The herald., 1897-01-01
A PUZZLING CASE
Miss Osborne. the Young Companion
Can Have No Redress

A short and concisely worded order,
| entered in department six yesterday de-
nying the motion for a new trial in the
case of Mrs. II. Louise Jones against
Mary Edna Osborne ct al. brought once
more to memory the sensational trial
that took place before Judge Mckinley
a lew months ago.
The defendant was a sweet faced and
retiring young girl about 90 years of age
who acted in the capacity of companion
to Mrs, Jones. The latter was a lady of
advanced age and. apparently, with the
queruousress and irritabilities that are
supposed to accompany old age. She
became very fond of her young compan-
ion and showed her many small favors,
and when the latter determined to return
to her mother in Nevada Mrs. Jones was
grieVed. Miss Osborne, however felt
that her place was with her mother at
that time, for her father had died, and
the family consisted of several little ones
No sooner. however. had she reached
Nevada than Mrs Jones wrote to her
telling her in d semi-confidential way
how much she missed her and how
everything-so far as she was concern
ed-had been at skies and sevens since
she had left After several letters of
this kind had been sent Mrs. Jones pro-
posed that Miss Osborne return TO her,
promising that if she would she would
see TO it that she should not only receive
salary as before. but that she would
make such provision as would assure to
Miss Osborne handsome amount at her
Mrs. Jones', death These promises.
though general in terms. were specific
in character and Miss Osborne returned.
For some time after her arrival in
Southern California nothing was said
between Mrs. Jones and her protege re-
garding what had been mooted in the
letter. Finally, however, the matter was
broached and then Mrs. Jones said that
she would mention her name in her will
as & legatee for so, 900. Miss Osborne had
lived in California long enough to know
that last will and testament is an un-
certain quantity, and at her request Mrs.
Jones gave her a note for $4,000 instead
of leaving her a legacy as at first in
tended.
Briefly put. these We're the facts con-
tended for by Miss Osborne. but it was
to have this note annulled that Mrs
Jones brought suit, and the trial ensued
that aroused considerable interest at the
time of trial. The old lady denied ever
having given any note whatsoever. and
accounted for the one held by Miss Os-
borne on the ground, practically, of its
having been forged, and in a rather
peculiar way. 1t was asserted that Mrs.
Jones. not infrequently, wrote her name
on blank sheets OF paper and these We're
made use of by Miss Osborne in carry
ing on Mrs. Jones' correspondence for
her. Being thus in possession of the old
lady's signature 1T was claimed that her
companion filled in the body of the note.
The court found for the plaintiff upon
trial of the case and now that the motion
for a new trial has been denied the mat
ter will. presumably, finally end. There
are those. however, who Go not believe
that the fair faced girl, who made such
q good impression while upon the Wit
ness stand. ever was involved in the
shady proceeding alleged against her;
and this with all due respect to the rul-
ing of the court upon the case in its
severely legal aspect.