davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08

was fairly successful, returning to
Chico with several thousand dollars
This sum he Immediately invested in
various enterprises and in few years
his fortune amounted to over S3O,UO0.
After the death of his brother, Emel-
lion Fuller, some years ago, Alfred was
appointed executor and administrator
of his estate, which amounted to up
ward of Sz5, 900. The management of
this sum, together with his own prop
erty, was a task which greatly worried
the old man, and as years went by he
became suspicious of every person who
acted in a friendly manner toward him.
He believed every one was after his
money His heart became bitter
against all his relatives, and he was
especially chary in his relations with
women. He often expressed fear that
some one would attempt to get his
wealth from him before he died and felt
sure that after his death his estate
would be the prey of some person or
persons who had no claim to 1t. He
took morbid interest in the details of
the Blythe, Sharon and Fair litigations
and SCENE to think similar attempts
TO steal his estate would be made.
He died quite unexpectedly in the fall
of 1897 and no will of any kind was
found among his papers. His estate
and also that of his brother went into
the hands of Public Administrator r.
NJ. Woodman, who still has charge of
the properties. Shortly after his death
a note for $4,000 drawn in favor of DR..
A. ]. Lands of Chico was presented
against Alfred Fullers estate. 1t was
alleged to have been given in consid-
Grafton for medical services rendered
and bore no interest. The note was
payable in two years from the date it
bore The claim was repudiated by the
public administrator and suit was
1rI,+ 30 aoII nd i- finy1 &c
now pending.
Several months after Fuller's death
rumors began circulating that he had
left a will, which could not be found,
and that DR.. J. Ellis ROdley and John
Garner had witnessed the document.
These reports aroused greater interest
in the case as many of Fuller's friends
declared that he strongly disliked these
two men and never neglected an op
portunity to speak i'll of them. Much
speculation regarding the devisee and
the terms Of the alleged will was in
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08

respected citizen of Butte County, re-
ceived through the mail an envelope
postmarked Chico. In the envelope was
the long missing Will, but no letter of
explanation as to why 1t was sent to
him accompanied the testament. The
will was written on an old piece Of
blank book paper. evidently leaf torn
from a book. The writing and spelling
were very poor. Mr. Cormack, after
recovering from his surprise, immedi
ately notified Mrs. HOuseWOrth and told
her how il came into his possession.
Mr. Cormack delivered the will to the
devisee and it was soon after offered
for probate before Judge John G. Gray
of Butte County.
Then followed another sensation. Mrs.
Houseworth, under oath, declared Cor
mack had illegally retained possession
of the will and demanded $1,000 before
he would deliver it. In order to obtain
the precious paper she consented to pay
that sum when she came into the es-
| tate. She also swore that Cormack had
| pledged her not to mention his name in
connection with the case. Cormack' s
reputation for honesty, rectitude and
probity had never before been ques-
toned and every one who knew him
was surprised and on all sides the wo-
mans story was discredited.
Under instructions from Judge Gray
the Grand Jury began an investigation
! into the alleged illegal detention Of
Fuller's will and the alleged attempt at
extortion, but nothing has as yet come
| of the inquiry.
! Mr. Cormack was one Of Fuller's
/ closest friends and the mysterious send
/ ing of the will to him, months after a
/ futile search had been made for it, is
/ considered by the Fuller heirs as part
/ of the scheme to deprive them Of their
rights. The heirs allege in the contest
/ that this procedure was simply TO add
! weight to the forgery. Cormack repu-
dates the whole affair and says he had
nothing to do with it further than to
receive the will in the strange manner
/ detailed and that he Immediately de-
| livered it to Mrs. HouseWOrth.
! It is further alleged by friends of
Alfred Fuller that he did not have any
! high regard for Mrs. HousewOrth, al
/ though she maintains that he loved
! her and at one time would have married
| her had not Emellion Fuller interfered.
/ These same people assert that the de-
/ ceased also had strong antipathy for
DIR. ROdIey and John Garner, whose sig
natures as witnesses are attached to
the alleged will. Garner and Fuller are
/ said to have had business troubles some
| years ago.
! DR.. ]. Ellis Rodley is one of the lead
| ing physicians of Chico and is Mayor
of the city He came from Missouri
eleven years ago. John Garner is a
farmer Mrs. Minnie Houseworth was
formerly Mrs. West. Her first husband
died, leaving her in comfortable cir
cumstances, but she has lost most of
her property. She married Houseworth
afterward, but the couple are now liv-
ing apart the husband being some
where in Southern California. None of
Fuller's acquaintance were ever aware
or suspected that he was devoted to
the woman. It is hardly possible that
a man of Fuller's habits and tempera-
ment could have courted or shown
marked attention to any woman with
out it being noticed and exciting gossip.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
ISSUE OF
BONDS NOT
NECESSARY
How Expenditures Author
lied by Congress Will
Have to Be Met.
If Required the Government Can
Secu'e Additional Cash by Sell
ing Central Pacific Notes,
Special Dispatch to The Call,

