The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-26

sion was diminished as court proceed
ings became more familiar, and they were
able to join in the appreciation OF the pas
sages of wit between Attorney Knight and
the witness on the stand.
In addition to the array of lawyers en-
gagged in the case, a numb of experts in
handwriting and photography were no.
ticed lowering about the courtroom, indi-
eating that the. usual means OF proof and
counterproof in regard to forgery or gen.
uineness of the will in question will be re-
sorted to in the trial now pending.
Charles M. Wilson, half brother oil
Mrs. Stead and Joseph z. Wilson, was
present in court. having just arrived from
the East
The issue of forgery will be presented
squarely to the jury, tue contestants
Catherine Stead and Joseph 2. wilson
claiming a right to inherit, as niece and
nephew OF the deceased, and asserting
that the 81 coo 000 estate ought to be dis
tributed to them instead of 10 the persons
named in the will, said legatees being
nieces of the late wife of the test ator.
In Mondays proceedings John M. Cur
til, husband of one of the ,egatees, testi.
fed to finding the will here presented In a
copper box which contained the cremated
remains of Mrs. Davis, wife of the ,esta-
tor. He explained that he was i'm pc led
to look there for the will because search
in other directions had been fruit.ess. and
because Mr.. Davis told his partner, Alex
ander Boyd, that he had made will in
which he had remem bered he girls, mean.
ing Mrs. Curtis and Miss Muir.
On the opening of court john NJ. Curtis
resumed his testimony.
George A. Knights first demand was for
the round-cornered copper box containing
the ashes of the late Mrs. Jacob y. Davis,
and it was produced. 1t proved to be
9x6 inches in siZe and inches deep.
With the box resting OH the railing OF
the bar in front of him Mr.. Knight
launched into an inquiry touching the re-
lations of the late Mr.. Davis to the State
Mining Bureau. l. was shown that Mr.
Davis was frequent visitor to the office
of the State Mlneralogist, and that Mr..
Curtis usually accompanied him. The
visits occurred in the afternoon and even
ing. Mr.. Davis was greatly interested in
the State Mining Bureau. He said the
bureau had been robbed once and he was
anxious about the place. He would go at
night to see whether the Waterman was
Oh duty.
Mr.. Davis made donation of valuable
collection of mineral specimens to the
State Mining Bureau. He was also
Microscopical Society, the Society for the
Prevention Of Cruelty to Animals and
OF her organizations.
1t was shown that Mr.. Davis gave $40, 600
to the Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty TO Animals, and that he was
liberal to other public institutions. he
contribute mum Der of curiesities TO the
museum at Golden Gate Park.
Mr. Curtis related that Mr.. Davis had a
fOr 10
house now contains many articles of value
and beauty that he had gathered from diff
ferent parts of the world during his
travels.
Information was next sought by Mr..
knight touching statue called Ere
becca," which cost $500. Mr.. Curtis said
he had seen the statue and regarded 1t as a
beautiful production, but he did not know
whether it was given to- the Academy of
Sciences or the State Mining Bureau. He
did not know what became of the big crys-
tai Clio be that Mr.. Davis priced very highly.
When Mr.. knight asked whether Mr..
Davis had hobby" for gathering curl.
osities, Mr.. Curtis said he didn't know
whether he had anything like that or not
Don't you know what the word hobby
means?' asked Mr.. Knight.
sNo."
"Never hear it before?'
"Don't think / ever did
well, if you never heard the word
hobby before, you are to be excused, Z"
was Mr. Knights closing remark, as he
turned to another subject.
A detailed history of the drawing Of
plans for the Dunkard church was given
Mr. Curtis said he drew some plans for
Mr.. Davis, but the latter did not tell him
about his relationship to Rev. Ar hur
Mack, founder of the church. Mr.. Curtis
did not remember having provided for a
freproof vault in the plans for the
church, nor did he ever hear the decedent
say that he wished to have the relics of
his ancestors placed there for safe keeping.
In reply to Mr.. Knight the witness said
he had no pow-r OF attorney or other au-
thority for taking possession of the box
containing the asnes OF Mrs. Davis. He
did that at the request of Mr.. Boyd, sur