The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-25
Mrs. Hinckley Is in Full
Possession of Blythe's
Estate.
Dismissal of the Writ of Error
by the Supreme
Court.
The Highest Federal Tribunal Had
No Jurisdiction to Interfere
In the Struggle.

Supreme Court of California, by which
they came into the possession of Florence
Blythe Hinckley, daughter Of the de-
ceased millionaire, will stand. The effort:
of the members of the Blythe family te
induce the Supreme Court of the United
States to bring the case before that tribu
nal have failed. Chief Justice Fuller to-
day announced the dismissal of the writ
of error for want of jurisdiction
The dismissal in the United States Su.
preme Court yesterday of the writ OF error
sued out by Henry T. Blythe and others
known as the Gypsy Blythes," to have
the Supreme Court review the decree
of distribution made in favor of FIorencs
Blythe ends the long litigation for the
possession of the millions which the late
Thomas Blythe accumulated.
Counsel for the gypsies fancied thai
the cases could be tied up in the United
States Supreme Court for several years
The attorneys for the heiress ore gratitied
that the question was settled within sixty
days.
The point was raised and presented to
the Supreme Court at Washington thai
Florence Blythe. being an alien, could not
inherit property and that tho law OF the
State of California giving aliens the right
to inherit was invalid. and that nothing
but treaty could confer on her the RICH,
of inheritance.
w. H. H. Hart and Aylett r. Cotton
moved to dismiss the writ of error. on the
ground that the question sought 10 be
raised in regard to alienage is State ques
ton; that the sew eral States have author
ity to confer upon aliens the right 10 in
herit property.
The United States Supreme Court dis
missed the application for review Cd the
ground that it did not present Federal
question.
Ex-Attorney- General w. II. H. Hart
the chief lawyer of the heiress in the long
litigation, returned from Washington yes.
terday morning. He was seen at his resi-
dence last evening and expressed the
opinion that the litiga ton was now at an
end. He seemed delighted over the VIC
tory gained for his client, and remarked
that San Francisco would participate in the
benefits of the final settlement of the case.
He said that Mrs. Florence Blythe Hlnck-
ley could now go ahead and improve the
valuable property in the center of the
City. There were no long leases to inter
fere with plans for constructing business
blocks on the desirable land. In fact the
lady has been In possession of the prop
erty for eighteen months, but the menace
of litigation prevented improvement Of
the premises.
Mrs. Florence Hinckley is living in
Oakland. AS soon as the message was
received from Washington announcing
the decision of the Supreme Court in her
favor she was advised of the victory.
The lawyers connected with the win
ming side. apart from General Hart and
Judge Cotton, are John CARRIER, John H.
Boat, Thomas B. Bishop and W. W.
Foote. The original con tract provided
that the lawyers should receive 40 per
cent of the estate. The value of the
estate in San Francisco, rating property
at dull-time prices, is not less than
So. 100000