NEW YORK. March THE Wash
ington correspondent of the Herald tel
egraphs All expenditures authorized
by Congress for this fiscal year and the
next will be met without the sale of
bonds or the issue of certificates of in
debtedness.
When Secretary Gage issued his an
nuaI report in December he estimated
a deficit of $112 100000 for the current
fiscal year and little more than $780,
900, 900 for the next year ending June 30,
1900. The estimates made by Repre-
sentatives Cannon and Dockery of the
House Committee on Appropriations
put the deficiency for the next year far
above the figures of the Secretary
Dockery placing ~ as high as 100000,
900.
These figures. it is contended by
Treasury officials, are much too high.
Secretary Cages estimate Of revenue
for next year is $610, 958, ,112, and the
appropriations for that year amount to
S673, ,658, 400. assuming that the deficiency
appropriations for that year Will be as
large as for this, which is very liberal
estimate. This would make an appar-
ent deficit of $50, 700, ,2S8. It is expected.
however, that actual expenditures will
fall somewhat short of the total appro-
priatiOns, for it is not believed such
large deficiencies will have to be made
up because it is expected there will be
a surplus in the appropriation for the
army.
About $40, 900 will be received from
the Central Pacific Railway, and this
will reduce the deficit to about 800, ,000,-
600, enabling the treasury to begin the
fiscal year with a sufficient cash bal
ance on hand to relieve all apprehen-
sion.
Should it become necessary for the
treasury to secure more cash than is
brought in by ordinary receipts during
the next few years the Government
may do so by selling Central Pacific
Railway notes which the law authorizes
the Secretary of the Treasury to do for
not less than par and accrued interest.
While there is no probability that
there will be a treasury deficiency after
that time it is apparent that the war
revenue taxes will have to be main
tanned indefinitely if Congress con-
tinues TO appropriate money on the
same scale as in the session just closed.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
JEREMIAH LYNCH
A KLONDIKE KING
AccumulateS a Fortune
at Dawson.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

