The San Francisco call., 1895-12-01
BLACKWOOD TEST
The Widow Alleges That the
Decedent Was Unduly
Influenced.
HARRISON STREET OPENED
Insurance Men Cannot Act Inde.
pendently of the Agents in
San Francisco.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,

BlaCkwOOd, who dled nearly year ago
and left very valuable estate, filed Pc
tition this afternoon asking that the pro-
bate of the purported will be revoked.
About a year ago an agreement was ar
rived at between the heirs to adjust the
matter amicably. The year within which
q contest can be brought is about to close
and to protect herself Mrs. Blackwood has
filed her contest, as she was not at all sure
that the agreement would be strictly OBJ
served.
The petition alleges that, so far as the
widow knows, the decedent died intestate
and asks that the so-called will be revoked.
She alleges that if a will were made, it was
made under duress and that the decedent
was under menace at the time. Some of
the heirs are children of the first wife and
it is alleged that Mrs. NJ. J. White is
neither relative of blood nor by marriage
and is entitled to nothing. Blackwood
was divorced from his first wife anu the
widow is also anxious that she shall not
partake OF the estate.
There are about a dozen benefci aries
named in the alleged will and the contest
will undoubtedly be resisted. Several
OF the benehciaries are residents OF Ala
media County, where the Blackwoods
are well known and where they resided
Tor many years.
Smile Is Not Smiling
At 10 o'clock this morning the grading
at the foot of Harrison street was finished
ana the street was open 10 the water front.
The midnight visit of the Mayor and
gang of men to the scene was told in this
mornings CALL. To-day there were two
officers on duty to see that no ATTEMPT was
made to fence up the street, but no such
attempt was MADE. The opening con-
sisted in removing pile of lumber which
has been stacked across the street for the
past two years.
The lumber is the property of Robert
and James Smile, and consisted of about
$4,000 or go, 900 feet. The men worked till
an early hour this morning, and after re-
moving the lumber they demolished the
bridge on which it was built. The two
horse-scrapers were called into service and
they graded in the gulch Mr.. Smile
knew nothing beforehand of the opera
tions of the Mayor. and when he came
down to the wharf this morning he found
his lum Der all removed and a couple Of
officers on the street. 1t was stated at
SMILES office that the firm leased the land
from the railroad company.
Mayor Davie acted on the theory that
Harrison is an open and dedicated street
to the water front. He says it has been
such for forty years, and he proposes TO
keep it open. As is well known the orig
inal or Portoi's map of the city showed all
the streets running north and south open
to the water front, and if this and other
maps are sufficient evidence of dedication,
not only Harrison, but Castro, Brush and
all the others must be open public streets
to the water. Harrison street, unlike Cas-
tro has not within recent wears been
travelled by teams south of First, because
there was a muddy strip of marsh land to
be crossed. When Pardee was MaTor the
uyha II
street south Of First and across this strip
of marsh to the water front was consid-
cred, but no conclusion was reached.
1t is the intention of the Mayor TO open
several other streets in the same manner
as Harrison street was opened last night,
but thus far no intimation has been con-
viewed as to which street will be the next
one so extended. No definite announce
ment will be made in advance of further
openings, the idea being to prevent iniunc-
tion proceedings.
Ministers Warned.
An Oakland minister having been warned
that man named Kim ball, whom he was
befriending, was not to be trusted, he wrote
to San Quentin for information. He re-
ceived the following letter:
SAN QUENTIN, Nov. %
Beware of one calling himself "Bayard Sa-
Vile" and. am informed now travelling un-
der the name OF John G. KimbalI. He is an
arrant scoundrel and confidence man. Minis
ters and churches are his specially. He has
beaten and tried TO beat nearly all the minis
ters of San Francisco and Oakland and numer-
GUS Others also hotels, etc. Give him wide
berth, and, trust him not, he is fooling thee"
Put brother ministers on their guard, and, if
possible, catch him and deliver him to the
police, as it would be an act OF real genuine
benefit TO society and churches in particular.
Kimball is still in town, but after the
publication of the letter he will probably
move.
At the Macdonough.
An attraction of more than ordinary
merit, "The War of Wealth" will be seen
for the first time in this city next Monday
and Tuesday evenings, Decent Der 2 and g.
Something particularly good may be ex-
pected, for it is the latest, and, according
to the critics of the San Francisco papers,
the best effort of the successful author of
"In Old Kentucky" and it is given under
the management of Jacob Lift, manager
known from one end OF the country to the
other for the perfect manner in which he
mounts his plays.
The De Wolf Hopper Comic Opera Com
pany, the best light opera organization in
the country to-day, will play an engage
ming December II, for three nights and
Saturday matinee. Wang" and CDR
Syntax" will be presented. Seats on sale
Monday, December 8.
Lodge of Sorrow.
Oakland Lodge No. Ill of the Benevo-
lent and Protective Order of Elks, will
hold their annual memorial services in the
Unitarian Church Sunday afternoon. The
rostrum OF the Unitarian Church has been
decorated with flowers, palms and ferns in
abundance and the decorations have only
been begun Fifty tall and stately palms
have been placed about the rostrum and
other parts of the church. Woodwardia
ferns are present in an abundance. In the
center of the rostrum is a life-sized elk.
made of white flowers and ferns. Nearby
is a floral chair, across the back OF which
is written in colored flowers the word
Vacant" commemorative of the one
member who has been called to answer
the summons of the Grand Exalted Ruler
of All.
Indifferent Insurance Men.
The meeting of insurance men held last
evening was a failure. An hour after the
advertised time the attendance was too
small to accomplish anything. The meet !
ing was not called to order. The agents
talked matters over, but decided that |
nothing could be done. Being so near San |
Francisco the Oakland agents cannot act |
independently. The-best of feeling pre-