The San Francisco call., 1896-06-20
To the Spoliation Claims Paid
by the French Govern
ment.
STORY OF THEIR ANCESTOR.
Their Great Grandfather Was in
French Prison a Century
Ago.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL,
Qn9 krnad uau lime 10


1t has been discovered that all the heirs
to the $55, 100000 paid by the French Gov
ernment to the Government of the United
States nearly a century ago are not all
dead. Three OF them are at present resid-
ing in Oakland. They are the minor chill
dren of Mayor Davie.
The fund in the National treasury known
as the French spoliation claims would
have been distributed under the provisions
of bill passed by the last Congress, but it
was vetoed by the President. The money
was paid by France and held in trust by
the United States for depredations to pri-
vate persons and property during the ex-
citing years at the end of the last century
ana the commencement of the present one.
The grandfather OF Mayor Davies chill
dren resides at 155 Hawthorne street, San
Francisco. He has for years been in
possession of all the data necessary to
establish the claim of his grandchildren,
and he will at once take steps to see that
the money is paid to those for whose bene-
tit it was intrusted to the Government Of
this country.
A very interesting little story is told by
the grandfather, James Biddolph, in let
ter received by Mayor Davie this morning:
I55 HAWTHORNE STREET,
SAN Francisco, June 49, 1896.
John L. Dapie, Mayor Of 0akldnd-DEAR SIR:
There are reports that al Of the heirs to the
French spohation claims are dead. But | can
assure you that there are great many claim
ants that are very much alive. Your own
three children are heirs in a direct line for
those claims.
The schooner Variety, a duly registered YES
sci of the United States, Micah Dyer, master,
bound on lawful voyage to Leghorn, sailed
fro
March, 1898, when near the entrance OF Leg
horn Harbor, was seized by French cruiser
vessel OF war and taken to the Isle OF Corsica
and was there condemned by French tribunals
and wholly lost to her owners. By reason of
said capture Micah Dyer was thrown into
French prison
suffering in body and mind through the filth
of French dungeons and the insults OF French
citizens, he was afterward cast out in foreign
land penniless to make his way the best he
could TO his native land. His case has been
tried and his claims proved valid, and the
money to pay those claims was received by
the United States and paid into the United
States treasury nearly 100 years ago, under
Andrew Jackson's administration. This Gov
ernment has therefore had in its possession
for nearly q century money belonging TO
Micah Dyer and his heirs.
Your children's great-grandmother, now
nearly SO years old and residing with me,
Mrs. Minerva S. Oliver, IS Micah Dyer's eldest
daughter. There are three other daughters
now residing in Massachusetts,. II they think
the claimants all dead there is a fine
chance for them to undeceive themselves by
applying to JAMES BIDDoLPH.
Mayor Davie went to San Francisco this
afternoon to see what further steps should
be taken in the matter. II have known
this for long time, he said, "but not in
such definite way as Mr.. Biddolph has
now placed it. If his facts are capable OF
proof there should be no difficulty in hav-
ing the spoliation bill passed over the
veto at the next session of Congress.
The three young heirs are all bright
boys and capable musicians. Under the
training OF their father, who was at one
time tenor soloist in grand opera, they
have made wonderful progress and nightly
concerts with home talent are the pro-
gramme at the Davie residence.