The San Francisco call., 1896-01-22
SCANDAL OVER
A GIRLS MONEY
Strange Charges in the Suit
for Belle Wilson's
Estate.
WILLIAM FORD'S FRIEND
How the Mulatto Woman Became
the Ward of a Promi-
nent Man.
DISCLAIMED BY HIS PEOPLE.
Claimants Aver 1t Was an Unholy
Alliance With the Negro Mother
Who Was Rich.
DIsCLAIMED BY HIS PEOPLE,


IN this City. This man was William Ford,
once prominent merchant, politician,
Tax Collector, Fire Commissioner and
president of the Board of Fire Commis-
sioners.
The action is entitled, "In the matter of
the estate OF Isabella Elizabeth Wilson,
also called Belle E. Wilson, deceased
wilson Davis, Umphrey Davis, Sarah
Steele. Minerva Hogan and Mary NeeIy.
plaintiffs, VS.. A. c. Freese and Heloise
Cham berlain, defendants"
The defendant, Freese, is the Public Ad-
mlnlstrator, and Mrs. Cham berlain, the
proprieJress of 1.-The Beresford, - is a sister
OF the late William Ford
The petition sets forth that Belle E.
Wilson, as she was called, died in this CITY
on September l, 1894, of consumption,
having been a victim OF that disease for
many years, and that she died intestate
and left property, real and personal, of the
value of $20.000 or thereabOuts; that on the
18th OF September, a. c. Freese filed a
document pprporting TO be the last will
following words:
Messrs. O'FarreIl & Co.
It's my desire and wish
that all my property shall
go 10 Mrs Heloise Chamberlain.
ISABELLA E. WILSON
San Francisco, August %, 1894
Witness-William Ford, Thomas Palmer.
That on the 11th of March following
Freese qualified as administrator ands re-
CeIved his letters.
Belle E. Wilson was mulatto, and the
petitioners, who set forth that they are
next OF Kin, are cousins and residents of
the city of Salisbury, Rowan County. n. G.
Heioise Chamberlain, it is set forth, is a
resident OF this City, of no kin to the de-
ceased, but IN the alleged will is named as
sole devisee and Iegatee.
Several grounds of contest are set up.
The first is that Belle E. Wilson stat the
time OF the making of the supposed will
was not OF sound and disposing mind but
On the contrary, was of unSound mind
and mentally and physically incompetent
TO make or sign the alleged will, or to
make or sign any will whatsoever"
The second ground is that the alleged
VIII was not her will and the plaintiffs aver,
upon their information and belief, that the
signature TO the viii Is not the signature
of said deceased and that the same was
not signed by her, and that the same was
not signed by any other person in her
presence and by her direction; that the
witnesses purporting to have signed the
same did not do so at the request of the
deceased nor IN the presence of each other.
The third ground of contest is that
Said alleged viii OF the said deceased was
procured TO be made and signed by the said
deceased by means OF and as direct result Of
fraud exercised and practieed upon said de-
ceased by the persons and IN the manner here
matter set forth, and on that behalf YOUR
petitioners represent and show:
That the mother Of said deceased was one
Eliza wilson, who died in this CITY on the Dist
day Of January, 1898; that one William Ford
being the same person who purports to have
signed the alleged viii OF said deceased
with the said Eliza Wilson in this
City; that said deceased resided with said
couple IN their common home from the time
when she was q child OF tender age until the
time OF the death OF her mother; that the dead
HelOlse Chamberlain, one of the defendants
is sister OF said William Ford, and
at all times mentioned herein has re-
sided IN this City, and during said times
was and is now engaged in the
business OF keeping a lodging-house; that
upon the death Of Eliza Wilson, William Ford
caused and induced the deceased to take
apartments in the lodging-house kept bv
Heloise Chamberlain, and thereupon deceased
moved into defendants lodging house and re-
mained there until she died on the 1st of Sep
tember, 1894.
That on the 25th of August, 1894, and for a
long time prior thereto and continually for
Ford and HelOise Cham berlain conceived and
entertained the fraudulent purpose de-
sign and intent OF gaining for them
selves an undue advantage over these
petitioners in the disposition of the
estate of Belle E. Wilfon by fraudulently in
ducing her to make viii wherein she would
leave 10 EAe4 InE WnOle OF ner estate. that
pursuant 20 the fraudulent purpose, design
and intent Ford importuned deceased
many times within the presence and
hearing OF third persons to make will leaving
her property 10 him, whereupon deceased al.
ways refused TO make such Will, or anv will
saying that she had no intention of making a
viii, and that she would not make a will in
favor of him or of any one else.
Plaintiffs further allege that the real estate
firm of o Farrell & Co. were the agents of Belle
=. Wilson to manage certain property belong
n her and collect the
Ford knowing this fact drew the Will In his own
handwriting and fraudulently represented to
Belle Z. Wilson that the same was simply an
order on her agents Tor money due her, and
that she had no intention OF making an in
testamentary in character; that
Ford, in order thereof to better ac-
complish his fraud, inserted the name of his
sister. Heloise Chamberlain, in the instrument
as sole legatee of deceased, for the reason that
he could not be legatee and witness at the
same time, all of which was done by and with
berlain.
Plaintiffs further allege that deceased fre-
quently and during all said times expressed
great dislike and contempt and hatred
against Heloise Chamberlain, and they
had no affection for each other; that
William Ford eontriyed to and did have
exclusive access to deceased on the day upon
which the alleged will purpOrts to have been
made and signed, and contrived to and did
induce deceased to repose great personal con-
fdence in him during all the times herein
mentioned.
In the fourth ground of contest it is set
forth that Belle Z. Wilson twas of the age
Of 81 years, and for long time prior to
her death, including and at the time OF
making and signing the alleged will,
was suffering from consumption and that
the disease produced in her great ply
sical and mental weakness that by rea-
son thereof the deceased, during all said
times was rendered weak in body and
mlnd and irritable and sensitive and sus-
ceptible of fattery and prejudice, and TO
the influences and artifces of designing
PERSONS and was also by disease, unable to
care Tor herself and wholly dependent
upon those about her; that William Ford
was confdante of said deceased. and
sons, and was consulted bY deceased about
her business and personal affairs, and that
deceased depended upon him for advice,
and acted IN accordance with his wishes in