The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-26
PROMISED TO DIE
I IT MARRIED
Miss Rust Welded an Old
Man for His
Property.
He Got Well and Repaid Her
Sympathy With ALI Manner
of Meanness.
Finally He Died and His HalfMillion
Dollar Estate Cannot Be
Located.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL

III
9Oo Broadway, Dec. %.
well-known and respected resident of
this city for many years past took her de-
parture to-day to another city to forget
troubles that have made her life one of
sadness for period of nearly two years.
Like the cynic who asked lis marriage
failure?" she has reasons to believe that
some marriages are not made IN heaven,
as her own proved. Her story reads more
like fiction than fact.
Among the frst-class seamstresses of
oakland for many years was a neat
appearing lady of perhaps 55 years OF age
damed Miss Rust who earned a comfort
able living by sewing for wealthy Oakland
families. Her home consisted of two
cheap but coy rooms in Sixth-street
lodging mouse.
She was not selfish person and almost
every evening was spent in Marshall's
Undenominational Mission on Eighth
street, trying to help with the good work.
Her SORROWS date back to one unfortun-
ate night when listening to the street SER
vices of the Salvation Army, in company
with friend and some children. These
children were attracted by the attentions
OF an old gentleman disposed to be very
friendly to them, until be got into CONVEX
sation casually with Miss Rust and her
friend.
The old man resembled the pictures of
Santa Claus and was evidently nearly
seventy years of age. Nothing was
thought Of the meeting until the aged
man became q regular attendant at the
mission and always tried to be very court
eous to Miss Rust.
The old gentleman was named Wright,
and IA yrid ID
Rust to understand that he was rich and
lonely.
From escorting her home he began to
call Finally came a proposal of mar
rage and decided refusal, but this only
made the aged lover more determined.
be logged her footsteps and begged that
she would marry him, telling her that if
she would only consent he would make
her deed of gift to all his Oakland, San
Francisco and San Diego property, claim
ing that it amounted in value to $780,
900.
Then he fell very i'll, the doctor said he
was sick unto death, and his last wish was
that Miss Rust would become his wife, to
inherit his wealth, in proof OF his great af-
lection for her.
Like cautious woman she repud lated
the offer, and some of her best friends
thought it unwise. as poor old Mr.. Wright
was dying AND he would leave her young
widow, well fixed for the remainder of her
life. She went to his bedside at his
. urgent request and with feeble voice he
promised if she would only grant his wish
be would die contented.
He promised so faithfully to die imme-
diately that sympathy got the better Of
Of her judgment and minister from the
ThirGy-fourth-street Methodist Church,
where she was member, came in and
made them man and vile.
Being conscientious, the young bride
set about to nurse her supposed dying
husband. But instead of taking his de-
parture to the better world he daily gained
in strength and health until he was as
well as ever. Instead of O devoted saint
he became tyrannical husband, requir-
ing his wife to wait on him. allowing her
no freedom or money, and the woman
suffered k,enly. She bore it for two
years, when the old man took the grip
and one night died. and Mrs. Wrigh hit,
with no pretense OF sorrow, laid him away
in Mountain View, paying for everything
from her own savings before marriage.
Then came the search for a will, deeds
or property, but none were found, only
pension papers emitting Wright to $40 a
month.
Records were next looked into, but his
name was not found on the books; then
the tax office was visited, but nothing was
there to show that Wright had ever owned
q piece of Oakland property. San Diego
end San Francisco offices were communi-
Gated with and the results were the same,
and Mrs. Wright soon discovered she had
been duped.
She does not intend to return to Oak
land