The morning call., 1894-07-24
OVER A MILLION
Wanted From w. S.
Ladd's Estate.
Mrs. Sarah F. Hitler of This City
Brings Suit to Recover Her
Alleged Rights.

1t is not often that suits involving over a
million dollars are begun. and when they are
there Is usually something of a sensational
character connected in them.
An action OF this sort has been begun by d.
Albert Hitler and Sarah f. Hitler, his wife, OF
this city, against Caroline A. Ladd William NJ
Laid, Charles A. and John W. Laid, executors
OF the last will Of William S. Ladd, deceased.
The defendants are all residents of Portland,
Or, where for years William S. Ladd was
prominently known as one OF the richest men In
the Northwest, and The amount involved is
S1.2O0.0O0.
management of the estate of j. w. Ladd by his
brother, W. S. Ladd, while acring as admins.
traitor thereof in behalf Of the widow, now Mrs.
Hitler.
According TO the complaint j. W. Ladd died
February %, 1871. He was an old and we'll
known resident Of this city, having been en-
gagged here in the freight and transportation
business between This port and Oregon.
In his business enterprises Laid was con-
nected with his brother, W. S. Laid, who al
ways resided at Portland, Or. They were es-
pecially interested in the Oregon Steam Navi-
CATION Company, which was Incorporated in
1862 and reorganiZed in 1868.
Both before and after the reorganization J.
W. and w. S. Laid owned large amounts of
stock in the company, which some time before
the death of j. w. Ladd had been transferred
and stood on the books of the corporation in
the name OF AlvlnZa Hayward of San Francisco.
When j. w. Laid died Hayward held in his
own name in trust for Laid or his estate 1900
shares of the compaDy'S stock.
When j. w. LAID died be left a WILL by
which he requested her 10 rlace her property
in the hands of w. S. Laid to invest and man
age for her.
Not knowing anything of business affairs, the
widow allowed w. S. Laid TO manage her
property for her.
W. S. Ladd died In January 1893. In 1880.
though, he surrendered TO her the proceeds OF
$50 shares of Oregon Steam Navigation stock,
ana al Zines paid her money on account.
After the death of her husband the widow
spent two years in Europe, and while she was
away she alleges, her brOther-in-aw filed his
final account In the Probate Court and also
procured by fraud u decree whereby the esta te
was distributed half 10 the widow, instead of
three quarters, and half 70 the other heirs. of
which w. S. Ladd WAS one. The widow al
lowed this TO 90 on, she says, because her mind
was so affected at the time that she was unfit
to transact any business.
In order to conceal from the widow and the
estate, w. S. Laid omitted from the inventory
of the estate the Item of the 1000 shares of
Navigation stock, which was very easy to do,
as the stock stood in Hayward's name.
Three years ago Mrs. KILLER became con-
WINGED that she had been defrauded and inves-
Iigated w. S. Ladd's transactions. In May,
1898, she presented claim to the defendant
executors for the 500 shares of stock out of
the 1000 and proceeds thereof amounting TO
$4,000 together with dividends thereon.
Her claim was rejected.
In conclusion the plaintiff prays for a strict
accounting of all these transactions ana that
w. S. Ladd's estate remain undlstributed until
these claims are satisfied.
The case Will be heard in the United States
Circuit Court of Oregon.