The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-06

Declares Now That Every One
of Them Was Taken by
Robert.
She Says That She Kept the Judge
for the First Year Following
Their Marriage.

Mrs. Marie Viola Keller was to have
taken before Notary Levy yesterday after
noon the letters which she claims the late
Judge Hastings wrote to her during his
lifetime in which she was addressed by
him as My Dear Wife, my Darling
Wife," and other such terms of endear-
ment.
Mrs. Keller appeared in Samuel NJ.
Shortridge's office with her attorney, Matt
!. Sullivan, promptly at O. clock. Notary
Levy was there, Mr.. GiseIman was there,
the executor of Judge Hastings Will. as
well as several other persons interested in
the estate and the proceedings. But the
letters were not there.
Mrs. Keller said she had ransacked
those ten trunks and the two boxes that
were stored away in the dark cold cellar
no less than five times without having dis
covered one solitary epistle with the
dear wife, appellation. The lady said
she had conned over stacks and stacks of
manuscript, had dug up insurance policies
and other more or less valuable docu-
ments wherein the Hastings name figured
but of the dear wi fe" letters there were
none.
She explained this as she has explained
it before, of course, by the declaration
trunks and taken them.
The lady talked so volubly in answer TO
Mr.. Shortridges questions, drifting away
from the subject and interfering state
ments and opinions with regard to Robert
and others, that the lawyer found great
difficulty In securing answers to the ques-
tions. Much of what she said had for this
reason to be ruled out, and the notary
called upon her to confne herself to the
point.
Mr.. Shortridge called the attention of
the witness and that of her attorney 10 the
language of the order of court which re-
ouired her 10 produce not only the my
Dear Wife, letters, but all of the letters
addressed TO her by Judge Hastings. He
asked the witness If she had any letters
from Judge Hastings. She replied that
now in her attorneys safe. She did not
know whether she had any others, but
thought she could find some if she had
search warrant TO go through the papers
of Robert Hastings.
Mr.. Shortridge advised her that it was
her privilege TO take out search warrant
if she wanted to.
Mr.. Sullivan said, that he had one, per-
haps two, letters which had been left with
him by his client, and which were sup
posed to have been written by judge
Hastings.
I'VE want you to understand" said Mr..
Shortridge to the witness, THAT on no
future occasion can you introduce these
letters that are called for under this order
of the court, you having been given full
opportunity to make search Tor them.
You VIII therefore take notice and bring
what letters you may have of any charac-
ter from Judge Hastings on the date to
whic this hearing shall adjourn" Con-
tlnuing the attorney asked: Have you
letter reierr ng to boy called Joe p
II did have"
ibid you ever claim that that child be-
Ion ed 10 your sister2'
Never"
THAT was your son?'
YES, sir, that was my son."
Where was ne born?"
'In what were then my rooms, at the
corner of Sixth and Mission streets. |
had an elegant suite of rooms on the cor
ner, above the shoestore. DR.. HUMPHREYS
attended me. He is dead now, but his
wife is living. She knows all about it.
The landlady was an English woman. 1
do not remember her name"
"How soon after the birth of the child
did you inform Judge Hastings about it ?'
Right away. | kept him informed by
letter. He sent me money regularly at
that time. Mr.. Giselman used to bring
me $50 every month and Judge Hastings
would give me as much as 500 al time.
Yes. had two nurses. One was named
Katie and the other was mott don't re-
mem Der the others name. No, never
said this child belonged TO my sister. ]
have a married sister, but she has no