The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-07
Attorneys Will Not Admit That
the Great Litigation Is
Settled.
MR.. GOODFELLOW's POSITION.
Reuben H. Lloyd Declines to Discuss
His Clients Affairs - What
George Knight Says.

process OF adjustment Tor some weeks ana
that as a result of these negotiations a
basis of settlement had been reached
aroused widespread interest in the COM
munity yesterday morning.
The famous battle was at an end and the
warriors were already forging their swords
into pruning-hooks for other harvests: a
great general had been among them-a
man out of the ranks, indeed-and his
ideas were represented by the white
dove of peace; and the great gen
eral had been going from camp to
camp for weeks, bent upon averting the
terrible war of determination that the
belligerents were preparing for, hoping to
prevent the awful slaughter OF time,
and save at least the marrow in the bone
of contention for the princes in whose be-
half the legal warriors were so bragely
belligerent and success crowned the efforts
of the great lay general-success and
secrecy aswell, when out of the silent skies
of reticence fell the flashing light of THE
Calls publication.
at is false! it is false!" cried all the
hosts in unison. peace, never! War,
forever War to the lastr' And the war
riors hid their forging-hammers, buckled
on again what armor was left them and
went forth nobly and fearlessly to pro-
claim to all the wide world-the evening
newspapers and morning contemporaries
included-that There is no peace"
Nevertheless THE CALLS statement that
the Fair will trust has practically reached
the end of its existence and that the great
legal battle Will never be fought, was
and is based upon an authority which,
were IL made public, would be at once
recognized as reliable and trustworthy.
So The CALL repeats this statement to-day
and is willing 10 let time itself furnish the
proof to those who may doubt.
Naturally enough the great lawyers, in
their modest and commendable spirit Of
reticence concerning the affairs of their
clients, have not cared to confirm the news
as published in THE CALL. Naturally
enough, too, those even more modest than
the others have denied the truth of the
story and still speak of valor and of war,
one hand still on the sword.
In truth the time was not ripe for the pub
lie announcement, and had THE CALL been
more mindful of the warriors wishes and
less mindful of its duty to its readers the
publication would have been delayed a
week, maybe two, possibly three-or until
the articles OF agreement and the deeds of
transfer had been placed on file with the
clerk OF the Probate Court.
Among the gentlemen who emphatically
denied the truth of THE CALLS statement
yesterday none were quite so emphatic as
W. S. Goodfellow, one of the four trustees
under the will creating the trust. Mr..
Goodfellow intimates that he feels that
an injustice has been done him in the
statement that his share of the COM
promise fund amounted to $250,0O0-
though certainly it was farthest from
THE CALLS intentions to speak in any pos
sibe way of Mr.. Goodfellow except in the
highest terms of respect for bis ability
as lawyer his uprightness as trustee of
the Fair estate, his honor as a gentleman.
Mr.. Goodfellow misconstrues the state
ment entirely when he construes it into
even the phantom of shadow of hint
that his conduct in the matter was not en-
tirely above reproach.
81 have never received one cent and
never shall receive one cent for abdicating
my trust" These are Mr.. Goodfellow's
own words. eff | resign from the trust 1
shall do so without a farthing's compensa-
ton. 1t would not be honorable for me to
accept anything. And what is more, l
have not resigned, have never thought of
resigning and never SHALL resign my posi-
ton as trustee of the Fair estate The
matter is now in Judge Slack's hands, and
should he declare the trust invalid l shall
carry an appeal to the Supreme Court, if |
have to do so alone. l do not consider the
Walkerley decision at all applicable in this
case, for there the trust was limited to a
period of twenty years, while here the
trust is to endure during the life of the
chief heirs. No settlement can be made !;
no settlement has been made; no settle
ment will be made" And these are Mr.
Goodfellow's own words.
1t was hardly to be expected that the
gentlemen most interested in the settle
ment of the Fair will contest would ex-
hibit any great precipitancy in confirming
the news of the settlement, but the denials
of some of the gentlemen are couched in
such emphatic words that they are re-
corded now and will be preserved for future
reference. In after days the events of time
may give these utterances an added value,
making them even more interesting to
the general reauer than they are at pres
ent.
Among the emphatic denials was GER
tainly not that of Attorney Reuben H.
Lloyd. He is a pleasant gentleman to con-
verse with. He has rich fund of reminis-
cences. He uses them aptly and knows
how to relate them entertainingly. He is
one OF the oldest subscribers of THE CALL
and naturally feels fatherly interest in
the journal which he patted on the back
in its infant days-days shortly after the
water ceased coming up to Montgomery
street. And he was sorry-filled with
genuine regret that THE CALL should
have been led to publish such story.
But was it true that basis of compro-
mise had been reached in the matter of
the Fair estate?
Mr.. Lloyd was not at liberty to talk for
his clients. Both of them were out of the
City, and during their absence it was not
their lawyers place to pretend to speak
for them concerning matters of an entirely
private and professional nature.
Judge Paterson, one OF the lawyers as
ISOLATED with the case, was seen at his res
idence last night.
81 am surprised to learn" said Mr.. Pat