The San Francisco call., 1897-07-21
MRS. CRAVEN
SUDDENLY
DROPPED
Counsel for the Fair Heirs
Through With the
Lady.
SOMETHING OF A SURPRISE.
A Shifting Of Scenes to Ae-
oommodate Some More "Ex-
pert" Evidence.
KYTKA APPEARS WITH His "OPALS." "
Before DESERVING the Witness-Chair
Mrs. Craven Had Chance to
Roast the Experts.

1t was something in the nature of a sur
prise to those who are in daily attendance
upon the Fair-Craven trial when Attorney
Wheeler suddenly desisted in his redirect
examination of Mrs. Craven yesterday
morning and announced that, so far as the
plaintiffs side of the case was concerned,
she could retire.
Judging from the straws that were
tossed into the wind when the lady re-
sumed the stand Monday, it seemed to be
almost a foregone conclusion that she
was destined to undergo long and mer-
ciless batting. There were apparent prepa-
rations that warranted this. True, this
Iadv occupied the stand throughout the
days session, and at the end of the hour
of adjournment it seemed that the attor-
neys for the heirs had scarcely more than
begun with her. There was so much
that they appeared to be anxious to ques-
tion her about.
So it was then that when, after asking
Mrs. Craven just a few ordinary ques-
tions and emitting to catechise her on
some OF the most important and alleged
unexplained points in the case, she was
end so much surprise was occasioned.
The scenes were again shifted after Mrs.
Craven left the stand and the stage was
given over once more to the guild known
as the experts" Wearying disquisi-
tious on notarial blanks, topogra ply,
photography and microscopy are again in
order. The plaintiffs are making their
last desperate dash now to prove that the
blanks OF which Notary Cooney executed
Senator Fairs Acknowledgements to the
disputed deeds were not in existence at
the time their dates indicate that they
were acknowledged. They rely upon the
experts" to prove this.
Mrs. Craven took the witness-ehair as
day, looking more composed even than
she did on the previous day and evidently
resigned for long siege.
Mr.. Wheeler opened up by showing Mrs.
Craven the old copy or reproduction of
the pencil will, alleged by the heirs to
have been written by the lady. This had
been shown to her several weeks ago and
at that time she said that while she recog-
nlzed some parts of the document as be-
ing in her handwriting, still she was quite
sure there were other portions that had
not been written by her. She now re-
peated this assertion, but added that she
could not point out the particular parts
of it that were not in her hand.
Whee Ter insisted that the lady should
point out the unnatural words or sem
tences.
"It's impossible for me to do so,'' re-
piled Mrs. Craven. Il have had trouble
with ny eyes and cannot scIutinize the
document as closely as l would like TO.
am not an expert. l say that there are
parts oil this writing that are not in my
hand and yet there are other parts that
do look like my genuine handwriting
What makes you think that there are
parts of it not in your handwriting 2" was
asked.
We'll, there is general look about it
that leads me 10 believe that l did not
write it all.
Describe what that look is2"
''0h, couldn't do that. 1 am not a
handwriting expert, and; do not consider
myself competent to detect the changes
and tRmpering that clever people might
have applied to this document. When
people can initiate the hand writing of
others so closely that bank checks will De
readily cashed on the spurious signature,
why 1 feel that l should not swear that
anything is in my handwriting. In fact,
1 feel wholly incompetent to detect my
own writing positively, after seeing such
exhibitions of expertness as have been
given here in court
Mrs. Craven said she made a copy OF
the pencil will, and either showed it to
Mr.. Lloyd or read the contents of it to
him. She was quite sure she had not
given Mr.. Lloyd the copy that she made.
She d id not remem ber whether or not she
gave Ste phen Roberts the copy.
IND ~, ~
ing match with his associates. Messrs.
McEnerney and Mitchell, and then asked
Mrs. Craven one more question. This
was request for her to state who the per-
sons were to whom she denied that she
ever had any deeds from Senator Fair.
Mrs. Craven's reply was that she could
not remember.
That ended the redirect examination
and Mr.. Delmas took his client IN hand
asking her if Mr.. Wheeler ever told her
that the probating of the "pencir' will
would have to be postponed.
"Emphatically no, was the re- ply.
It will be remembered that Mr.. Wheeler
embodied in his questions Monday the
suggestion that he had told Mrs. Craven
this, and it was to offset that i'm preston
that Mr.. Delmas now aimed.
The witness was now asked if Mr..
Lloyd ever told her what Mrs. Herman
OelrIchs, the eldest daughter of Ihe late
Senator Far, had agreed to pay as her
share of the $500, 900.
"Yes; he said Mrs. Oelrichs had figured
the matter out and SAID she would pay
Just one-third of the entire amount"
Did he mention the amount%
''Yes; ne said she would pay $166, ,666. !"
The lady's visits to Mr.. Wheeler's Office
were again referred to by Mr.. Delmas, and
she was asked how many of Senator Fair 8
letters he had shown her. Her answer
was that she thought there were over 100
of them. His object in collecting them
was TO demonstrate that the ''penciT will
was in the genuine hand writing of the
millionaire.
That is alI,' said Mr.. Delmas.
mo more questions" said Mr.. Wheeler.
Mrs. Craven's ordeal was over, and the
sigh of relief she gave vent to as she rose
and left the stand was ample proof that
she welcomed the rest.
Theodore Kytka, the Photographic ex-