The San Francisco call., 1897-04-10
STRUGGLING FOR
DAVIS DOLLARS
Lizzie Muir and Belle Cur
tbs Fight>for Their
Legacies.
Contestants Allege That the
Name of the Decedent Was
Dediker, Not Davis.
Rev. joseph P. Wilson and Mrs.
Catherine Stead Demani Pos
session of Cool Million.

Further sensations are promised soon
in the estate of Jacob q. Davis, deceased,
which is to be called for The hearing Of the
will contest on the 26th inst.
Great surprise was caused several
months ago, when it was learned for the
first time that the decedent's true name
was Dediker and not Davis. Under the
name of Davis he had lived in California
for nearly half century as prominent
business man, had amassed a fortune Of
about a million dollars, had been known
from one end of the State to the other and
yet nobody in his wide circle of acQuaint-
ances here ever suspected that his pat
ronymic was anything but Davis. 1t is
right to observe that he bore the name
worthiiy and was at all times recognized
as a worthy citizen.
Several months ago Davis died in an
Eastern city. and shortly afterward the
following instrument was filed as his
last will and testament, with demand
that it be admitted to probate:
October 1. 1896.
/, Jacob q. Davis, will and bequeath every
thing / have in this world to my beloved
nieces, Lizzie Muir and Belle Curtis.
JACOB z. DAVIS.
Immediately steps were taken for the
purpose of putting Mrs. Muir and Mrs.
Curtis in possession of the property, neces-
sary papers to that end being filed by
Mas,ick & Mastick, the ladies' attorneys.
Within few days knight & Heggerty
presented contest on the part of Rev.
Joseph p. Wilson and Mrs. Catherine
Davis, alias Dediker, was their urcle-the
brother of their mother, now dead.
An attack was made on the alleged will,
as the lawyers say, "all along the line.
1t was charged that said Davis, alias
Dediker, never wrote the will. and that,
consequently, it must be rejected as a
spurious and fabricated document. Never
theless if it should be found tEat he
actually penned the words presented as a
hologra phlc will in the form here seen,
then they allege that he did so because he
was under the control and influence of
persons to them unknown, who induced
the decedeut 10 believe that the contest
ants had no affection for him, that they
had spoken i'll OF him, tn st they were un-
worthy of his bounty and that they were
eager for his death in order that they
might get possession OF his wealth. The
inference is also given that the legatees
under the will are no kin to the de-
ced ent.
Mrs. Muir and Mrs. Curtis made an
ants, saying tnat there was no truth in
the statements touching the fabrication
of the Will, and that as M after of fact il
was written, dated and signed by the tes-
tator while in sound and disposing mind
and free from all undue influence and
duress. as had been alleged by the con-
testants.
Notwithstanding their denials the con-
testants will attempt to prove their
charges before 8 Jury when the case comes
to trial.
In tine meantime q new claimant has
made his appearance, William f. Emer-
son of Cincinnati: has written the follow
ing letter in regard to the estate:
Asmy mother, Mrs. Margaret q. Emerson,
was first cousin to Jacob q. Davis (Dediker),
her father and his mother being brother and
sister, wish to find out If possible whether,
If the will is broken, we would come in for
mothers share, she being a close blood rela-
tive. Cousin Jacob has always promised
mother that her family would not be forgot
ten in the will. The old family Bible (now in
the hands of my uncle, John Austin of Balti-
NOR, will give all information as to relation
ship.