The morning call., 1894-03-13
MURDOCK'S NOTE.
Strange Claim Against an
Estate.
GLENN COUNTY'S SENSATION.
A Mysterious Ohio Man Holds
the Paper.
DRAWN SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO.
Was for One Hundred Thousand Dol
lars to Run Twenty Years, and
1t Makes Heirs Weary.

Uneasiness is very: general among the
numerous heirs of the late William Muir
dock of Glenn County. He was one of the
largest landowners in that region, and
died about six weeks ago, leaving an es-
tate valued at from $685. 900 to $500. 600.
This estate is situated some five miles
west of Willows. and is we'll known to
people who visit that pretty little place.
The cause of the uneasiness of the
heirs is the rumor of the discovery of a
vast claim against the estate; so vast. in
deed, that it promises to eat up the entire
property. The claim is based upon a
note for 100000. said to be held by some
party in Ohio to whom it was transferred
by the wife OF G. w. Murdoch of Orlan d,
a distant relative of the deceased. The
peculiar thing about the affair is that it is
claimed the note was made seventeen
years ago, to run twenty years at per
cent per annum, interest compounded
semi-anpually. Therefore, the note and
interest, cOmpoun ded at such a rate. must
now reach sum aggregating over $780, 600.
As will be seen this will make a very con-
siderable hole in the property, and as there
is no doubt any such claim will be most
hotly contested, very little OF the property
would be left after the contest is settled, if
it ever comes up.
The deceased was bachelor who set
tied near Willows in early DAYS. He had
number of relatives in Glenn County,
most of whom are small ranchers to whom
any bequest would be a great blessing.
No one of them ever heard of this mysteri-
Gus note until the death of William Muir
dock. The will was duly probated and
executors appointed 10 carry out its terms
in the persons of w. d. Harrington, Adam
Compton and B. Fl. Burton, all we'll
known and reputable men. Then for the
first time rumors obtained of the existence
of the ote. The first notice came from
G. w. Murdoch, husband of the Orland
lady TO whom !. was made out. He said
ne himself drew up the note In his wife's
favor and she 10 turn transferred it to the
unknown Ohio party whose identity so
FAR has eluded the vigilance of the heirs.
If there is sucn party holding such a
note he has not so far announced his ex-
istence to any of the executors of the es-
tate. He is said to have engaged a San
Francisco lawyer TO file his claim agansi
the Murdoch estate. but search has 50
far failed to reveal the, attorney any more
than his client from Ohio,
+. c. Lusk OF Chico is the attorney for
the estate and with him is associated
Richard Bayne of this city. When seen
yesterday Dir. Bayne refused to talk at
any length Of the matter. sit is quite
true" he said. however. that we have
heard of the existence Of this strange note,
but it is merely in the shape of rumor If
1t does exist. which l strongly doubt, it is
certainly forgery. was personally we'll
acquainted with Mr. Murdoch, and a more
careful business man l have seldom met.
He was particularly averse to giving notes
to any one or even to indorsing notes for
friends. l know of no one who has ever
heard Of him giving his note, and the gem
eral belief is that the rumor is unfounded
or that IL the note is ID existence it is a
forgery. The will has already been ad-
mitted to probate. and the executors are
IN process of administering the estate. No
attorney has visited US on behalf of the
mythical Ohio man. II there is such
person with such note the only thing he
can do is to file his claim against the es-
tate and prove its genuineness in court. 1t
is certainly the most extraordinary thing |
ever heard of if it does not exist. My
private opinion is that 1t is all
DOSU. cs, TIE U6lIS Ioel q lille
uneasy perhaps, but the administration of
the estate is progressing rapidly. and by
this time such claimant should have put
in an appearance if any such claimant
there be. The value of the Murdoch es-
tate in Glenn County and the money In
hand must be something in the neighbor-
hood of S25O.O00. The rumor that reached
us is that the interest is compounded an
nually, and not semi-annually, as you say.
In the latter case it is a still larger claim.
We have not been able to trace the rumor.
1t is one of those intangible rumors the
source of which seems to be beyond the
finding out"
F. c. Lusk. the Chico attorney, was In
town few days ago comforting with Mr..
Bayne in relation to the estate. He has
said nothing of ever having been told by
his deceased client that such q note was in
existence, although rumor credits him
with having been the first one to have
heard of it. as he would have been if such
note existed.