The San Francisco call., 1897-05-11
GIRLS MAKE WAR
ON A CORPORATE
Demolition of Houses
and Fences in
LarkSpur.
Two Sisters Employ Men to
Clear Highway of
ObStru CtionS.
Claim, the American Land and Trust
Company Is Blocking the
Thoroughfare.

SAN RAFAEL, CAL, May 10.-Thers
,ha We been exciting scenes at Larkspur to-
day. Houses and fences have been torn
down by force and the work of de molition
would have been complete had not sneritf
Henry Harrison stepped in at an oppor-
tune moment and stopped the Gestruc
tion.
Two sisters, Belle G. Brown and Mary
A. Brown, the former being a teacher in
the public school at San Rafael, own
property in Larkspur which has become
known as Browns camp grounds. During
the summer months they lease 1t to varl-
Gus camping parties. To reach the
grounds one must travel distance OF
haIf a mile through Larkspur and over
the property of the American Land and
Trust Company. The president OF the
company, G. w, Wright, caused fence
TO be erected across the road leading to
Browns camp grounds. The girls
chopped the fence down last week.
Wright had a house built few days ago,
and the Brown girls threatened to have 1t
torn down, claiming that it was on the
road leading TO their place and was an
obstruction.
This morning Marshal John e. Greed of
Sausalito, with party of five, drove to
the Brown camp and without delay De-
gan the work OF removing the house ana
demoIishing the fence. OF the latter
about 200 yards OF barbed wire was cut
into small bits and the posts dug up and
splintered. The house was raised and
moved distance of thirty feet off the dis
puted road and onto property belonging
10 Wright.
Creed and his men worked quickly.
Only one man interfered. He was an en-
ploye of Wright by the name OF Tim
Murphy. Descending on Greed and his
five Sausalito workmen with huge CLUB.
he ordered the Marshal to stop, but Greed
drew a pistol and told Murphy that he
had better go about his business. When
Murphy caught sight OF the weapon he
arrived at the same conclusion, and when
last heard from he had visited house
some distance away to ask tor drop OF
wine to steady his nerves.
When Creed and his men finished their
task the Brown sisters had fine repast
ready for them and wine flowed freely.
Then Sheriff Henry Harrison descended
upon the scene and served injunction pa
pers, which had been sworn out IN the Su-
perior Court.
More trouble is expected President
Wright of the land company claims he is
in the right and that he is privileged TO
build a house or fence where he did.
In the Superior Court this morning
Belle c. Brown ana Mary A. Brown filed
a complaint for an in junction against the
American Land and Trust Comrany and
William Wright, restraining the defend
ant corporation from obstructing the road
leading to the Brown Camp Tract. The
plaintiffs aIlege that they have enjoyed
right OF way from Larkspur to their camp
and that they are now informed that the
company intend to erect house and fences
so as TO prevent the use of the road, to the
in II1r1 nf hp n doe A n n
issued the injunction, which was served
Ia.e this afternoon on President Wright OF
the land company.
President Wright said this evening:
''Of course we will fight this matter.
These women are simply attempting to
steal our property. Only last week they
assaulted me. They few at me and tore
my clothes and broke my watch"
Mr.. Wright here produced his time
piece, which had been battered to such
degree that the lid refused to stay
closed.
"They also called me various Names"
he continued, land l had hard time
with them. They have no right to come
on our property or have men come on our
property to remove any house or tear
down any fence. We don't intend that
they shall steal the property, and we will
fight the case to the end and claim dam
ages for property that has been de-
stroyed."
The Brown girls tell different story.
They are well known in the county and
are popular in Larkspur, where they have
lived for some time. They say that the
roads are sixty feet in width, but that
g. W. Wright and the land company
have only 30-foot road near their camp.
The trouble has but commenced, and II
has become battle royal between two
girls against q big corporation. Public
sympathy is against the latter, and the
outcome of the affair promises to be SEN
satlonal.