REDDING. March T. Jeremiah
Lynch, globe trotter, Bohemian and
pamphleteer. is accommodating another
fortune. When he left San Francisco
less than a year ago he turned his Mar
ket-street realty into cash and resolved
TO stake it all in the Klondike. His
Hale & NOrcross experience may nave
warned him TO steer clear of mines, but
anyhow the moment he struck Dawson
City he commenced a series Of trading
operations that have won for him the
reputation of being the shrewdest and
nerviest trader in the Klondike metrop-
oils. His accumulatiOns for not quite
a twelvemonth are placed at $3.50, 900.
In letters to relatives in Shasta
County the one-time protege of Jim"
Keene writes that he has been success
full beyond his expectations. He is
making money as rapidly as he made
it on Pine street in it's palmy days. His
astonishing success in Dawson is well
illustrated by deal that he made
shortly after his arrival. which netted
him $50, 900. He bought 5000 sacks of
-four and within twenty -four hours
turned it over and doubled his money.
Storage costs money in Dawson.
Another deal equally as fortunate and
still more lucrative was the purchase
and sale of 5000 gallons of whisky. He
is successfully dabbling in mines, but
his main operations are confined to
trading in the Dawson market.
When James r. Keene left Shasta
County in early days, drifted into San
Francisco and became a multi-million-
aire. jeremiah Lynch. then a young
fellow in the town of Shasta, followed
his friend to the city and became his
apt pupil as an operator in the share
market That was the last that Shasta
County saw of Lynch save at rare in
tervals when he came on visit to rela-
tiVeS in his old home.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
RUHLIN WINS IN
THE FIFTH ROUND
Easily Defeats Old Joe
Goddard.
speeial plspatch TO The caIl.

NEW YORK, March. Gus Rubin
of Akron, O., met and defeated Joe
Goddard of Australia in the fifth round
of what was to have been a twenty
round bout before the Lenox Club to-
night. Both men stripped in excellent
condition, but Rubin had the call in
the betting. This was certainly justi-
fed from his appearance, and from the
outset he held his opponent cheaply.
He evidently saw that Joe could not
offset his rushes and from the begin
ming forced the fighting. The Aus
tralian went down frequently with good
cause, but toward the close of the con-
test he dropped without cause and was
deservedly disqualified. Rubin was a
to / favorite in the betting.
Round Goddard opened with left to
the body, landing lightly. Gus landed
with left and right on the head and body
and was cautioned for hitting in the
breakaway. A light left from Gus sent
Goddard to the floor, but the old-timer
was up Immediately, only TO go down
again with right on the jaw. This time
Goddard stayed down eight seconds.
When he cot up he feinted with his left
and was met with a hard right on the
face, and went down third time, re-
naming on the floor almost TO the limit.
seconds left before the round ended.
Round 2-Ruhlin sent his left to the
face hard and Goddard dropped three
times in quick succession. Rubin re-
peated this dose and knocked his man
down with each blow. The referee count
ed six and nine and eight consecutfvely
while Goddard was trying TO regain his
feet, and the referee cautioned Goddard
to stop holding"
Round 3-Joe was quick in toeing the
mark, and jumped to the center of the
ring He lodged a vicious left from Ruh-
lin, but went to his knees with hard
right on the jaw. After a lot of fiddling
Gus forced Joe to the ropes in the oppo-
site corner and put him down with a right
smash on the Jaw The "old hoSS" seemed
used TO such rough treatment and came
up on the defensive, only to go down
again with another smash on the Jaw
Toward the end of the round they were
both again cautioned for holding.
Round 4-Ruhlin landed two left hooks
and a right on the head which sent God
dard down. He stayed down eight sec
onds and came up, only to dodge vi
cious left hook for the head, but 1t landed
in the shoulder and down he went.
Throughout the remainder of the round
Goddard remained on the defensive
Round Goddard opened with LETT
lead for the body. but Rubin sent right
and left in quick succession in the face:
Then Rubin sailed in with series OF
right and left hand smashes, every one or
which landed hard, and Goddard accepted
them like an iron man. Each man was
again cautioned by the referee TO avoid
holding but Goddard could not withstand
Ruhlin's onslaughts and dropped to the
floor without a blow to escape punish
ment. This being obviously transgres-
sion of Queensbury rules. Referee White
ordered the boxers to their corners and
declared Rubin the winner.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
PLANS FOR THREE
BIC BATTLESH|PS
Will Equal Best Glass
in the World.
Call Headquarters, wellington Hot
Special Dispatch to The Call.

