The San Francisco call., 1898-03-09
Her Children Were Ac- knowledged by Julius
 L. Franklin.
Attorneys Are Preparing for the Legal Combat to
 Follow.
The Small Estate Explained by ConVeyanc in His Life
 time.

The two sensational petitions which are the forerunners of will contest against the estate of Julius l.. Frank lin were filed yesterday morning in the County Clerks office; and concealed in their legal verbiage is a story, the main facts of which were told In yesterdays Call The allegations of fraudulent conveyances during the lifetime of the deceased are emphasized by the attor neys who will conduct the opposition to the will, and they also asseverate that they have an abundance of proof to justify the action taken by their clients.
 The Indian woman-a genuine Chi nook with the blood of line of chief tains in her veins-was supposed to have disappeared from the sight of the world when Franklin changed his ad- venturous career as fur trader in the wilds to that of business man In civil ized Portland. The children by that union accompanied him to that city, but nothing Is known positively about the wife during Franklins residence there. But that she was alive at the time is fact that certain men who knew Franklin persist in declaring. There
 
 dusky native-born daughter of the heather was alive four years ago and that there is every reason to believe she still draws the air of this terrestrial sphere. That she was as a Nemesis to Franklin in his lifetime is assured, for he never mentioned her name, and the subject was at all times painful to him.
 Those with whom Franklin was en- gagged in business say that he never spoke of his former red-skinned com panion. They knew that the report was current that he had children whose blood was not pure. In his will | he distinctly declares Benjamin, Mol lie and Lena Franklin to be his own children, and to each he leaves a spe- | cific legacy, small in amount in com | parison to his reputed wealth. But to the children of his second union he be- queaths nothing, trusting to his wife to attend to their wants. The attor- neys of the children of the dead capi- talist and the dusky princess are of opinion that ia his lifetime suitable provision was made for the offspring of his present widow with a view to pre- vent all possibility of a successful con- test of his will.
 pare for the fray. Coogan and Kahn, attorneys for Mrs. Pauline Franklin, say that they will protect the interests | of their client, and if a contest of the will Is necessary it will be fought to the bitter end. They declare that the will is valid and it will stick like muci- lage. With scorn they laugh at the idea of fraudulent conveyances with the purpose to defraud natural children of their interests. Julius Kahn said | yesterday: MT. Franklin's wealth was much overrated. In his lifetime, seve- I ral years before his marriage, he gave to his wife presents of property, both personal and real, but that he did this | with intent to injure others is ab- surd. Of course, he recognized these other children as his own, for he men tions them in his will"
 But there are some who think other wise John F. Riley attorney for Ben- iamin J. Franklin, the first born and issue of the deceased, tells another story.
 He said: That the inventory shows an estate of few thousand dollars in value is nothing. We intend to prove that Franklin was devoted to his chil- dren during the early part of his mar riage with Mrs. Pauline Franklin and that gradually his affection for them was alienated We have evidence that real property worth $60,000 was con- veyed by Franklin in his last year of l life. and that this was done to exclude his first children from inheriting any | portion of his estate. Also that large 1 blockS or DoHus' sHaieS oi otocks anu personal property were converted with the same intent. Nothing in the in- ventory shows an accounting of Franklin's interest in the firm of Metz ger & Franklin. lottery dealers"
 Felix H. Merzbach, also an attorney for the children of the early union, is equally asseverative of the rights and justice of his clients cause. We in- tend to frame a bill in equity to set aside every conveyance which was an act of fraud against these children. We will show that the history of their childhood was full of malice and op- pressiCn, and they were deprived of their paternal estate without justice or show of right
 The merry dance goes on, and now the dramatis personae are the lawyers, an Indian mother, widow and a half dozen children.