The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-08-28
A LEGAL WILL DESTROYED
TESTAToR rs SAID TO HAVE
BEEN IMPRISONED.
Decedent Was Paralyzed and too
Weak to Have Executed the
Will of Recent
Date.
Oakland Office San Francisco Gail,
nnn Z


John Schneider and George Metzger,
contestants to the probate OF Christoph
Streitberger's will, made last April, and
petitioners for the probate of the will of
April 8, 1894, to-day through their attor-
neys. ]. H. Smith and George de Cola,
filed amended objections to the probate of
the first-named will. They also filed a
copy of the alleged will of "a, in which
Andrew Krueckel and William Cron Jr.
were subscribing witnesses and Schneider
and Metzger named as executors.
BY the provisions of the will of "a the
last-named were beQueathed n reasonable
commission for their time and labor ex-
pended in settling up said estate, which
consisted of money in various banks to
the credit of deceased of about $1S5 900
and real estate of about $4,000.
Contestants aver that this Will was in
subsequently, delivered &c Streitberger,
who by reason of the confidence reposed
in D. Bruins and Thomas f. GRADER, and
on or about April 13, 1898, confided the
custody of said Will TO Bruins and GRADER
together with other papers; that since
tEen they have been informed that the
viii has been destroyed and, if so, that
81 was destroyed at the instigation and
under the influence and direction of said
Bruins and GRADER"
They contend that the will dated April
L., is4S, was not the last will and testa-
ment because it was not signed by STREET.
berger or any person in his presence, for
Tue reason LIldL at SuCN Ifne teSldLOr v IS
not of sound mind and was incompet snl
TO make, execute and publish any will.
Contestants further allege that on April
l3, 1898, Streitberger was 90 years of age.
that about one year prior thereto he had
been paralyzed, from which he never re-
covered, and that he labored under
strange hallueinations, believing that I'M
known persons were DESTROYS of killing
him; that during said year deceased re-
sided at the home of D. Bruins where he
was induced to remain, owing to his en-
feebled condition; that despite deceased
was a member of the German Hospital As
ISOLATION, where he repeatedly requested
TO be taken, said Bruins in conjunction
with GRADER caused him to be taken to
and restrained against his wishes, with
OCT notice to contestants or his friends,
preventing him, moreover, from seeing
any of these. Furthermore that deceas-
ed begged q friend TO send for Schneider
and Metzger, who, when they called at the
private hospital were refused admission;
and that for the purpose of causing
Bruins fraudulently represented that con-
testants did not care for him any longer.
Contestants also charge Bruins and era
Der with inducing deceased to pay $50
600 for a ranch in TehaIna County that
was not worth over $1,000
Contestants pray that the court take
proof of the execution and validity of the
Will of April g. 1894, and establish its va
ldity, and that the Will of April b. 1885,
be denied probate; and that If the first
named will be not produced, or it shall
be proved that the same was destroyed
prior to the death Of testator. that it be
adjudged and decreed that the same was
fraudulently destroyed. The matter will
be heard before Judge Ellsworth next
Monday.