The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-27
DOWNEY'S LAST WILL,
Senator White Breaks
the Seal on the Doc
ument.
A HOLOGRAPHIC CODICIL.
1T Had Been Drawn Without
the Aid of the Ex-Gov-
ernor'S Attorney.
DENIES THAT HE SIGNED IT..
Sensational Statement Made by a
Man Named in the Document
as a Witness.

SAN DIEGO, CAL. May 26.-The
privacy which has been maintained re-
garding the will of ex-governor John G.
Downey was broken to-day, the will hav-
ing been placed safely in the hands of the
Probate Court at Los Angeles, and Senator
Stephen NJ. White, the only surviving e1-
ecutor, being made acquainted with its
contents. The utmost efforts heretofore
made to secure copy have failed, though
the most important provisions were OBJ
tanned here by the CALL correspondent
before the will was sent to Los Angeles.
At that city not even the principal por-
tions were made public, and the will was
kept sealed.
Tonight the following verbatim copy
was given to the CALL representative:
Los ANGELES, Calf, May Is, 1877. =
I, John G. Downey, of the city and county of
Los Angeles and State of California, being of
sound and disposing mind, do make the fol.
lowing will and last testament:
First-I will and bequeth to my beloved
wife, Mary ]. Guirado, the house and appur-
tenances where we now live, with all furni-
ture, silver, carriages, horses, cows and uten-
sils, and also the adjoining house and lot on
the south, known as the Hun ter place. In ad-
dition will ana beg ueatn to her one-half of
all the balance OF my property of whatever
kind and nature, subject to the payment of her
one-half proportion of my debts, expenses of
administration, etc.
To my sisters, Eleanor Martin, Annie Dona-
hue, Winnifred Martin, and John Downey Har
vey, Will and bequeath the other of nv prop
erty in equal proportions, subject to their pro
rata in paying my debts and the bequests here
matter provided for. My real estate shall not
be sold until j. Downey Harvey attains the
age of 40 years. In case of the death of. Downey
Harvey without heirs, or the death of Winni-
fred Martin or Annie Donahue without heirs,
the property hereby bequeathed the shall re-
vert to Eleanor Martin and her heirs.
will and bequeath to Bishop Mora $1,000
for charitable purposes, to the Catholic Uni
versity of Dowlin $1,000, to the charitable fund
of Los Angeles Lodge No. ~, r. and A. NJ,
$500, to the Ladies' Benevolent Society of Los
Angeles $500, and the Catholic Orphan Society
of Los Angeles $1,000. To John DHwney Har-
vey my library, with the exception OF any
particular books my wife, NJ. J. Guirado, may
desire to retain.
/ appoint as my executors, without bonds,
Edward Martin of San Francisco, J. NJ. Griffith
of Los Angeles and Stephen NJ. White of the
same place, with instructions to keep intact
the Downey block and complete 1t in the rear
when funds accumulate, and when proper
opportunity offers, and without sacrifice to sell
such property outside of the Downey block as
will be necessary to pay off my debts, expenses
of administration, vaults or such monuments
as their good judgment will indicate. This
will revokes all heretofore made, and is hur-
riedly written, as l am starting for the Warner
ranch. JOHN G.. DoWNEY
Executed in the presence of Charles E. Beane,
James w. Bicknell and ]. S. Crawford.
Restrictions upon selling real estate are re-
moved. and Edward Martin having died, Peter
Donahue is substituted as executor in his place
and E. F. Spence in place OF J. NJ. Griffith.
JOHN G. DowNEY.
Witnesses to signature: Bryant Howard, D.
O. Mccarthy.
The will is Photographic and written in a
firm, clear hand. Only one witness sur
wives, but which one is not known here
There is nothing to show that Governor
Downey was aided by an attorney in draw
ing the will, and this accounts for Senator
Whites ignorance of its existence. Every
thing indicates that the codicil was made
in San Diego and both witnesses, Bryant
Howard and D. O. Mccarthy, are living
here.
1t is believed that after making the codi-
Gil Governor Downey handed the docu-
ment to Cashier e. f. Spence of the Con
solidated National Rank and that the latter
indorsed it. Then, when he left for Los
Angeles he turned it over to Bryant How
ard, president of the bank, who forgot it
entirely. D. 0. Mccarthy, editor of the
Vidette, who is named as witness to the
codicil, said tonight that he knew nothing
whatever of such will or codicil and pos
itively denied that he ever signed such
document. He said it could not have been
possible for him to forget signing it if he
had. done so. Bryant Howard is in the
country and cannot be seen tonight
The estate is appraised at 81, 400, 900.
Winnitred Martin, named in the will, is a
half sister of Governor Downey and re-
sides in Baltimore.
The attorney for Governor Downey, who
spoke of the probability of a later will, said
to-day that if such later will was made it
would certainly be known to Judge Bick-
nell of Los Angeles, if to any one now liy-
ing. Judge Bicknell isa brother of the Bick-
nell named as a witness in the will. The
attorney added that the production of this
old will is likely to cause the production of
later one. This has given rise to a sus.
picion that this old will has been pur-
DoSe1v held hack