The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-30


be about 40 years of age. So he come to
think that it might be Minnie who held
this note and set to work to trace her.
Lusk aided him. They found a trace of
her, pursued it for some time, and then
lost it again.
In the meantime another letter came
from Carnage, saying that Mrs. Samuel
Murdoch of Coiusa was the woman sought
for. Mrs. Samuel R. Murdoch is one of the
most estimable ladies in Colusa, and Lusk
soon ascertained that this information was
untrue. She knew nothing whatsoever of
the transaction, and another supposed
clew came to naught.
Still, with the description of the woman
holding the note, they pursued the inves-
tigation. The woman was said to be 81
to 40 years old, dark hair, dark eyes, neat
figure, little plump and quick spoken.
Late in December, 1898, Carnage informed
Lusk that the woman they were seeking
was the wife of GAVIN Murdoch of Stony
Creek. Old William Murdoch refused to
believe it.
Then Detective Carnage told Lusk that
man named l.. S. Megginson had related
to him story as to how the note came
into the hands of the mysterious woman
called "Minnie." Megginson is alleged to
have said:
"About seventeen years ago, William
Murdoch one day took her on his lap and
said, in handing her the note; Minnie,
take good care of that note, for when it
becomes due, twenty years from date, it
may be your fortune if l keep on making
money. Say nothing about it to any one,
for give it to you freely and to provide
you with plenty in the future. 1 would
rather you would have my property than
any of my relatives
Murdoch became much excited when
this story was repeated to him, and an
grily declared that it was all lie, that no
such occurrence had ever taken place.
But for all his alleged disbelief in the
allegation that one of his kin might be the
holder of the note, his suspicious had been
aroused and he told Lusk that as soon as
his health permitted it, he wanted Lusk to
go to Orland with him to interview Mrs.
GAVIN Murdoch about the matter. Will
liam said the only dealings he had ever
had with GAVIN and his wife was the sale
to them of some land. He subsequently
made another deed to one or the other of
them, as there was some mistake in the
first deed. He said he was under no obli-
! cations to Gawn's wife. In his will he had
given GAVIN $1,000, he said. He certainly
| would not have given a note that would
absorb all of his estate.
But William Murdoch never came to
go to Orland to question the wife of his
second cousin, GAVIN, in regard to the
statement that she was the holder of a
note which he denied having ever made.
He grew feebler day by day, and at the
home of his sister in Chico he died.
Then came the opening of the will, fol-
lowed by the filing of the suit against the
executors by Mrs. Mary Ellen Murdoch,
to enforce payment of the note.
The executors desired Photographic
copy of the note. This the plaintiff re-
| fused, through her attorneys. Some testi-
mony has been taken in support of the
application to the court asking an order
compelling the plaintiff to allow photo
graphic copy.
In his testimony, Adam Compton,
nephew of William Murdoch, deceased,
and one of the executors, and his mother,
| sister of the deceased, both said they talked
| to William about the note, and he said,
time and again, that he had never given
such a note.
w. P. Harrington said he believed the
note is forged, and that no part of the
writing of said note, as he was informed
and believes, is claimed to be the writing
of Murdoch, save the signature thereto.
The story of the plaintiff and the trial
| are yet to come. The note is not yet due.
| 1t will, with accrued interest. amount to
the larger portion of the Murdoch fortune.