The morning call., 1893-12-10

miser, boarding up her earnings and living
on the most frugal diet. Or friends she
had few. and even they would hardly
ever see her. Seldom she left the
house, cOnteDted to remain indoors
ana save the expense of buying clothes.
For the past few years she had done no
work. but lived on crusts of bread and
meat bones which she would beg from her
baker and butcher. Meanwhile. in the
savings bank known as the German Saw
ings and Loan Society and the Hbernia
Savings and Loan Society, her wealth,
amounting to about $4,000, lay on deposit
and accumulated.
wealth was we'll known among her few
friends, but the exact amount was known
to no one except George Won Staden, a
saioonkeeper at the corner of jackson and
DAVIS streets. and who is named as eXecu-
tor in her will. Mr. Won Staden was the
only person on earth in whom the old
woman confided, and for several years
past he has managed her fortune. Even
with these relations existing between the
two he was never allowed to visit the in
terror OF her filthy abode. and on entering
the room for the first time yesterday hasti-
ly withdrew and secretly blessed her for
that kindness shown him.
The exact cause of Mrs. Miller's death is a
mystery. Living in the same old time
beaten shanty with her were several poor
families. Although 1t was nothing un-
usual for them not to see the old woman
Tor several days. on Friday morning they
began to comment on the fact that they
had not heard any sound issuing from her
room for two DAYS. Peter Hennesey, the
carpenter, concluded that he would rap on
her door and see what was wrong. Taking
up a stick he gently raped and called out:
Are you alive. Mrs. Miller?" He listened
moment and fancied ne heard a groan,
He pushed lightly on the door, and was
surprised to find that it opened. as he
knew 1t was always her custom to keep it
locked with paddock.
Thrusting his head through the ope
door. without crossing the threshold. a
horrible sight met his view. There
on filthy straw mattress which had been
placed upon trunk, lay the old woman.
She was dressed in her accustomed way
a filthy ragged old wrapper, her feet bare,
her hands folded across her breast, while
close by were some tattered old rags lying
upon the floor.
Advancing to her rude couch he took her
hand and found it cold. He was then con-
vinced that she was dead, when a twltch
OF her arm and a smothered groan from
her lips told him that life was not yet ex-
tnct. He hurried to the saloon of Mr.. Won
StadeD, only few blocks away, and in
formed him OF what he had found. The
ambulance was summoned and the woman
taken to the Receiving Hospital, where
she died.
The will of the old woman, which was
executed May 26. 1890. leaves her entire
property. whatsoever 1t may amount to,
10 an only daughter, born out of wedlock.
and from whom she has been separated
nearly sixteen years. and here hangs the
story Of the eyentful career OF Christine
Miller. The will reads as follows:
l, Christine Miller. OF the city and county OF
San Francisco. State OF California, of the age
OF 4S years. and being of sound and disposiDg
mind aud memory. and not acting under duress
menace. fraud or under influence of any person
whatever. do make, publish and declare this
my last VIII and testament In the manner fol.
lowing, that IL to say:
Firsi-I give and beQueathe unto my daughter
Laura Hansen, now known as Laura Campbell
and residing az this date with her adopted
mother. Mrs. Jane Campbell, In the county of
Contra Costa, State OF California about five and
a half miles from the town of Antioch. all the
properly. both real and personal, which now
have or may hereafter acquire. and OF which die
possessed. including The sum OF $4,000 aud over
now on deposit IN my name in the savings banks
known as the German Savings and Loan Soci-
ETY. aud the Hlbernia Savings and Loan Society
in the city and county OF San Francisco.
Lastly-I hereby nominate and appoint
George Won Siadep of the city aud county of
San Francisco the executor Of this. my last will
aud testament. and hereby revoke all former
Wills by me made. CHRIsTIN MILLER
The ties of friendship. which later in her
Illc iDduo UtT Udh0 MT. Won StaQeu
to her will. were formed nearly !
years ago, when he was pro-
prietor OF a saloon in the same building i'm |
which the old woman has lived her misprly |
for so many years. She had been |
n tenant over his saloon then almost a |
year. and all he knew Of her was that she |
was close-fisted and saving wash |
Who she was or where she came |
from did not trouble the saloon-keeper, |
until one day she sent down to his saloon |
asking him 10 come up, as she was i'm |
trouble. 1t was then that she, as she ex- |
planned, for the first time unfolded the |
story CT her life ana told of her possess
sions. She bad child, a little girl of |
years old, born to her by a sailor named |
ID ans Hansen, familiarly known among |
his shipmates as Handsome Charley" and |
who Tor three years previous had been an |
inmate Of the home of the San Francisco |
Ladies' Protective and Relief Society and |
lt had been adopted by some people from |
the home and was lost TO her. She ex-