The San Francisco call., 1899-10-27
DISAPPEARANCE
OF A WITNESS
New Sensation in the
WiIcoxSon Case.
w. H. TOWNSEND IS MISSING
COULD GIVE VERY IMPORTANT
TESTIMONY.
Telegram Inquiring as to His Where
abouts Answered by Person.
Unknown to Any of the
Principals.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

SACRAMENTO, Oct 26-Who is W. H.
Townsend of lis Broadway, Oakland, ana
where can he be found? This question
arose to-day in a side issue OF the now
more or less famous Austin WllcoXson
case and it is one which may have much
bearing on Miss Amanda Austins claim
of $150,000 against the estate or ner oe-
ceased uncle. Fer over two weeks the
battle has been fought in the courts, ana
it was only to-day that the defense
opened it's case. The effect of Miss AUS
tins mass of testimony was to show that
twenty years ago her millionaire uncle,
bachelor, sent for her, to leave her nome
at Carrollton, Mo-, to care for him IN MS
old age, and that she performed this duty
with the utmost fidelity up to his death, a
couple of years ago. The testimony es-
tabiished the fact that Wilcoxson had told
various persons that he had $150 900 locked
up in his office safe in Sacramento which
was intended for Amanda, and that there
was a letter with the money addressed to
her making known the gift TO her. Be
fore ne died Wilcoxsoh decided over to
sixteen nepheWS and other relatives some
5000 900, but he left Amanda out OF the
transaction entirely and out of his will,
explaining to various persons, according
toatheir testimony, that the money in the
safe, amounting to $3.50 600 in bank notes,
was exclusively hers, but that it was not
to be delivered to her until his death.
the money found. but it is claimed that
there was no letter with it. The executor,
George Wilcoxson, refused to recognize
Amanda Austin's claim, and as no writing
was produced to prove 1t the money was
turned back into the estate to be divided
among the sixteen heirs, of whom, owing
to her omission from the will, Amanda
was not one.
The attorneys for Amanda Austin to-
day produced a letter signed by w. H.
Townsend OF Oakland stating that once,
While in Wilcoxson's office in Sacramento,
he saw the money and the letter ad-
dressed to Miss Austin. He remarked TO
WilcoXson that the little safe was a
strange place in which to keep money,
and Wilcoxson replied:
Yes, that is So and it shows what
what great confidence I have in George -
meaning George Wilcoxson, the executor,
for it represents legacy to one who has
service and that letter contains my last
instructions to her"
Townsend added that there were cir
cumstances which could be recalled to
bear out his story. Miss Austin's attor-
neys wired Townsend to come UP imme-
diately, but received no reply. Again he
was requested, and under date of the oath
inst wired that he would leave that night
or yesterday morning sure. But he did
not come, and so another message was
sent. This last telegram elected this re-
"OAKLAND, Oct, 26.-Left last night on
Oregon express. Have not seen him
since. MAUTALEN."
Who Mautalen is and what has become
Of the important witness are mysteries
in a case which has already developed
more than one sensational feature.
OAKLAND, Oct. 26.-W. H. Townsend
has been hunted for In Oakland for sew
eral days, but no one has been able to
find him. There are several telegrams
waiting for him. At the address given,
SOL Broadway, no one ever heard of him
1t is q cigar store only and there are no
facilities for dodgers.