The San Francisco call., 1896-06-25

ucliGS IdGueT Clan In the Irag UleuIdTF
way OF her telling it. To begin with, Mrs.
Haskins denies that there is any estrange-
ment between herself and Mrs. Craven, or
at least denies any knowledge of why
there should be any or that she bears Mrs.
Craven any ill will.
Mrs. Craven left my house some
months ago, since which time she has
called upon me but once she said. 81 do
not know that she has anything against me.
Her daughter has called upon me twice.
Perhaps the hill is too steep for her to
climb. That is the reason she gave for
moving that she wanted to get nearer her
school. Her health is not good"
Then she approached the story of the
will.
at is wrong to suppose the will was
drawn in this house. Mr.. Fair was
never here 1 have known Mr.. Fair
for over thirty years, but was never
on more than speaking terms with him.
Mrs. Craven and have been friends for
many years, and 1 knew that she thought
a great deal of Mr. Fair.
$50 far as they're having been married
know nothing. Mrs. Craven was living
in my house when the statement was
made in the newspapers that there was a
marriage contract between them. 1
laughed about it to her, and she only
said You see lots of queer things in the
newspapers
"How did come to be present at the
time Mr. Fair made his wiIl2 Well, had
had dress delivered to me by nv dress
maker, who lives on California street.
The bill was sent with it, and on the
morning of September "a, 1894, went out
for the purpose of paying this bill. l took
the occasion to go out and call upon Mrs
Craven at her school on Mission street,
near Fifteenth. She was not there.
Zone of the little boys told me she was
sick at her home. I went to my dress
makers, paid my bill, and then went to
where Mrs. Craven was living at 2007 Cali
fornia street. I found her there. She was
not confined to bed. but was in her room.
Mr.. Fair was with her. There was q
Chinaman servant there also. Mr.. Fair
was engaged in writing his will. He was
writing with lead pencil in large blank
book. The book belonged to Mrs. Craven.
eyes; l knew what he was doing.
cannot say that was surprised at it. If
you ask me for pen and ink and saw fit TO
write an important document here in my
presence | cannot say that would think
it at all remarkable.
81 was not feeling well, the room was
close and hot and l went out for a while,
but returned before the writing was COM
plete.
II cannot say whether Mr.. Fair was in
good health or not. He seemed to me to
be. He had glass of whisky while
writing. Mrs. Craven got it for him.
II remained all the afternoon-did not
come away until after dinner. We had
dinner about o'clock. Mr.. Fair did not
stay for dinner.
81 considered that visit that afternoon
one of the most unfortunate events of my
life-the fact that 1 happened to be pres
ent at the writing of the will of James G.
Fair. 1t has brought upon me nothing
but trouble. l had dream short time
before it-a most remarkable dream-that
remains fixed in my memory. 1t was
portentous of evil, and evil has come.
"Well, shortly after my husbands death
Mrs. Craven asked me if she might not
come here to live, and 1 made ar
rangements for her. After Mr.. Fairs
death she went to- New York, you remem-
Der, and when the lawyers and heirs were
quarreling about the will that had been
produced by the trustees, and just about
the time the sensation about its having
been stolen from the clerk of the county's
Office was made known she heard about
it there and sent on this will that was left
with her to be presented for probate.
/,
sheets of paper torn out. The lawyers for
Mr.. Fairs children were very anxious to
secure every possible proof of the genuine
ness of this will. They visited this house
in body to have me give out what l
could. There was Mr.. Reuben Lloyd and
Mr.. Wilson ami Mr.. Heggertv and Mr..
Wheeler, all here together one day.
"They had noticed that little torn cor
ner apd they were eager to get the piece of
paper to tit to it. They said they were
afraid that the trustees or some body would
introduce some other will or would try to
break this one down. They asked me to
search for the book that the sheets of
paper had been torn out of. I did so for
the most part of two days, searching all
over the house. l remembered that Mrs
Craven had had a quantity of books and
papers in her room when she went away
and that l had taken upstairs. l went up
there and found the book and the lawyers
were here when l brought it down.
We went through it and discov-
cred where the leaves had been
torn out and there, fast to the book, was
the little ragged corner of the paper that
was missing from the will. | never saw
anybody more pleased about anything
than were those lawyers. Mr.. Lloyd was
as pleased as baby with new toy. He
held that bit OF paper as though it was
something good to eat.
And now," continued Mrs. Haskins,
"they are all against this will. They were
not against it, however, at any time until
they broke the trust in the earlier will.