The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25
Peter ]. Cox Tried to Emulate
saltwater Bill, but
Failed.
He Won Pretty Girl and Solicitors Mother
in-LaW, Who Would Like to Collect
Five Hundred.

houses and small sum of money, was
given to Peter under the terms of his
mothers will, except that the step
father had a life interest in one of the
houses.
Peter had a serious quarrel with his
wife and sold all his property and left
for California. The sale of his share
of the estate netted him $410O, one
third of which sum he gave his wife
as her share. This left his about $500,
with which he came to California and
had a glorious time as an Alaskan null
ti-millionaire.
Mrs Woodruff when interviewed yes
terday expressed the greatest respect
for Mr. Cox. She told how after read
ing of his arrival she had gone to his
hotel to inquire of him whether he had
met her nephew in Alaska, how he had
returned the call at her humble apart
ments at 606 Montgomery street and
how he had asked her for the hand of
her beautiful daughter in honorable
wedlock. He was perfectly frank and
honorable in all his dealings and she
would not believe him otherwise than
what he was represented to be. She
was silent as to the present of the
worthless draft for $500, transaction
which would seem to indicate that he
was not so green as he looked. Mrs.
Woodruff said further that she feared
that he might be made away with for
his money by designing persons, and so
when he had not turned up for two or
three days she and her daughter called
at the residence of Mrs. DR.. Gericke,
at 353 Geary street, and inquired for
him, but she and her daughter were
snubbed and insulted by Mrs. Gericke,
who. by the way, is lady of about 60
years. She took a motherly interest in
the young man, while Mrs. Woodruff
took a motherly-in-law interest in him.
My cheek burns with shame" con-
tinued Mrs. Woodruff, when I think
of the outrageous insults heaped upon
me and my daughter by that old wo-
man."
Mrs. DR.. Gericke told how her daugh-
ter, Mrs. Bates, came to be acquainted
with Cox. She was a passenger from
Portland on the same steamer with the
fake millionaire from Alaska and was
attracted by his eccentricities. She
made his acquaintance and finding him
to be a nice gentleman informed him
that her mother had furnished rooms
to let. After staying at the hotel for a
day or two he took a room at the Ger
icke residence and it was While living
there that Mrs. Woodruff and her
daughter came to inquire for him.
When Cox heard that his prospective
bride and her ma were at the door he
directed Mrs. Gericke to say that he
was not at home for he did not wish to
see them.
She had a little money transaction
with Cox. 1t was a draft of $500 which
she cashed and kept for safe keeping,
Cox drawing upon her for money as he
needed it until he drew it all. He re-
NAMED in her house only one month.
He told her one day that he had given
Miss Woodruff a draft for $500 while
he was in a generous spirit inspired by
alcoholic spirits and he repented having
presented her with so large an amount
He asked Mrs. Gericke's advice about
paying it, and she advised him that
$50 would be a sufficient return for
whatever entertainment the mother
and daughter might have afforded him.
A few days afterward a private de-
tective requested her to use her in
fuence with Cox and induce him to pay
the draft, but she refused to do So
The latest news from Cox is that he
has made up with his French wife and
is living with her and the babies again
and that although practically on his
| uppers and limited in his capacity for
obtaining booze he is a happy father