The San Francisco call., 1896-01-24

! one, however, has been found who remem-
bers having seen him after he left the
rooms of the Union League Club.
Vincent Hook stated that he saw his
brother last alive week ago Tuesday
/ during visit made to Vincent's ranch,
| near Martinez.
Last Monday he came to see his brother,
( but found him not at home, his daughter
saying that her father had been away
nearly week and that she had begun to
become uneasy. On the night of the
| Union League election Mr.. Hook took $50
with him. and it was subsequently learned
that he had paid SIT so of this for dues at
the club He left the club about 10
o'clock
my brother" said Vincent Hook, twas
afflicted with rheumatism and asthma, but
was always of iovial disposition and was
rarely respondent II do not think he
had an enemy In the world except himself
and L never heard him say word about
| taking his own life. | am of the opinion
that after leaving the club he took late
boat, and feeling Ill went to the railing of
the boat and fell overheard. AS soon as [
learned from my niece of her fathers alb
sence / Immediately began search in San
Francisco. | do not for moment believe
he committed suicide, because he has gone
blIOEEIl NGIN StNeIC dbldNho vi dSlI1Illd anu
rheumatism in the past"
w. T. Hemstead, who, together with
Robert Wainwright, Ed Cosgrove and
Ernest Head, found the body of Mr..
Hook, stated at the inquest that they first
discovered the body about 9 o'clock
/ Wednesday morning lying imbedded in
the mud at the foot of Castro street. about
sixty feet from the shore, and nearly
where the scow schooner Young America
was anchored. There was no mark of in
/ jury apparent.
William 2. Hook, a nephew of the dead
man. said his uncle was subject to frequent
attacks of asthma. and that these attacks
came more often at night and without
warning.
The funeral of Mr.. Hook will take place
to-day from the family residence, 1O16
Jackson street, Oakland. The interment t
will be private, at Mountain View Gene
terry. The Rev. John Badewell will con-
! duct the services.
| Mr.. Hook was born in Arrow Rock, Mo-,
on October 1, 184S and came to California
with his parents in 1850. The family, on
arriving in this City, departed imme-
diately for the goldtields of Hangtown,
now Placerville, and they remained there
until 1851. They then moved to Sacra-
mento and engaged in the merchandise
| business. In this city they carried on a
| very large business until driven out by
| fire in 1852. Afterward the father of Mr..
! Hook began mercantile business in Mar
tinez, Contra Costa County, and Martinez
| has continued to be the homestead of the
! family.
Mr.. Hook amassed large fortune and
| invested his money in farms throughout
! the county.
| Mr.. Hook was given an excellent educa-
! ton. He attended the Contra Costa school
until 1865, when he entered the Ben1cia
! College, graduating in 1867. At 20 years of
age he was appointed abstract clerk in the
Naval Office of the United States Custom
house. He remained in that position un-
| til 1875. Then he accepted a clerkship in
! the furniture-store of his uncle, Elijah
| Hook OF Oakland, and after ten years in
/ that house he made tour of the United
/ States, during which trip he was the guest
of President Hayes at Columbus, Ohio.
He was nominated for Treasurer of Con-
| ira Costa County in 1886 and was afterward
| nom mated for the Assembly by the Re-
publicans in 1888. He was elected by a
| large majority.
| He was the originator of the agricultural
! bill that separated his county from Ala
| media and was the main advocate Of the
Predetermined Home bill. He was chiefly
instrumental IN having. the appropriation
! bill of $4,000 passed for the location of
/ the first United States Grange in Cali
fornia. He held for number of years the
! position of cashier in the United States
| Custom house. but of late years has given
the greater part of his attention to his
large ranches in Contra Costa County,
which aggregate over a thousand acres.
He married Miss Elizabeth A. Berrn1ng-
ham, a sister of Captain John Berming-
ham OF this City, in 1874. Miss Berming-
ham at that time was assistant principal
of the Oakland High School.
Mr.. Hook leaves one daughter, Miss
Elizabeth Is. Hook. Miss Hooks engage
ment to DR.. Reuben Hall of Martinez was
announced several months ago.