The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-22
He WAS THE FIRST OF ALL TO
LEARN OF THE HOL0-
GRAPHIC WILL.
BRESSE IS VERY RETICENT.
WILL NEITHER AFFIRM Nor DENY
A REPORTED ACT BY
SENATOR FAIR.

which was made pubic Tor the first time
yesterday. 1t was told by one of the attor-
neys for the heirs. According to him none
other than Governor Budd made the dis
covery.
Mrs. Nettie r. Craven spent good deal
of the time at Sacramento during the re-
cent session of the Legislature working in
behalf of the teachers pension bill. While
in Sacramento on several occasions Mrs.
Craven declared that If the bill became
law the teachers pension fund would be
started with legacy of $50 900 which she
had secured. This statement was repeated
as an argument why the legislators should
vote for the bill. Mrs. Craven interviewed
Governor Budd to see if he would sign the
bill if it should be sent to him, and the
Governors curiosity being aroused by the
legacy statement he proceeded to inter
view Mrs. Craven. She was averse, it is
said, to answer his questions concerning
the legacy. but finally, under his skillful
cross-examination, the fact was developed
that she claimed a legacy from Fair, and
subsequently the lead-pencil will was pro
duced. The attorneys, who in part base
their hopes of breaking the will which
places the estate in the control of execu-
tors not members of Fairs family declare
that Mrs. Craven is in possession of infor-
nation which she withholds from them,
declaring that she will not tell all until she
takes the witness-chair in court.
Another factor in the attempt to break
the Will of September q is a written state
ment said to have been made by ex-
Senator Fair shortly after that date, though
the document is not now known to be in
existence. Charles Heggarty of the firm
of Knight & Heggarty, attorneys for
Charles Fair, has faith in the story that
the statement referred to was made.
This statement If tho Story no trr1a INV.
ports TO have been written by Fair and in
Dictated how he wished to divide the
property. 1t was not in the form OF will,
but intended to serve as the basis around
which will in all its legal phraseology
might be built. In this statement Fair
declared his intention to divide his prop
erty about equally among his children, and
made provisions for other relatives about
as things appear in the Photographic will.
1t is said that Senator Fair handed tn is
paper to ]. S. Angus and Louis C. Bresse
with the remark, "How would it do to
divide my estate in this way?" and that
they declared that it would be an equitable
division.
Louis G. Bresse, when asked yesterday if
this were true, would neither affirm nor
contradict the story. By his manner he
sought TO contradict it, declaring that all
sorts OF stories in connection with the Fair
estate were now afloat but adding that he
could say nothing about the matter. When
pressed for direct yes or no answer Mr..
Bresse positively declined TO give one, de-
claring that he would make no statement
concerning the Fair estate or the Fair wills
and referring the inquirer to the attor-
neys.
In the Office of one of the attorneys for
the heirs who seek to break the will lust
placed on record is large collection of pa
pers in Fairs handwriting. These are of
various sorts, from Geographic message
to more pretentiouS documents. The sig
natures vary. The slant of the admitted
signatures differs. In some instances the
documents are signed "James G. Fair" in
others ~. G. Fair" The letters are not
always made in the same way, and thew
differ in size and other respects. In one
instance the middle initial 7"G'' is looped
to the first letter OF the surname. In other
cases it stands without the connecting
stroke.
There is what might be termed a family
resemblance between the various admit
tedly genuine signatures, but to the casual
glance these differ more from each other
than does the signature to the Photographic
from some of them.
The postal authorities began to take
hand in the case yesterday. Postmaster
McCoppin wrote to Charles Fair asking for
the letter from South Dakota, in which it
was declared that the stolen will would be
Chamberlain of that State. The postal au-
thorities believe that the author of that
letter has been trying to victimize other
people. Charles Heggarty declared that
the letter had not been kept, and there
fore Mr.. Fair was unable to assist the
postal authorities.
R. II. Warfield Of the California, returned
from San Diego last night but maintained
an absolute silence with regard to the third
will and the conversation had with James
G.. Fair.
ST shall make no statement" said he,
"either to the press or to any one. What
ever was told me was given in confidence
and l shall respect that confidence. shall
make no statement and none of nv family
will do so, unless summoned before the
court to tell what we know. I must de-
cline to discuss the statements which the
papers have published.
The tenor Of Colonel Warfield's remarks
indicated that he could make disclosures
of Importance if called upon by the court
to do So though there was no direct state
ment of that nature.
AS sequel to the discovery of the holo-
graphic will the report was current yester-
day that the relation of Mrs. Craven to the
School Department would be severed
H. L. Dodge, the president of the Board
of Education, declared that he knew of no
such contemplated action.
d
mark made by myself" said Charles B.
Stone, one of the members of the board.
II said 1 did not think Mrs. Craven was
doing the department very much good"
Mr.. Stone was asked if he referred to her
connection with the will recently discov-
cred.
at was not so much that replied Mr..
Stone. II said that she seemed to have
become politician rather than teacher.
No steps have been taken looking to her
removal from the department, and I do not
know that any such action is contem-
plated"
The attorneys for the heirs of the Fair
estate are jubilant. There was a demand
for will and will was found. This will
was in the possession of Mrs. Craven and
she gave it to the attorneys. Reuben III.
Lloyd delares, as result of his last con-
versation with Mrs. Craven, that the will
is undeniably genuine. The attorneys for
the executors under the old will declare
their conviction that it is forgery.
The attorneys for the heirs have one
point of advantage. If the Photographic
will is declared to be genuine and the last
testament of the late Senator, their case is
made. If that will falls they are as well
off, in legal way as they were before, for
they can begin where they begun originally