The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-27

cruelty and the value of the property was
placed at about $4,000. This commonplace
wording excited no special interest at the
time.
1t now transpires, however, that the de-
fendant Ham is no other than A. o. Vier-
tong of Stockton, well-known mining
man and capitalist, who is estimated to be
worth half million dollars.
1t is doubtful il a dozen of Vieriong's
friends know that his real name is Ham.
In the early days he was theatrical man
and afterward married, and assuming the
maiden name of his mother has gone by it
ever since.
Twenty years ago, as Viertong (Ham)
tells the story. he met handsome Creole
widow IN Dayton, New. Her name was
Mrs. Coddipgton. He was dashing young
fellow with plenty of money, and a mutual
attachment sprang up between them.
They finally decided to throw in their lots
with one another.
Several years later they moved to Sacra-
mento, and in 1891 they were made legally
one, the difficulty before being that the
handsome widow, who had been blessed
with three prior husbands, had not been
properly separated from hubby No. 8
until that time. She was married to Vier-
tong ON Christmas night. 1891.
They lived together happily all these
years until about five months ago, when
she left her handsome home in Stockton
and came 10 this City to place herself
under the treatment of prominent ply
stefan, She came with her husbands
consent. He was loving and indulgent.
The good man, so he says, gave her $4,000
md q IF Ia
large portion of the time looking after his
mining interests in Tuolumne and Shasta
counties of this State and also in Nevada
1t was natural that he should not want
her to become embarrassed for lack of
funds during his long absence, hence his
trusting her with power of attorney.
Mrs. Ham (Viertong) is so years of age
| and grandmother. In spite of her wears
and her some 200 pounds, the surplusage
| Of which is not ungraceful adipose tissue,
| she is quite attractive. She took rooms
on Mission street, not far from Fifth.
Soon after her arrival in the City, so her
husband says, she made the acquaintance
of young doctor. The medico seemed to
be charmed by the buxom Mrs. Viertong
| (Ham), and she, being fiattered at first soon
became much enamored of her attentive
admirer.
HE induced her to buy lodging-house
| for several hundred dollars" said her hus.
| DanQ, anu he tncH lOOk up Ills dDOQe with
her. | was not long in finding it out. and
when / came down here few days ago /
made Things warm for the young man.
He moved. I have thirty days in which
! to answer the complaint, and with the two
good lawyers / have engaged in Stockton
| I expect to make it warm in the neiehbor-
hood before / get through. She has left
her comfortable home and our little
adopted daughter, Pansy, aud seems lost
| to all but one thought.
! "Her reason for setting the amount oil
the community property at such a low
| figure in her complaint was because she
| thought she could secure the separation Sc
| much easier. Already her conduct has
caused me to lose nearly 100000 in min
! ing DEAL"
After the legal fight is ended Mr.. vier-
| tong (Ham) says he will attend to another
| fight-that of the young medico- and
make the latter sorry that he ever paid
his gallant attentions to other men
wives.
Mrs. Ham. as she prefers to call herself,
came across the plains in the same train
with Mrs. Jane Stanford of Palo Alto.
Her maiden name was Margaret Nail.
Viertong is well known as the inventor
] of several improvements in mining ma
chinery and was instrumental in sending