The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-06
THE BATTING
OF MRS. HASKINS
The Aged Lady Passes a
Day Under Severe
Crossfre.
But Her Story Of the Wills
and Deeds Is Not
Shaken.
An Effort Will Be Made to Delve Into
the Contest Over Her Deceased
Husbands Will.

occupied by aged Mrs. Elizabeth Haskins,
the friend of Mrs. Craven, who saw Sena-
tor Fair write the now celebrated pencil
will.
She was under cross-exam ination and
will be again to-day. The attorneys for
the heirs and estate had prepared a most
severe batting for the feeble old lady and
hurled it at ner without mercy or feeling
in the hope of brea king her down and cast
ing doubt upon her story. But in this
they were not successful. Mrs. Haskins
has not the best memory in the world and
this infrmity was taken advantage OF
with zeal. Frequently the lengthy and at
times two.edged questions propounded
would somewhat confuse her and elicit an
swers not responsive, or which might be
construed as being slightly contradictory.
But so far as yesterdays quzzing went
none of these apparent d scrrpancles al
feeted in any really material degree the
main story told by the lady on her direct
examination.
During the morning session, after
lengthy catechising, Mrs. Haskins adj
mitted that she had assisted Mrs. Craven
at odd times with small loans-in fact
would be glad to accommodate an old
friend at any time. The largest amount
she remembered of loanine her friend at
anv one time was sum sufficient to pur-
chase ticket to the East. She thought it
was something like $103. Mrs. Haskins
denied emphaticalIy that Mrs. Craven
owed her $500.
Did you ever tell Mrs. Rothast that
Mrs. Craven owed you $3500?' asked At
torney Wheeler.
.. n
Wheeler then wanted to test the wit
ness memory by requiring her 10 repeat
the evidence she gave when her depos:-
ton was taken in July OF last year. Judge
Slack would no. permit this. be ruled
that the deposition would have 10 be read
10 the lady before she could be questioned
regarding it.
The attorney brought out the point he
was aiming al by following the courts
| suggestion. 1t was 10 the effect that Mrs.
Haskins. in giving her deposition, forgot
to include The incident OF Mrs. Craven
! reminding Senator Fair at the time when
! he handed her the disputed deeds that
| they had not been acknowle !gtd Mrs.
| Haski1s explained this by saying that
| there were doubtless many little details OF
! the conversation between Mrs. Craven
1 and Senator Fair that she had forgotten.
| Mrs. Haskins was referred to the depo-
sition again at the opening OF the after
noon session. That portion OF her evil
| dence was read in which she said that
! Senator Fair handed Mrs. Craven Two
papers and said, "HeIe are your deeds. :"
| She confirmed the truth OF that, but
added that when she made that statement
| she had forgotten that in reply to the Sem
ator Mrs. Craven told him that the deeds
were not acknowledged.
Wheeler essayed to score a point by
askin, the witness why she had not re-
m elm bered that before. Her reply was
! that thu matter was considered by her so
| trifing at that time tina: she did not bur-
| den her mind with it.
The cross-examiner next caused the
aged lady to conduct him, fguratvely
| speaking, over the various routes she
traversed in the course OF her movements
| on the eventful Gath of Septemb Der, 1884
the day upon which Senator Fair wrote
the wills and delivered the deeds at Mrs.
| Craven's house. Mrs. Haskins was ac-
com m cd ating. She finished her break
| fast at al bout o'clock that morning, and
dressed to go out Immediately afterward.
| She walked all the way from her resi-
! dence at Leavenworth and Green streets
to the Mission Grammar School to see
| Mrs. Craven. She thought she arrived
there about the time the schoolchildren
were enjoying their forenoon recess
about 1880 o'clock. She remem bered
that the children were either coming out
| or going into the school at the time.
| Continuing, Mrs. Haskins said that she
lett the school shortly afterward, and
went 10 see her dressmaker, Miss Rowan.
and paid her bill she owed. Size received
| a receipt for this payment, and this was
one of her best pieces of evidence regard
! ing the date of the execution of the
wills.
.'Where did You go after leaving the
| dressmaker's ?" asked Mr.. Wheeler.
IT WON. m Mrs Cravan'c housn in 10
! 20OO block on California street," was the
reply.
| ride or wa!k?'
Il walked"
| "Ali the way2"
| "Yes, SIR"
| Being asked to describe the route over
which she wa ed Mrs. Haskins said she
! thought she walked out O'Farreli street
! 10 Steiner, and. turning DOWN the latter,
reached California.
when I reached Mrs Craven's house
the servant told me that she had COM
| pany, and probably could not see me,
continued Mrs Haskins. while we were
talking Mrs. Craven heard my voice and
called from upstairs for me TO come in. l
went upstairs and she asked me 10 come
into the studio. Senator Fair was there,
and did not wish 10 go in. Mrs. Craven
and e then inisted that l enter. Mr..
Fair made me welcome. He was writing
with lead pencil when l went i'm
well, what then happenedY'
Mis-. Haskins then proce eded to tell ali
over again Tor the third or fourth time The
story of how Senator Fair wrote the two
wills and gave Mrs. Craven the disputed
deeds.
The circumstance of the finding OF the
pad from VIII ca was torn the sheet upon
which Fair wrote the pencil will was
again referred 10, and the witness was
caused to relate every little detail con-
nected with ii. She explained that when
Mrs. Craven went East she (the wi,ness)
was "tidyi lg" up the house for her, and
in doing SO removed large bundle CT pa
pers and magazines from the receptions
room 10 the cellar. Later. when Attorney
Lloyd was searching SO zealously for the
little scrap of paper which was missing
from the margin of The pencil will, the
witness reproduced the bundle from the
cellar, and Mr.. Lloyd and several other
attorneys rummaged through it. Mrs.
Craven had previously hunted for the
pad, but had Oeen unable to find i. Mr..
Lloyd was more successful than she, Tor
he found the mis- ing pad and scrap in the
bundle.
"Mr. LLOYD was very much elated over
his ind" said Mrs. Haskins. HE said ii