The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-04
THREE WANT THE MONEY
Mrs. Josephine English and Her
Alleged Substitute
Will.
When One of the Three Claimants Is
Vanquished the Other Two
May Fight.

Ihere Is a prospect of lively three
cornered legal fight over the estate of Mrs.
Josephine English, which consists of real
estate in this City. She was formerly a
Miss Hawkins, who married a man by the
name OF Gavin. He died years ago, leav-
| ing his widow considerable money which
he had made in the mines. Mrs. Gavin
afterward married Joseph English, an
other well-to-do miner.
The Englishes continued to prosper, and
/ for while lived at the Palace in elegant
| style and also made a number of trips
abroad. Like all spectators on mining
margins Joseph English made and lost
several fortunes in his deals
! 1t appears that the husband and wife
having no children, made their wills in
favor of each other, consigning the two
papers in safe places against the time
when a death would occur in the family.
| Afterward they separated by mutual con-
sent, and Mrs. English took up her resi-
dence with a sister, Miss Lizzie Hawkins
The Hawkinses were related to Mrs. Peter
| Donahue, and brother now living in this
City attempted to shoot that lady few
| years ago. He was arrested, but for fam
! lily reasons the case was not prosecuted
against HIM, and the affair was soon for
gotten.
After Mrs. English's death her husband
/ was surprised to learn that she had re-
moved her former will and substituted
later document in which all her property
had been left to her sister Lizzie. Eng
! llsh returned from abroad, where he was
engaged in mining projects, and began
contest IN the cour,s. The case was
| dropped, some satisfactory arrangement
having been made, and English went 10
England, where he was engaged in sales
| of mining property, which are said to have
netted him about SIS, 900 or $50, 900 in COM
missions. 1t is not known whether he
was in possession of the mines or not
when he died later on at Murray Hill
Hotel, New York City
Soon after his decease three cousins by
the name of Beeson, claiming to be next
of kin, proceeded in the local courts to
administer on the estate on the ground
that he had died intestate. 1t Is not
known that there was any property be-
longing to the estate, but apparently the
Beesons were getting themselves in a
legal position to begin proceeding against
the estate of the late Mrs. Jose phine
English, which they could do after estab-
fishing their right as the heirs of Joseph
English. They would take up the case
formerly begun and dropped by English
and attempt to prove, as he intended to
do, that the woman had been unduIy in
huenced into making her second will
The estate of Mrs. English was origi-
nally valued at between $50, 900 and $4,000,
but is said to be incumbered TO the extent
of about $4,000.
While the Beesons were PREPARING to
proceed against the estate they we're
startled by the appearance of another
claimant. A man named Parrish, in New
York, came forward with will which had
been made by English shortly before his
death. Parrish had been connected with
English in some OF their mining business,
m n IN -
him the sole Iegatee OF the dead mans
estate.
Attorney J. J. Dwyer of this City. who
has charge of the Beeson interests here,
wrote to the solicitor of the late Joseph
English and he was informed that the
story was true, and that the new claimant
was preparing to carry his case into the
courts.
This is a triangular complication in
deed, and between the Hawkins, the Bee
son and the Parrish claims that estate
will be sorely tried. Parrish will stand by
his alleged will and the Beesons will
hight both his and that Of Miss Hawkins
She will contest the Parrish document
and the Beeson claims. The latter fully
recognize the fact that the Parrish will, If
sound, deprives them of securing a hold
on the estate, so they will oppose that
paper on the same grounds that they base
their action against Lizzie Hawkins
namely, that English being sick and of
unsound mind was unduly influenced.
1t is stated that even if Parrish's will is
decided to be valid and he fails to make
any Roadway in fight with the Hawkins
will he is in position to know more about
the value of the estate of Joseph English
than the world at present knows. and that
the $25, 900 in commissions is lying around
somewhere in his sight. One of The Eng
llsh deals was the Typo silver mine in
Eastern Nevada, which is claimed to be
valuable property.
81 am unable to give any more informa-
ton regarding the Parrish claim" said
Mr.. Dwyer last evening; "out L am of
course picking up all the news / can re-
garding it. II that Eastern will is held to
be valid the case will be-well, very in
teresting affair. But if the Blossoms or
Miss Hawkins can knock out Parrish then
the Beesons and Miss Hawkins can turn
their attention to each other. If Parrish's
will is all right he gains victory over tbs
Beesons, and can transfer his fight to the
hawkins corner of the case"
Sc the estate of Mrs. Josephine English
will probably be in the courts well into the
next century. The time for contestine
her will expires about the end of this wear.
LESS MONEY IN CIRCCLATTON,