The record-union., 1893-06-22
Was VALENSIN INSANE
1t is So Claimed by the Former Mrs.
ValenSin.
Allegations Made in a Petition Filed
in Her Son Pio's Contest of
His Fathers VIII.

On Tuesday, Mrs. Alice Valensin of
Arno, in this county, as guardian of the
person and estate of Pho Valensin, aged
20 years, filed in San Francisco court a
contest to the Counts will. Mrs. Alice
Valensin is the divorced wife of the de-
ceased.
Valensin was the owner of the Valensin
stock farm at Pleasanton. He was re-
puted to be worth $685. 600. When he died
will was found wherein he tied up the
bulk of his estate in trusts. In his testa-
ment he said: Il give to my son Pho the
sum of 81"
Minnie Valensin, the widow Of the de-
ceased, was provided for in the will with
an allowance every month. She seems
content to allow the will to stand, and
will fight the contest, so it is said.
According to the story told in the con-
test Valensin believed in such thing as
"hoodOo." He was very superstitious
and exceedingly jealous. 1t is stated that
on one occasion he fought duel because
OF his jealousy. Then, again, it is de-
clared that he was addicted to morphine.
The following are some OF the interesting
facts related in the official document:
THAT the said Guilo Valensin, for
many years prior to the day the alleged
will was signed, and at such time, had
been and was of unsound mind. He
frequently attempted to starve himself
and made frequent attempts to take his
life by other means. While in Sacramento
County he made several attempts to kill
himself by starvation, and at one time
TOOK dose OF Iaudanum and refused to
allow medical aid until his wishes were
gratihed. Said acts were not caused by
any sudden misfortune, but Were the re-
suits OF diseased and insane mind.
A DUEL IN ITALY.
SAT one time in Italy, before his mar
riage with the mother of Pho Valensin,
IN lit of jealous insanity, he fought a
duel, and at another time he threatened
to kill himself in case Alice NJ. VaIensin
made a contemplated visit to her mother
lie formed violent, unreasonable and in
sane antipathies to his relatives, and was
lnsanely jealous of any attention or cour-
tesy shown his wife, Alice NJ. Valensin,
by any of her relatives.
He frequently told Alice Valensin
that she must choose between him and
his father. On one occasion he repaired
to his room at the hotel Immediately after
dinner, and lighted up the same brill
lantly, and had supper spread and or
dered various brands of wine. Then he
LETT in the room a prepared note ad-
VI OoSCO W AllC6 W. dl6uSln, his WIG,
bidding her farewell, and saying that he
had determined to kill himself because
he could not bear to see her paying atten-
ton to his father and mother.
BRAIN-RACKING NARCOTICS.
THAT for many years prior to his death
and prior to the day the alleged will was
signed the said Guilo Valensin was adj
dicted to the daily use of absinthe, chic
raj, morphine and other narcotics. His
: snsats J
large quantity OF absinthe with cham
pagne and ice and to drink the mixture.
By the constant use of such absinthe,
chloral, morphine and other narcotics his
mind became impaired and diseased and
insane.
"Guilo Vslensin would freqently Ego
into hysteria, and at such times would
cry immoderately, and during the time
of such insane manifestations lost all
| control over himself. At other times he
would lapse into melanchOlia. would be
/ depressed in spirit, would refuse to talk
| TO any one, and would refuse all food and
| nourishment. Still at other times be
would have feelings of exaltation and
/ would indulge in wild fancies and
/ schemes, which feelings would be sue
ceeded by melancholia or hysteria.
THOUGHT he WAS HoODooED.
| HE had for many years prior to his
death, and at and prior to the day the
document was signed. the insane delusion
that certain individuals exercised over
him a lucky and unlucky influence. He
refused to enter into business trans
actions, the negotiations for which had
| been pending for long time, if in the
course OF negotiations he should come in
contact with certain individuals.
! Before entering into any business trans
action he would, if travelling on a road,
count the number of posts in fence, and
| if the number was odd, unless it hap
/ pened to be the number thirteen, he con-
| sidered the fact propitious. If the num-
| ber should happen to be even or should
1 be the number thirteen he would break
! off the most important business trans
| actions and refuse to cOnsummate them,
"At other times he would determine
I whether he would enter into transaction
/ by tossing up a coin. In his business
transactions he was not governed by his
judgment, but resorted to various
methods, such as counting the leaves in
a cup of tea or the grounds in a cup OF
coffee, or by counting stones, and his
! actions were governed and controlled by
the result.
HIS MIND DISEASED.
"At the time the will was made and for
many years prior thereto Guilo Valensin
suffered from severe headaches, and at
such times his head and face would be-
come gorged with blood. The headaches
were caused by a diseased condition of
the brain. and for the purpose of alleviat-
ing such pain Valensin would take large
quantities of chloral, laudanum, NOR
phine and other narcotics. He became
addicted to the use of narcotics TO such a
degree that he acquired the habit and it
was impossible for him to desist from
their use, and by their constant use his
mind became diseased and insane"
1t was also alleged in the petition that
the Count always kept a photograph of
his son, and many time said that he was
going to leave the boy all his property.
The petitioner asks that the will be de-
clared void.
ELEVEN PER CENT. A MONTH