Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-06-06
GEOGRAPHIC.
qlEFORD'S ESTATE.
, min Asalnsl it for Fifteen Million
Dollars
am ny THE GOVERNMENT


Francisco, June 0. - The
-, nor 100000 filed against the
I'D ,,I estate by Attorney General
s..,~a preliminary step to force
w" .,v,rnnent claim against the
y '.,',l boldets Of the Central Pacific
a,s,,o,u.ei the greatest Interest
t,,now learned that the gov
y" 80. claim was filed May 9, hut
a.,,s attempt was made to keep the
.',,,dlpg secret in order that the
.",,el,l operations Of the estate need
,s.,mbatfa.sed. The late Senator
,sis,dis estate was recently APP
80 n slLOOO,OO0. Since tho ap-
.,.sm,ntheavy obligations have been
md Il 10 stated now that the
-'"s,s'mspt Of the government claim
- pfactlcally wipe out the estate,
'ssniy leaving the widow ponnilets,
=, snitipg eli all the beneficiarieu
tbe late senator's will, including
4, endowment Of s2,jOO,OOO to the
.,slofi universally. IL Ia even said
s,iibe estate on the liquidation OF ite
,..soWledsed debts may not equal
.s,meunt claimed by tho govern.
- In this event Senator Stan.
-. deed Of trust under which Stan.
"a uniyersily was founded would not
.,sd 10 case the decision Of this courts
md BE- In favor Of tho government
IA the Stanford University would
',s,,,afily be- sacrificed to save tile
sirmtnt. Mrs. Stanford In an inter
~ has stated that tho government
,,in " M DO resisted 10 the fullest eX'
,sI Of her ability. She regards the
,vs,,dlngs In the nature Of test case
VA vas not surprised ut the filing Of
n, elilm. Further than thete STATE
rsals she would not talk.
Az idea OF the probable defense
"a, given last night by Nit.
gl,on, one OF Mrs. Stan.
~ attorneys. In an interview he
hA
me opinion Of the attorney general
! snlltl q " great deal OF consider.
laon, but no IL proceeding on a wrong
sumptlon. 1 am ifee 10 say that | do
ID mink the government will ever 10
ls 10 collect snything from the es,ate.
lhe government Issued bonds ~ assist
TIE construction of the Central Pa
Dc railroad, but neither Mr.. STAFFORD
" anyone else ever agreed 10 pay the
pumment back. The bonds operate
"a second mortgage. 1t Ia not debt
ID while the attorney general IN per-
ruy right that la California the
snbefs ola corporation are personally
!nl0nsible for the debts OF the cOrpOr.
cin he In wrong In assuming that the
lErgage IL n debt.
aY0u can't compel n man 10 pay a
1uHgage. II 1 borrow 200 on n
~ Of property valued at $500, the
.sf OF the mortgage can't compel
no pay II when II becomes dus. He
q f0fsclOse the mortgage and take
apfoperiy anu that IL all.
80 In this case Of the Central Pa.
e Railroad company, the govern
nat holds second mortgage on
J, eompany's property Of 500, 600, 0U0.
b government by paying the first
lhAkt VI suNfNNNlNNN NAh lhHtNluNN
,sieo0nd mortgage aud get control Of
,sfoad. But II IN not TO be presumed
la the United States would care TO
Ipsnd 1920. 900, 900 to get control Of a
~ that could be built for one third
BE- amuunt."
William +. Harris, the railroad COM
thyt Denver counsel, gave n similar
npieuion Of opinion.
Neither Of these lawyers, however,
tlsfi into discussion Ot the allegations
o fraud which have been made by
.9ngfesman Mcclure and Others
aldstl In tho demand OF prosecution
g,in.i the Huntington, Stanford,
.Nckef, Searles aud other estates.
lodAy Il the last under the law which
He. Stanford mas 10 accept or reject
Ae governments claim. IL IA believed
~ will simply ignore tho claim,
,aicb In law simply Rmourts TO Tejec-
10. IL will then he IN order for the
pvtinment to institute suit, either In
Dc unittd States courts OF in the
apstlot court In San Francisco. At
sihty General olney's claim was
led 10 the probate court In San Frau.
neo, before Judge Coffee where the
sanford estate Ia now undergoing
hllltmtnt.