The San Francisco call., 1899-03-09
WHO WROTE THE
ALLEGED WILL 2
Fuller Mystery Deepens
at Chico.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

-OROVILLE, March S.-The news,
printed exclusively in yesterdays Call,
that a contest is about TO be filed in the
Fuller will case revived interest in the
matter here and at Chico. While every
body expected the heirs of Alfred Full
Ter would exhaust every effort to obtain
the property which they claim is right
fully theirs, the announcement that the
will was 10 be disputed as an alleged
forgery created a great sensation and
the people of Chico and vicinity are
now talking Of nothing else. The mys-
terry attending the sudden appearance
Of the alleged will of the old capitalist
has been before the Grand Jury for
some time and now the new phase
the charge Of forgery
will be taken up when the contestants
petition is filed.
Il is not known here who is to be
charged with having committed the fell
ory and many wild rumOrs are afioat.
The LAWYERS familiar with the case Will
not enlighten the anxious public until
= they have made every preparation to
substantiate their allegations. Many
DersOuS who attended the proceedings
9vben the alleged Fuller VIII was ad-
Ynitted to probate are now recalling the
testimony given by DR.. ROdley, j. NJ.
Garner. H Cormack and Mrs. Minnie
HousewOrth.
Mrs. Houseworth said she was in
Chico a few months before Fuller died
and met him on the street. He told her
he wanted to see her privately and she
made an appointment to meet him In
the park According to her story they
went to the park by different routes so
no one would see hem together. She
met Fuller and he broached the sub
iect of his will. This was in September.
Fuller told her he had made a will,
leaving TO her all his property, but he
refused to give the document to her
or to tell her TO whom he had entrusted
it She asked him for the will and he
replied he had put it into good man s
hands and il would be delivered to her
Immediately after his death, should his
demise precede hers.
Mrs Houseworth further testified
that she met Fuller about month be-
fore his death and that he said TO her:
Minnie, L have done all for you that
q man can do for the woman he loves.
I have left you everything I have"
He again refused to give her the will
or inform her who had it.
Mrs. HOuseWorth was away from
Chico when Alfred Fuller died, but she
returned soon afterward and asked all
of Fuller's old friends if he had left his
viii with them. The will was not found
until il mysteriously reached Mr. Cor
mack a year after Fuller's death
Garner, the second witness to the al
legged viii, tpld in court how he came
10 attach MS signature to the paper.
He went 10 DR.. Rodley's office to get
some medicine for a man who was sick
AT his ranch and while there was asked
bv the doctor and also by Fuller TO wit
ness the document and say nothing
about 1t.
DR.. Rodleys testimony was on the
came line. and he went into minute de-
tails Of the incident and the converse
tion he had with Fuller before Garner
came in. Fuller, so the doctor said, was
. afraid to trust any one with the know
edge that he had made will and could
not decide upon the second witness.
Garner came in and as Fuller had con-
fdence in him ne signed the testament.
Now the ALA bsorbing question is:
Who will be accused of having written
the viii? The public is also on the qui
vive to learn if the reputation of DR..
Rodley ard John Garner will be In any
way reflected upon when the Fuller
heirs file their contest.