The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1894-11-26
CAL DUDEN'S SAN FRANCISCO LOTS.
A Man in New York Mortgages One
for $4,000.
How Some Eastern Sharper Swindled
Man Back There by Bold
Transaction.

The many friends of Cal Duden in this
city are enjoying quite joke at his ex-
pense. Duden is sometimes known as
'.The Hermit of Latrobe," and some
times as the Mayor of that way station
OH the Placerville railroad. He has been
the station agent, telegraph agent, etc.,
there for so many years that the natives
have forgotten when he arrived there.
Some say it was about tile time the
rock bound hills We're formed, while
others go further and declare that Duden
dropped down on that spot away back in
the prehistoric era. or about the time that
Henry Johnson made his debut as con-
ductor of the railroad that pierces the FL
Dorado hills.
However,, Duden still lives at Latrobe
Nobody ever dies there, and unless he
moves away his chances for climbing the
golden stairway are very slim. Duden
has not invested all of his money in city
lots in Latrobe, but has been quietly
sinking" some OF it in San Francisco
property, his investments therein dating
back many years.
Last Friday he went down to the bay
to pay his taxes, but when he appeared
at the Tax Collectors office and inquired
how much he owed lie was surprised to
lind that his bill called for much less
than he had expected to pay. lnasmuch
rs Mr.. Duden usually pays goodly sum
10 the city by the sea, he desired TO know
The reason for the extraordinary reduc-
ton.
Chief Deputy Cook explained that the
reduction was due to mortgage of IS, 600
on Duden's property.
The books showed that man named
j. Ii. q. Hall had mortgage of $1,000 OH
Duden's property, consisting OF a lot 1oX
III feet at the corner OF Eighteenth and
Howard streets.
"Who is ?" asked Duden. 81
never heard OF him. / don't know him."
Investigation in the Recorders office
showed that a fraud had been perpetrated.
The property in question has been IN
possession of Mr.. Duden for twenty-five
years, and he Will not suffer loss, as the
mortgage, being fraudulent, cannot cloud
the property. But some unknown per-
son has been victinlzed.
On Decem Der -, 1893 a communication
was received by Recorder Glynn from j.
Miller, lawyer OF New York, request
ing that two deeds and a mortgage be
recorded. One of these deeds was
acknowledged before Notary Charles L.
Kelly in San Francisco on June p, 1893,
and purported to be conveyance of the
lot at Eighteenth and Howard streets
from J. Nj. Murphy TO A. a. Homer, for
$40. The second deed was from Homer
10 Ii. ID. Buefort, dated November 9, 1898,
and acknowledged before Notary Public
Lee Craig. The consideration named
was $40.
The mortgage is dated at New York,
December 10, 1893. In consideration OF
having received $1,000 Ii. ID. Buefort
transferred his title and interest in the
property mentioned to j. III. q. Hall.
The police have been informed and de-
tectives are searching for the swinders.
The instruments which were placed on
record were returned to New Y DIRK. and
an examination of them is therefore i'm
possible.
A San Francisco paper Of yesterday, re-
ferrng TO the suject, says:
The publication of the discovery by
G. w. Duden of Latrobe that his property,
at the corner of Eighteenth and Howard
streets, had been mortgaged for 81. 600
without his knowledge, caused a search
TO be made in the Recorder office yester-
day, with the result that an interesting
discovery was made.
1T appears that the property was orig
inally decided away fraudulently by Cnas.
Z. Duane, the notorious landjumper, on
July 10, 1883. Duane was a celebrated
criminal character, who won notoriety by
his method of jumping property, scme-
times committing homicide. He made
out his own deeds to property that suited
his fancy, placed them on file, and then
dared the original owner to dispute the
point with him.
Although Duane made the deed in
1885, which was acknowledged before
Notary W. l.. Higgins, it was hot filed
until 1891, by j. Nj. Murphy, who is
named in the instrument. Whether Muir
ply was aware of the character of the
deed is unknown, as no one appears to
have any knowledge OF him or the other
persons to whom he su subsequently, trans
lerred the property"