The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-09-15
mrs. CRAVEN is DEFEATED
Her Claim Against the Fair Estate
Judicially Denied.
Deeds to "A Vast Amount of Property
Declared Forgeries- Ending of
Ninety-Day Trial.

San Francisco, Sept. I5.-Judge Slack
yesterday decided the Angus Craven case
IN favor of the heirs of the late Senator
Fair.
quiet the title to two pieces of real estate
valued at S2,5eosooo, which Mrs. Jean
ette r. Craven, claiming TO be the widow
OF Senator Fair, alleged had been decided
TO her by the Senator. 1t had been on
Trial before a jury and Judge Slack for
ninety days. Last night the jury failed
To agree, standing 10 for Mrs. Craven.
IL was then agreed To submit the case to
the Judge, who, after hearing arguments,
rendered. decision today.
The decision is the culnlination Of hti-
gstion which has been going on from
he time of The death or Senator Fair a
few yesIrs ago. The decision OF Judge
Slack that the deeds are Tgrgeries is
crushing to the hopes OF Mrs. Craven,
who at one time was offered, il IS said.
81 100000 TO c0nIpro mise.
Mrs Craven was for years public
scboal teacher in san Francisco, and for
many years she was d friend OF Fair.
She has a daughter Marguerite. known
10 the public as an actress, who has ap
peared in Charles Frolnnsns 5 produc-
tions-
Soon after Senator Fairs death, when
the heirs began IA contest OF Fair S viii,
which contained an obnoxious trust
clause. Mrs. Craven produced holo-
graphic will written with a lead pencil
in provisions much like the first will.
but minus the trust clause spd contain
ing a bequest 20 Mrs. Crayen.
THIS second will the Fair children sup
ported until the courts had declared the
trust clause OF the first will invalid. They
than sought t0 contest the Craven
will, asserting that il was q forgery.
Mrs Craven was seconded in her efforts
to probate the win by DR. Marc Living
ston, who. as executor, expected TO get
about SEQ 900 from the estate.
A bitter contest resulted, during which
the heirs made several attempts 10 com
promise with Mrs. Craven. Finally she
produced a contract of marriage with
Fair and the title deeds declared for
geries to-day When il became probable
that the Photographic viii would be thrown
out OF court as a forgery il was withdrawn
by counsel For Mrs. Craven, and her case
vas rested entirely upon the validity Of
the title deeds
The Gusts I'm the case have been enur-
nous. 1t has been shown by Mrs.
Craven's attorneys in court that counsel
fCr the heirs are to receive over 81 ,O0O,-
900 iu fees. Already they have been al
lowed $4,000 by the court. The trial
has cost the county $50 day. Ex-
libits made by heirs have approximated
in cost $4,000. The fees of Ames and
Carvliailo, experts ON handwriting amount
TO about $4,000. Max Gumple, another
expert. received S5 900. Theodore Kytka,
still an other expert. received S75 n
week for three months. In addition TO
tids he gets a microscope costing over
81, 900 and ell other instruments used
In his profes sion. Incidental costs OF
suit are figured DIT So 600. Except the
running expenses OF court, all Of these
costs are met by the estate, and at the
least calculation it has cost the Fair
heirs s. 500 600 to defeat Mrs. Craven.