The herald., 1897-06-24
Practised Upon an Old
Man Over Seventy
SOME SENSATIONAL CHARGES
MADE BY A. D. LASsELL AGAINST
W. CAMPBELL
Mrs. Knox Tells Her Story-Miss Gut
Goo to Remain in Uncle Sans
Fanily-Gets No Damages

"A very cold-blooded bit Of chicanery Is
unfolded in a complaint filed yesterday
in the suit of A. d. Lassell against Will
liam Campbell-that is always provid-
ing the claims of the plaintiff are well
founded.
The plaintiff was owner OF twenty
nine acres of land in the Rancho Santa
Gertrudes, crossed diagonally by the
San Gabriel river, and valued at about
$500. 1t was free from incumbrance,
save for a mortgage of $500. The plain
tiff was about 20 years old, very feeble,
and at times was by no means clear in
his mind and altogether incapable of
properly administering his affairs. In
September his wife was adjudged insane
and sent to Highland, and the old man
fretted and really became frightened.
He labored under the idea that if he took
i'll at the ranch he might die without
help. Thereupon he moved to another
small ranch adjoining that of the de-
fendant. The latter, it is claimed, pre-
tended to be the true friend of the old
man and advised him in his business af-
fairs On November 81 the defendant,
with the design and for the purpose of
obtaining title to the old mans estate
without paying for it, and knowing he
was old, feeble, and without mental
clearness to make contract, proposed
that if he would execute his deed to de-
fendant of his property the defendant
would pay off the mortgage, purchase
the adjoining ranch upon which the
plaintiff was then residing, valued at
$500, furnish plaintiff and his wife with
q pleasant home upon the first-named
ranch, where he would build house for
them, and support them during their
lives and act toward them as if he were
their own son.
Believing all the smooth promises, old
man Lassell did agree by word of mouth
to make the conveyance, but the de-
fendant, determined to take every pre-
caution, represented that it would be
necessary to foreclose the 5000 mortgage
and the property be sold in order TO car
ry the title from plaintiff to defendant
With this end in view the defendant III
duced Emily Whelan, the mortgage, to
institute foreclosure proceedings. The
plaintiff, ignorant of his rights, remain
ed passive, and in June, 1896, the premiS-
es were sold by order of the court to the
mortgage. Six months later the sheriff
made a deed to her of the property and
she conveyed the premises to Campbell.
The plaintiff claims that Campbell
never had the money to lift the mort
gage, he being poor man, and he never
did pay it. After January, 1897, the de-
fendant began to be unkind to the old
man and refused him medical attend
ance when he needed it, and a couple of
weeks ago became rough with him and
told him to clear out. He said to him
that he was under no obligation to fur
nish him a home; that the old man had
no right or title to the property and that
he could go to the poor house. Campbell
altogether repudiated his oral agree
ment and threatened Lassell with COM
mitment to the insane asylum or the
county poor house, and has been indus
triously spreading abroad the report
that the old man was insane.
Meantime Campbell is living on Las
sells place and has appropriated $i14
worth of his personal property. Mrs.
Lassell died at Highland in March of
last year, 50 she never benefited by the
beautiful home that was promised but
that has not materialized.
These are some of the facts set forth
by the plaintiff, who asks the court to
order defendant to reconvey the proper
ty out of which he has been defrauded,
and in the event of his refusal, that the
court appoint a commissioner to make
such conveyance