The record-union., 1897-10-24
Transformed Into an Heiress to an Immense
Fortune.
Grace Elliott, Living With Her
Adopted Parents at San Fran
cisco, Informed That She Is the
Rightful Owner of Property
Said to be Valued at Twenty
Five Million Dollars.

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23.-A San
Francisco girl raised in moderate cir
cumstances has been transformed into
an heiresS of one of the greatest for
tunes that has ever fallen to the lot of
a Californian. Grace Elliott, a young
lady of II years, living with her adopted
parents at 62S O'Farrell street, has
been informed that she is the rightful
owner of property said to be valued at
$25,000,000 The colossal fortune
awaits her in England Without contest,
simply by proving her identity, which
can easily be done, the millions will be
transferred to her.
A New York dispatch published here
last Monday stated that Vice-P President
Hobart and Governor Griggs of New
Jersey were endeavoring to obtain in
the English Courts a settlement of the
estate of Imblay Clarke, mining oper-
ator, who had died twenty years be-
fore. There were two claimants to the
estate, Nan Clarke Squire of Jersey City
and Grace Clarke of New Brunswick,
both nieces of the deceased millionaire.
The efforts of Hobart will probably re-
suit successfully, but the $25,0O0,000
will not go to the Eastern nieces, as
Grace Elliott of this city is Grace
Clarke, the daughter of the dead multi
millionaire.
In 1876 Imblay Clarke, wealthy
mine owner of Peru and Australia, ar
rived in this city with his wife. A
daughter was born to Mrs. Clarke. In
delicate health before the event, the
mother was unable to survive it, and
short time after died, leaving the father
and the daughter, only a few days old,
in a strange country and without
friends.
Clarke was broken hearted over the
death of his wife, and determined TO
take her body back to her native land
Aware of the folly of attempting to take
the child with him, he set about looking
for a place where she might be provided
for until he could return, after conslgn-
ing the remains of his wife to the earth
of Australia. To a Mrs. Griswold he
intrusted his little daughter, announc-
ing that he would return to California,
and would then take charge of the enid
Before his departure, Clarke christened
his child Grace.
Months passed by, and Clarke did not
return as he had promised. The offl-
cials of Australia were communicated
with. and from them was learned the
reason for Clarke's failure to keep his
promise. He was dead. Borne down
by the grief of his loss, he had survived
his wife only few weeks and soon
after he had placed foot upon Austral-
ian soil he passed away.
Mrs Griswold inserted an advertise
ment in a local paper, stating that glrl
of good parentage could be adopted by
a respectable family. Among the many
that read the advertisement was the
wife of VIM. r. Elliott. Application
was made and the legal matters at
tending the transaction We're gone
through with, the daughter of the mill
ionaire thus becoming the child OF the
Elliotts.
Years passed by, and none of the fam
islv suspected the riches that had lain
for wears unclaimed, until the news pub
lished here last Monday, when 1t be-
came known that Grace was the true
heireSS.
There is nothing that would admit OF
contest. declare her lawyers, so con-
elusive is the evidence, and all that is
now to be done is to prove to the salts
faction of the British Government that
Grace Elliott is Grace Clarke.