's Fond
ness for Wealth.
FIGURES OF A FINANCIER.
The Business Qualities of the Muir
phys Were Well Deveioped-A
Characteristic Letter.
FIGURES OF A FINANcIER.

To the complete satisfaction of counsel
In the Murphy will suit the buslnesslike
characteristics of Miss Fannie Murphy
were shown yesterday to be abnormal for
young lady with aIistocratic tendencies.
On former days it was quite as clearly
demonstrated that she and her sisters were
no way backward in other and opposite
qualities-cu:ting figure in some society,
shining among the gilded butterflies and
attending to peoples affairs IN startling
fashion. So it was a relief to listen to
strictly business letters in court yesterday,
uuinterestug as they were to some peo-
pie.
A communication from Mrs. Murphy to
her agent asked him TO go to New York
and help her son Eugene out of diff
Guilty" Genie had been enjoying himself
with the flowing goblet, and his mother
was fretting about him. The letter was
considered as proof that Mrs. Murphy
loved her sons and would have remem-
bered them in her VIII but for the undue
influence of her daughters.
'She might love him ever so much"
said the court, but would not give him
money to squander."
An attempt to introduce letter written
by Miss Fannie Murphy to her agent IN
San Francisco was met with an objection
from the defense. All at once the attOr-
neys proceeded to evolve theories. Wheeler
said he could show that Mrs. Murphy was
under Fannie's intellectual control before
making her will He held that as the
letter IN question had been shown TO him
for inspection counsel on the opposite side
waived the right to object against its in-
PRODUCTION in evidence. 4 legal discussion
ensued, and the court adjourned until .
o'clock without ruling on the question at
issue.
Attorney Wheeler was present with his
authorities under his arm and a self
assured air all round him when court con-
yened. He quoted the case OF Sharon vs..
Sharon, in which the court ruled that
letters investigated by counsel were not
regarded as private. Said he:
Counsel cannot waive the privilege Of
keeping back private correspondence un-
less by permission OF the client. In this
case everything shows that Mr.. Metcalf
was a business agent for Miss Frances
Murphy, not her attorney"
Mr.. FOote assured the court that Miss
Fanny Murphy was very much incensed
that her private correspondence with her
attorney, or agent. should be introduced in
evidence, and she objects very strongly 10
having IL introduced.
This Miss Murphy is i'll at the Palace
Hotel with pulmonary troubles and their
consequent exhaustion. She is not the
eldest Of the sisters. being % years of age.
Still it is apparent that she ruled the
Murphy household in money matters, and
that few women Of her years had such
business ability and acumen as she dis
played in letters. One of these business
communications was offered in evidence
by Attorney Wheeler with vivid explana-
ton.
I'VE submit" said he. eve have in this
letter fair photograph of the grasping
character of Miss Frances Murphy 1t
shows the greed to secure all that is posi-
Bile, to acquire wealth, aid it is material
evidence In this case"
Foote arose and in tone expressive of
disgust told Wheeler TO use the letter,
which Is as follows:
December %. 1889.
Mr.. MetcGJ-DEAR SIR: Your letter and
check OF December z. allowance for the month
OF November, arrived safely / suppose my
last letler had not reached you ere you wrote
this last letter, as you have not answered any
OF my questions. In 50 aking OF stocks you
say they vary l know they tluctuate. but Still
have watched Pacific BOrax and Home Mu-
tua! Insurance Company for the last year and
they nave remained eadily al the same figures
ana have paid every month 81 per share with
out fall. II all the stock has been raid up and
IS considered as safe as any other stock | would
ike you 10 buy me some shares The Pacific
BoraX has been at S62 per share for some time
and L should think II ought - he as good as
water stock or gas, as also tn Home Mutual.
AS for lie California Bank shares. ii you
could only buy me one or lwo shares at $3.50
per share should be glad, because, first OF all,
though at premium, still 1t pays l per cent
month, and secondly. / have always wanted
some, wen whrE l was out in California. l
wanted Mr.. Luning TO buy me some and lie
SAID 10 walt as he thought it would 20 down a
little. From what hear, of course it Is only
hearsay, the Spring Vale y seems pr city secure
though not paying dividends at present They
are buying up land very quietly" l hear
everywhere. have also heard that there was
~ m fA5 a., nFtr
ihat one, under the name Of Guarantee and
4tust Company or some such name. was
Tald-d upon by the police. viii that do our
building any harm? AS they were only lot
teiles hope not They say the company was
making enormous sums of money. II such
were the case they ought to have been able to
pay good price Tor rooms, ought they not =?
But DO not see that any OF The rooms bring
very nigh prices. do you? Uu;i the building
begins 10 rent higher | cannot see any use in
sinking more money into ii, for ii seems to me
that we shall never realize interest on lie
amount Of principal that has already been sunk
into it.
You speak OF running the lift by electricity.
since mat IS partly IN opposition to our gag
certainly should not like to encourage The Elec-
TIC Company. What do you think? / GER
talniy thought 1t bad when o. Brien put an cleo
TIC lighi TN, IN front OF our building trust no
eleclilc light has been allowed inside the build
ing. but you would let us know il O'Brien did
sucn a thing, would you not?
WIN regard to the glass, 1 thought, before
leaving San Francisco O'Brien was told he
would be responsible for damages done TO the
glass. This breaKage certainly resembles the
last, which was done by clerk, who let the
point OF stool hit our glass. l Think il is
rather hard that we should be obliged To pay for
new glass, ana assuredly [ do object TO
large pane being again put in. Why couldn't
Two or four panes (Ihe four canal TO one large
one) be put in? Whether the window is
handsome large glass one cut in four matters
lille 10 us, since il brings in no higher rent
besides TINS will be the case each time, and
certainly DO object to paying for IA large QUE
anu NY TWO sisters say for me TO tell yOu thai
M. v bllen wants 1t let nm pay for II. We
have spent quite enough for him already be-
sides all me other buildings, such as O'Connor
& Mofhtrs and the White House, have smaller
panes.
II you VIII notice, received no water stock
dividends for month of Oc ober, and hope you
VIII see 10 my other Interests coming regularly
when spoke 10 you about in my last, as they
have not paid in. i notice again for November
no interest has been paid on the Sl174l NV
mother desires me 10 say she has received your
letter ana check dated December aud Will
Sba ind