The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-12
FLORENCE WILL GET MILLIONS.
The Supreme Court Finally Decides
the Blythe VIII Case.

the Blythe VIII Case.
From the Baltimore American.
Washington Jan 9.-The United States
Supreme Court to-day dismissed the case
OF the Blythe Company vs.. Blythe, involv-
ing the Blythe estate of California No
written opinion was filed in the case
The case of Tom" Blythe, thus settled
is historic. Blythe was an eccentric old
Welshman, over whose millions his reia-
tives real and imaginary, have quarreied
In the courts for fourteen years. Blythe,
il may be recalled, spent the last of his
life in little room in the roof of a San
Francisco office building, which he owned.
1t was just after Blythe went to live in
the top of his big office building that he
made a trip 10 Europe. Most of his friends
supposed it was his first trip abroad. In
stead, 1t was a return TO his native coun-
try.
Blythe's real name was not Blythe at
all, but Thomas Williams. Blythe came
TO America from Wales in 1913, when he
was &c years old. He sailed from Liver
pool around the Horn TO California, and
went at once into the god country and be-
gan operations for himself. For years he
lived and went on accommodating wealth in
obscurity. Then he blossomed out of a
Blythe went on visit to Europe in 1873
He dressed shabbily, but he gave cham
payne suppers ad libitum. One day he
met Julia Perry.
Little is known of her now, excepting
that she had a strikingly pretty face. 1t
is traditional in San Francisco that Blythe
first met her one day in PiccadiHy. and
without the formahty of an Introduction
they became acquainted. Blythe liked her
so Well that after several days of her
society, he promised to marry her as soon
as he could settle up his affairs in San
Francisco.
Blythe left Julia and returned to San
Francisco, and in December 1873. he re-
ceived a letter from Julia Perry in Lon
don announcing that a daughter had been
born to him, and that she had been named
Florence. In response, Blythe sent her a
draft and friendly letter. When Florence
was 3 years old, her mother married a
London man named Ashcroft, a drunken
scapegrace .-..
1t is not known that Blythe ever knew
of the existence of Ashcroft. Up to the
time of his death Blythe and Julia Ash
croft wrote TO each other as man and wife
might have done, and the little girl Flor
ence, also received numerous letters from
her father, many of which were pre-
served, and have been the most important
OF all the evidence in the litigation
on April 4, 1888, when Florence was 10
years old, Blythe's letters ceased, and a
notice came through the San Francisco
papers that the eccentric millionaire had
died in his squalid room in the top of his
office building 1t was then Julia and her
daughter gathered up bundle of let
ters which Blythe had written acknowl-
edging the little girl as his daughter, and
came TO America TO claim the fortune
When the contest In the courts began
Florence Blythe was 70 years old. Her
grandfather the father of Julia Ashcroft
acted as her guardian, and her mother
cared for her as best she could in San
Francisco. The girls grandfather died
long before the case approached compile
ton in the courts. Julia Ashcroft died
soon after her father, and Florence was
left to the guardianship of her attorneys
1t never has been disputed that Florence
was the daughter Of Blythe or thar he
had Acknowledged her. The courts were
chiefly busted with trying to decide
whether the long list OF alleged relatives
all of whom were against her In the legal
fight were entitled to any of the prop
erty.
While the suit was still going on Flor
ence married Fred Hinckley. of Oakland
The Perrys had no money with which 70
prosecute their suit. and the lawyers un-