The San Francisco call., 1896-12-22
HIS BITTER WORDS
FROM The GRAVE
How the Late Judge Tilden
Showed His En-
nifty.
Effort of the Jurist to Disinherit
the Son of His Sec
ond Wife.
In His Will He Declares He Never
Saw the Child and Doesn't
Know Its Name.

The musty records of tie probate courts
frequently bring to light domestic and
neighborhood quarrels that for years have
been hidden from the public view or have
been lost from the memories of all except
those most intimately connected with the
controversies.
An illustration of this truth is presented
IN the fling of a petition by Laura NJ. Til
den for the admission to probate of the
will of her father, the late Judge NJ. C.
TiIden, who died several months ago.
The property fer the recovery of which
these proceeding are os;ensibly inaugu-
rated amounts in value to but $125, now
in the hands OF w. B. Maydwell, hut it
seems that the ultimate intention is TO
place on record the intentions ana wishes
of the decedent in regard to the disposal
of a considerable quantity OF real estate
situated in Sacramento County, concern
ing which there is probability of a con-
test.
Judge Tilden was for years a prominent
lawyer in Nevada and California, having
participated in great deal ot the impor-
tant litigation that marked the early his
gives an outline OF some of the domestic
events of his life.
The opening paragraph OF the instru-
ment declares that he was married TO
Eliza beth J. Ralston in Sacramento County
on the Sd day of February, 1861, and that
three children, the result of this union,
are living. To these he bequeaths his en-
tire estate, with this explanations: "By
my said wife l came into possession OF
nearly all the property l ever had, and it
rightfully belongs. when | am done with
it. to my said children as the legal heirs
OF their said mother. / will
state, however, that / have given and in
tend to give to my said children all the
property that l have before | die, and
am in hopes that when L die l will not
own any estate whatever, but that 1t will
be vested by a good title in my said chill
dren and that it will never be necessary
to administer upon tGis will. And l only
make this will out of abundant caution.
II is my will, wish and desire, however, if
this will is ever admitted to probate, that
my eldest daughter, Laura Nj. Tilden, be
appointed executrix without bonds"
There is another phase of Judge Til
denis life brought to view in the conclud-
ing paragraph of the will, which reads as
follows:
Whereas, on the 18th of May, 1888, 1 was
again married in Sacramento, Cal, to Meta
NJ. Woodland, and was divorced from her by a
decree OF divorce entered in the District Court
Nevada, in Storey County, on the 30th OF
August. 1884; and whereas, l have been In
formed by the neighbors and others that the
said Meta NJ. gave birth to a male child on or
about the oath of February, 1884. What the
given name of said child is l do not know. /
have never seen said child, and do not know
whether said Meta NJ. claims that l am the
father OF said child or not, but it is my will,
wish and desire that neither the said child
born of the said Meta NJ. nor the descend dants
or heirs of the said child shall ever inherit
anything from me or of my estate or of the
estate of my three children first above
named, or OF any estate that may inherit or
that my descendants may inherit throug h
me- it being my intention, will, wish and de-
sire that all such estate shall descend to my
three children by my said wife, Elizabeth j.
Ralston-Tilden, and to their lawful issue, and
none of it ever go TO the said child of the said
Meta NJ, nor to his descendants or heirs.
Judge Tilden was known in his lifetime
as a constant friend and an implacabe foe.
for which reason his acquaintances will
not be surprised at the grim particularly
with which he attempts to cut off without
a shilling the child of his second wife. He
quarreled with her soon after the marriage
and it is evident that he extended to her
son the unrelenting hatred which he felt
for her.
Judge Coffey has set the hearing of the
petition to admit the will to probate for
Monday, January 4, 1897.