The morning call., 1894-09-29

weeks later his dead body was found near
Point San Quentin. But in the meantime
February "a deed purporting to he given
in lieu of one executed In 1866 by Lea to
Owens was made and delivered.
The question arose, with certain Suspi-
cions, how could Lea have given this
deed? He had never remained so long
away from home, at least not Tor many
years. When his hody was found, it Incl
Gated he had been in the water more than
two weeks. So the attorneys cOncluce
that he was dead on February g. 1892, aud,
while they cannot say positively that his
signature to the deed was forgery, be-
cause they have not seen it, they feel salts
fed that be never executed the deed.
A search was made for Owens that he
might throw some light on the case, but it
proved futile, for Owens could not be
found. He used to live at 1885 Fols ON
street, but he left that address about a
year ago and the people living there only
knew that he was some kind Of real es-
tate dealer. The reputable real estate
agents have no knowledge of such a anm
as Owens.
Still another strange circumstance is
quoted In the fact that the original deed,
which Owens claimed was given him by
Lea in 1866, was never recorded. Then,
too, the second one. given instead of that
which he said was lost, was not filed for
twenty months after February 3. 1892,
when it was supposed to have been ex-
ecuted.
The story behind these queer happen
ings goes back fully thirty years, TO time
when Lea was prosperous merchant of
San Francisco. Over at the southwest
corner of Buchanan and Chestnut streets
Lea built himself a quaint home years ago.
Then the place had some natural beauty
with scrub oaks and shrubs and pleasant
undulating land that rolled gently toward
the northern DaV shore,
Lea acquired title to fifty-vara lot on
the corner for the purpose of building his
home there tweuty-seven years since. and
lived there until he disappeared on the
wintry night in January, 1892.
Lea owned a malthouse when he settled
in the house at Chestnut and Buchanan
streets. He bad bright young clerk who
kept his books and became intimate with
his affairs. This young man was David
Owens, the same who now claims to have
got half the old homestead from Lea for
SO.
One night about twenty-five years ago,
when Lea was on a business trip to the
Hawaiian Islands, so his widow states,
Owens called at the house late in the even
ing and asked to be allo wed TO remain over
night. Mrs. Lea did not object, so he was
given her husbands room.
II could not sleep at all that night"
said she when recalling the history of
Owens connection with his affairs, ''ior
he kept turning every thing upside down
and made such a noise it was impossible
for me to sleep. l asked him what be was
doing.
{" 4 was looking for that Decd was all
he said. But he would not say what deed
he wanted. / never saw deed in the
house, and am certain my husband would
have told me if it were here"
g From time TO time Owens called 20 see
Lea, though toward th e end he did not
visit the house at all. Business relations
ceased, for the men had no special regard
for each other.
The last evening that Lea was seen alive
is well remembered by his widow, who
still lives in the old homestead.
He came home at P. NJ" said she,
land l noticed a strange look in his ewes.
as if ne had been drinking and been
drugged. | never before saw such an ex-
preston. He went out again about s
O'Clock, when | went to bed and put the
lights out. Some time in the night / was
awakened by terrible screaming just out
side the garden gate.
Il got up and ran to the front door,
when the screams stopped. The night
was pitch dark and it was raining, so |
could see nothing outside. l waited
awhile, and then put the lights out ana
went to bed. l found in the morning he
did not come home, and L never saw MIN
alive again.
About three or four weeks before that
night he was attacked outside the door,
but he caught up scaDtling and fright
ened the men who attacked him. They
ran away.
'After all these things | came to the
conclusion he was either murdered or
shaDgh aied, and when l was told his BODY
had been found, said: Murdered. They
killed him."
Mrs. Lea has her suspicious, of course,
but regarding the property she stoutly