The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-13
CONTEST OVER
THE FORTUNE
OF A PIONEER
Young Widow Must
Defend Her Rights. ;.
UNDUE INFLUENCE EXERCISED
so CLAIMED BY RELATIVES OF
AARON SHAVER.
Nephews and Nieces Assert That the
Old Capitalist Was Not in His
Right Mind When He
Married.
UNDUE INFLUENCE EXERCISED
so CLAIMED BY RELATIVES OF
AARON SHAVER.

Mrs. Annie Shaver, widow of Aaron
Shaver, late capitalist of San Rafael, will
make her home in San Francisco for some
time to come. The family residence across
the bay will be temporarily closed, and
the gossips Of Marion County's capital
will be able to give free rein to their
tongues. Things have been said and done
during the past week or SO, however, that
are likely to end in bitter personal suits
before the difficulties are over
In the meantime the contest over the
money left by the dead capitalist will be-
gin to-day, and the indications are that
the legal battle will be bitter one The
contestants assert that Aaron Shaver was
not In his right mind when he was mar
ried nearly five years ago, and that his
will made two years ago was drawn I'M
der the influence Of the widow, the dead
mans brother Jake" and James Tun-
sted, the real estate agent of San Rafael.
The property involved is considerable.
TwEo-thirds of it was left to the widow
and one-third to the brother, while the
remaining relatives were ignored.
The contestants of the will are Jane
Haddeman and Charles Shaver, who as
sert they are half-sister and half brother
respectively Of the deceased This con-
tention Is strenuously denied by Jake"
SHAVER. who says he will bring proof from
title to the claim they make. Joined with
Mrs. Haddeman and Charles Shaver in
the suit are Minnie, Eta, Joy, Glen and
Royal Shaver and Clara Lovejoy, of this
city, sons and daughters of the late Isaac
Shaver, who owned and operated the saw
mill and lumber yards at West End, San
Rafael, for years before his death.
Although worth over S150,000, the world
did not seem to go well with Isaac Shaver
in other respects, and one morning about
six years ago he drowned himself In the
bay. His family still lives in San Rafael,
but the fortune left by the father has
dwindled considerably.
The other members of the Shaver fam
lily were all born on a farm near Con-
stantine, Mich, and Jake" still retains
his interest In the old homestead. Early
up their minds to come to California. II
took them six months to cross the plains
and Isaac and Aaron nearly died on the
way.
when we were a month on the road"
said Jacob yesterday, Isaac and Aaron
were taken sick with the measles. We
had a cook and a driver with us and while
they attended to the outfit and pushed
along l nursed my brothers. It was a
terrible. trying time, but Aaron soon
pulled through and helped me with Isaac.
Isaac to California. When he got better
from the measles he was taken sick with
dysentery, and 1t was only when we got
to the sink of the Humboldt that he be-
gan to recover The water we were COM
PEELED to drink was slippery with alkali,
and that was what nearly killed him.
when we finally got to California we
settled in Ell Dorado County. Isaac
opened a store and Aaron did the team
ing, while helped along. That was over
forty years ago, and Aaron was regu-