The herald., 1896-08-05
P|AY|NGFOR HIGH STAKES
Francisco Yndart's Slice of
the COrOnei Estate
He IS An INCOMPETENT PERSON
His Claim Alleged to Be Ba sed
on Forgery
A CONSPIRACY TO FlLCH
Burr Cummings Testifies In the Ben
Mings Murder Trial
His Evidence introduced to Show a Con.
spiracy to Rob Hays
Pierson Sent to lone For Three Years-A
Claim of ses.ooo For Lost Fingers.
Civil Services Examination
Long Beach Troubles
Burr Cummings Testifies In the Ben
Mings Murder Trial
His Evidence introduced to Show q Con.
spiracy to Rob Hays

Old Ygnacio Coronel. who was SO
closely identified with the early history
of the city. must surely turn in his grave
if he realizes what his litigious descend
ants are doing with his estate.
Several suits have already been
fought in the law courts and now an
other is on trial in department five, be-
fore Judge Shaw, which involves the
good name of more than one of old Coro-
nels household.
The case now at bar is entitled Fran
cisco Yndart, by his guardian, John r.
Ramirez, VS.. Mariana w. de Coronel and
has been instituted to recover about
$50, 900 from the defendant as eXecutrix
of the estate OF A. f. Coronel, deceased.
Charges and counter charges are being
made and to understand the status of the
case it is necessary to revert to the time
when old Ygnacio Coronel was power
in the land and a grandee of the old
period.
The plaintiff in the present action is
a young man of about "A years. but in
competent and is the only son of Jose
Miguel Yndart and Soledad f. Coronel
de Yndart his wife, and is sole heir to
both his father and mother The form
err died at Coquello, state of Guerrero,
Mexico, in 1885, the latter in this city in
1872.
Soledad was a daughter of Ygnacio
Coronel who died in Los Angeles in
September, 1868, leaving as sole heirs the
daughter mentioned another daugh,
ter, Marie Antonio Coronel de Cooley.
two sons, the defendant and Manuel +.
Coronel and one grandson, Francisco
Sabichi, only child of a deceased daugh-
ter.
In 1851 Ygnacio Coronel owned a lot
bounded on the east by the Gale de Los
Negroes, (Nigger alley) and on the west
by the building of Alexander Bell, 'front.'
ing on Main street, and known as the
Coronel block. Also a huerta or garden
containing fifty acres, and bounded on
the east by the old San Pedro road. on
the south by East Eighth street, and on
the north by Seventh street. and de-
scribed in a deed of conveyance by the
mayor and common council of Los An
geles, 1858.
After the acquisition of California
Ygnacio Coronel, who wasf advanced in
years and knew no English. handed over
his property and business to his eldest
son, and by deed of February, 1851
and another of March, 1855, conveyed
the property in trust.
In the suit now at bar Antonio F. Cor
onel and Manuel f. Coronel the broth
dart, the incompetent plaintiff, and by
a document purporting to be an agree
ment of trust entered into between
them and the mother of the plaintiff,
received his property. The mother hav-
ing died meantime. in 1885,. the piece Of
property, described above, was sold by
Antonio F. Coronel TO J. Lankershim
for $4,000. The plaintiff owned an in
dividual half interest and the present
suit is ostensibly to recover his share.
But the case is complicated by the
allegations of the defendant. 1t is
charged by her that the trust document
upon which the plaintiffs cause of ac-
ton rests is a forgery pure and simple,
and she stands ready to prove the con-
tention. In addition it is claimed that the
present suit is the result of conspiracy
on the part of the plaintiff. John K.
Ramirez. his guardian, Manuel F. Cor
onel Leonard Labory, John l.. Cruz and
others, to eXtort money from the estate.
In sustaining these allegations much
startling testimony will be aGduced,
going to show that the plaintiff, instead
of being an incompetent was mentally
able to conduct his own affairs.
AS might be supposed in a case af
such curious Importance as this, the
counsel are as thick as bees. Shirley
Ward, j. w. Swanwick. Horace S. Bell.
and j. Chandler appear for the plaintiff
and Senator stephen NJ. White and
Henry 7. Gage appear for the defend
ant.
Yesterday both plaintiff and defend
ant We're in court. The former does not
present an appearance for any high in
tellectual attainment, but he has been
known as a very sKllful. if unframed,
musician. having the happy faculty of
being able to play upon almost any
musical instrument The defendant
wife of Don Antonio married Dr. Edgar
Smith and sat by his side during the
hearing of the testimony.
Most of the testimony yesterday was
in the shape of dispositions ana clear
ing the legal arena of ilnmaterialities
DR.. Ross testified Interestingly to the
mental ursoundness Of the plaintiff. 1t
was many years ago when Don antonio
was alive that the then youth threat
ened to throw himself under the cars
He was given up TO other Vagarias and
the witness stated that me came TO The
conclusion that he was suffering from
emotional insanity. Under Senator
Whites cross examination he conceded
that emotional insanity was not neces-
sarily of a continuous nature
Mrs NJ. Dalton was closely questioned
while on the stand relative to mary
conversations had by her with Soledad
Yndart during her lifetime.
Inasmuch as the plaiatif' contends. on
the one hand, that his mothers share in
the estate Of old Yuaccin was appro.
priated by Don Antonio, he acqulring il
legal title to the property that should
have beer held IN trust for her and h..
son, the present plaintiff. and. or tine
other, charges Of forgery ana conspiracv
are boldly alleged hy The defense. mo
case promises to furnish very fair
amount of sensation.