The San Francisco call., 1896-05-06
The Boys Skull Fractured by a
Fall Over the Ban.
niSters.
CALIFORNIA; CAUSE CELEBRE.
An Incident That Revives Memories
1ndelible in the History of
This State.

- weaver vi IoundHceS might LOOK tur-
ther and not get such a good plot as is
furnished by the true history of the
"house OF silence at Octavia and Bush
streets.
The latest weird development is the dis
appearance of young Frederick Bell,
whose father, Thomas Bell, the banker,
met with most tragic death on the night
OF October 10, 1892.
Young Bell, vigorous lad, Just turning
his twenty birthday, whose yirile
physique and manner, whose good nature
and liberality had made him a lion in his
set, suddenly dropped out of the familiar
circle about ten days ago. He had not
told even his most intimate companions
that he intended breaking away from their
couviyial society, as he usually did when
the pace became too fast and he needed a
few days rest on his ranch in Sonoma
County.
On all sides inquiries as to "Fred's"
whereabouts were heard, and even "Gor-
don" the colored boy who, as valet, at
tended to his masters wants could not
say what had become of him. Had the
young man been swallowed up by the
earth the mystery of his whereabouts, ex-
cepting TO very few, could not have been
greater.
This is quite in keeping with al that
has preceded in the story of the Bell fam
lily; but the discovery made yesterday by
GALL representative that Fred Bell is
lying at the point of death at 1107 Bush
street emphasizes its tragic features more
than can be appreciated at cursory
glance.
Fred Bells death is awaited at any mo-
ment from an accident similar to the one
that befell his father in 1892.
The Immediate family and the nhy sician
IN attendance have done their utmost, as
they did when Thomas Bell S death startled
the financial and social world, to keep the
details away from the public
e. Ten days ago Fred Bell left iovial
crowd in Sutter-Stree resort and made
his way home, where he arrived shortly
after midnight. He was unaccompanied,
ana was not seen in a conscious condition
after that. AT o'clock in the morning
great noise was heard in the house and the
other occupants, rushing from their re-
spectlve rooms, found the young man un-
conscious and bleeding on the first story
near the parlor door.
He had evidently fallen over the ban
lister from the story above, and with his
skull cracked. broken ribs, arms and leg
fractured he was picked up and his condi-
tion since then has not allowed the CLEAN
ing from him of any details of his misad-
venture.
DR.. P. A. Kearney has been constant
attendant upon the patient since the oc-
curreuce, just as he was upon old Thomas
Bell when on that fateful night of Octo-
Der 10 he, too, fell over the banister in
his home and landed on the hard floor two
stories below. He died in a couple of
hours, his age (about 70) initiating against
his hope of recovery.
The excitement oyer the death of
Thomas Bell was intense Few men in
this City had been closer identified with
its history.
When quite a boy Bell left his native
country to go to Valparaiso, where he be-
came clerk in a large mercantile house,
and 1t was as an agent for that firm that
he first visited San Francisco, early in
1850.
He decided to make California his home
at that time, but first he returned to Val
paralso to sever his connection with his
employers there.
In the latter part of the same wear he
arrived here for the second time and for
thirty-two years he has resided constantly
in San Francisco.
Shortly after arriving here he asso-
clated himself with two others, and they
founded the firm of Bolton, Barron & Co.,
which after few years became Barron
d Co.
Eustace and w. E. Barron and Thomas
Bell were the partners in this latter firm,
which for many years was the leading
broker, mining and commission house on
the Pacific Coast.
1t was during these years that Bell laid
the foundation Tor what later became a
large fortune.
There was no mining deal in the great
Comstock days that he had not something
to do with.
He and his partners were the agents for
all the big European and South American
houses who did business with California.
and when the Barrons sdied-somewhere in
1872 or 1673-the business all fell into the
hands of Bell, who took George Stake into
partnership, and so created the present
firm of Thomas Bell & Co.
Bel was one OF the orfginators and in
corporators of the first Bank of California
in 1854, and when that institution closed
its doors years afterward it was Bell who.
with d. o. Mills, cabled to the Roths-
childs and got them to become responsible
for the banks paper, thereby enabling it
10 resume business.
Bell, besides his other multifarious busi-
ness connections, was also the quicksilver
magnate of the Pacihc Coast, controlling
as he did the New Almaden, the New
Idria and the Standard quicksilver mines.
He was also the owner of the Triumfo
silver mine near San Bias, Mexico, and
when his estate is settled it will be found
that he owns mining properties in many
parts OF the country.
1t was Bell who built the Central Amer
1can Railroad, which runs from Guate-
mala to San Jose de Guatemala, and which
he sold some four years ago TO syndicate.
In the earlier days of Bells life in Cali
fornia he made the acquaintance of
Theresa Percy, whom he afterward mar
ried. Miss Percy's maid was the we'll
known Nanny Pleasant who is still
with her as a companion. and who was
the stanch friend of Sarah Althea Hill in
the celebrated Sharon divorce case. Man,
my Pleasant to-day is still the adviser
OF Thomas Bells widow and the purveyor
to Sarah Althea Hill, who is in the Stock
ton Asylum for the insane.
The several millions of dollars left by
Thomas Bell have been tied up for years.
George Stake and John w. e. Maxwell,
the old friends of the deceased, who acted
as executors, having to fight collateral
branches of the family, who disputed the
legitimacy of the six children Mrs. Bell
claimed as the fruit OF her marriage.
In addition TO this Frederick Bell, the
young man who, like his father. fell over
the banister and has been at the point of
death ever since. became of age few
he nd. has haon dana andInO hig