The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-18
Stages HISTORY.

Stages HISTORY
A Brief Sketch of the Man Who Was Muir
dered
Cornelius Stage was native of the city
of New York, and was descendant of one
of the oldest families of the State, some of
his ancestors being among the earliest set
tiers. His parents were well-to-do people,
but they allowed him considerable free
dom, and, as natural result following
lack Of parental restraint, he became some
what wild. Before he attained the age of
20 he manifested a desire to roam, as he
believed that the Empire City was not
| large enough for him. When the Califor-
mia gold fever was at its height he was
seized with desire to go to California,
and against the circumstances OF parents
and relatives be went West.
He reached San Francisco in 1851, but it
was not until two years later that he came
into public notice. When Cornelius K.
Garrison held the Office of Mayor, from
1858 to 1854 inclusive, Stagg was appointed
a secret service officer for the city, and
made his reports to Captain Lees. In that
capacity he showed considerable ability
and shrewdness, and, being somewhat OF
sporty character he mingled with people
OF that class and obtained much informa-
ton that proved of great value TO the
authorities. In connection with the duties
of his office he found time, like many
others in those days, to take hand in
politics. He was very forward man, who
forced himself into circles where his pres
| ence was not always desired, but he was
tolerated, because it was not known when
he might be of service. He was on terms
| of very close acquaintance with Senator
David G. Broderick, and was quite promi-
nent as an outside member of nominating
| conventions.
When not in politics he spent a good
deal of his time on the turf and took much
| interest in the races run over the Pioneer
course located near Twenty-first and Mis-
sion streets, and he was a prominent figure
at the theaters, being on familiar terms
with Tom Mcguire and other managers.
To reward him for much political work
the Legislature created for him the office
of Inspector of We lights and Measures to
which he was appointed in 1857 and which
he held until 1861. 1t was his duty to ex-
anime all scales and measures and to put
his stamp on them when they were found
correct. The office was lucrative one but
it proved very heavy tax onl those who
| were forced to pay for the pleasure of see
ing &C Stage, Inspector" stamped on
their scales, weights and measures. The
Office was abolished and Stage spent his
| days in ease making and losing money on
the racetrack until 1868.
When William Y. Patch was appointed
| Collector of Internal Revenue and Caleb
T. Fay was the Assessor, United States
Senator John CONFESS had a great deal to
say IN the matter of appointments under
| these officials, and through him Stagg was
named as Deputy Assessor, his particular
duty being to watch distilleries He re-
manned In that position until Frank Soule
succeeded Patch. In 1867 there was some
trouble in the revenue department, and
there was shortage that Collector Soule
could not explain. Several parties, includ-
ing Stage, were mixed up in the matter,
but after a close investigation Stagg was
exonerated and he went East an con-
sideratiOn of services rendered the Govern
ment' Stage was made a Secret Service
Agent OF the Revenue Department, with
headquarters at Brooklyn, n. Y. He re-
NAMED there for several years, and when
he returned to San Francisco in 1872 he was
richer than he had ever been in his
panied by his wife, tall dark-haired
woman, one of the handsomest women at
that time in San Francisco. He also
| brought with him a pair of well-matched
grays that was then the finest team in the
city, if not the State. AS he rode behind
these horses at spanking gait along the
thoroughfares that led to the racetrack he
attracted the attention of every one.
In 1872 he became the proprietor of the
Ocean View House and riding and driving
park on the bluff between the seal rocks
and the road leading from the beach to
Laguna de la MERGED. This place was in
| tended as one over which the owners of
fast horses could speed their animals, but
about two years satisfied Stage that the
venture was not a financial success, SO he
pulled up stakes in 1874 and became the
proprietor of the Ocean House, which he
kept until 1888, when it was destroyed by
fire Then he secured the Tngleside, in
which he met his tragic death.
His wife was with him at the Ocean
House, but the life they led was not q
happy one. The class of people she came
in contact with at the roadside house was
not calculated to enhance her ideas of San
Francisco society. The visitors We're
set moved the wife to follow it. There was
an open rupture between husband and
wife and they separated.
Mrs. Stagg did not attract much atten-
ton until some ten years ago. when her
name was connected in an unpleasant
manner with that of an Englishman, who
committed suicide on Broadway by shoot
ing himself After the separation Stagg
commenced an action for divorce on the
ground of desertion, but it was impossible
to have the papers served on the wife, and
two years ago, at the instance of infuen-
tial parties from New Y ork, he gave up the
search for her. There was an immense
parties were afraid would be exposed to
the public gaze if the divorce case came to
trial.
During the first visit of King Kalakaua
to California, in the latter part of the
seventies, he was the guest of the Califor-
MIA Club, the members being the gayest of
the gay boys of San Francisco. He was
taken to Stages, and the way he was en-
| tertained there must have remained fresh
in his memory unto his dying day
In later days the good fortune that at
tended Stage in the days never to be seen
again deserted him, and on several occa-
sions he was on the verge of being dragged
into the bankruptcy court.
/ During the early days of Benito Juarez'
Presidency in Mexico, Stage acted in the
capacity of confidential agent for him, and
what his business with him was he never
disclosed. While in the Mexican republic
he had access to great deal of inside in
formation which he put in the shape of in
teresting letters, which were published in