Call Headquarters, Wellington Hotel,
Washington, March Z.
The plans for the three big battle
ships authorized by the naval appro-
priation bill just passed are being
worked out. The general features of
the ships have been defined. subject to
the approval of the Secretary. The
battleships viii be a thousand tons
larger than the Maine and Missouri
class, of a total displacement of 1880
tons, making them by far the largest
ships in the American navy and about
equal in dimensions to the best type of
battleships now being constructed
abroad under the new practice Though
larger than the Maine. the ships will be
LAID on almost the same lines, being
only a little greater in every dimension.
They will carry each four 12-inch guns
in turrets This caliber is an inch less
than the guns carried by the Oregon,
but by improved design they will DE al
most equal in penetrative power.
The S-inch guns of the Oregon type,
although they did very effective work
at Santiago and Manila have been
abandoned. But instead of eight S-inch
guns the new ships will have no less
than sixteen guns of 6-inch caIiber, all
rapid-firers and twenty 6-pounders.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08

employed to expert the alleged forged
document. The sum involved Is in the
neighbOrhOod of 0,000 which will be
Increased if any portion of the estate
of Emellion Fuller. who died before his
brother Alfred, should be included in
the estate of the latter.
What Fuller did with his will after
having made it or TO whom he entrust-
ed it is still a mystery. About a year
after his death, after all search had
been fruitless, the document was sent
by mail to II. CormaCk, a reputable
citizen of Butte County, who had been
one of Fuller's close friends. Mrs.
Houseworth, the beneficiary, obtained
the paper and offered it for probate.
During the preliminary probate pro-
Ceedings she swOre that COrmack had,
without legal right, retained the will in
his possession, and surrendered 1t only
on promise that he would receive
$1,000 This charge created big SEN
sation here and in Chico. Cormack de-
MED the charge and said he had moth
ing TO do with the paper further than
TO receive it and deliver it Immediately
to Mrs. HOusewOrth. The beneficiary
under the alleged will denied that un-
due influence had impelled Fuller to be-
oueath TO her his property and declared
that the only consideration was the
love he bore her; that they had been
we'll acquainted for a number Of years
and that the testator did not wish his
relatives to benefit by his thrift and
frugality.
The story of the will as told in Chico
is as follows:
Alfred Fuller was a very old man at
the time of his sudden death in Sep
tember, 1897. He was known as a
shrewd, suspicious and careful old
farmer-miner, sordid to a miserly de-
gree and a pronounced woman -hater.
He never said a kind word for the op-
posite sex and when it was announced
that he had executed a Photographic
will. bequeathing all his property to a
woman, his acquaintances were greatly
surprised and those who knew him best
shook their heads wisely and declared
the document should be treated with
suspicion. The old bachelors antipathy
to women was attributed to disap-
pointment in love when he was a young
fellow back in the States.
On his arrival in Northern California,
in 1852, Fuller went into the mines and
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
interest

interest
DR.. J. Ellis Rodley, a prominent ply
sician and Mayor of Chico, and J. NJ.
Garner, a WeH-known farmer, are the
witnesses. They swear that the de-
ceased on the Sd of August, 1897, came
to the office of DR.. ROdley with a docu-
ment which he said was his will and
that at his request they attached their
signatures thereto as witnesses. The
paper was dated June g, 1897, and DR..
RodIey added a supersCriptiOn reciting
the incident and the request of August
s. after which he and Garner affixed
their signatures.
Before signing the will DR.. ROdley
advised Fuller 10 go to an attorney and
have his Will properly drawn. Fuller
refused TO adopt the suggestion, saying
that a Fuller never had his viii drawn
but what he died a very short time
afterward." The testator requested the
witnesses to keep the fact of his having
made a viii a secret.
This incident in itself was not at all
strange. but in the light Of subsequent
developments the Fuller heirs are in
clined to look upon it with suspicion.
They do not accuse either DR.. ROdley
or Mr.. Garner of conspiracy, but they
cannot understand why the VIII was
not found for a year after the de-
-cedents death. Then the strange man
ner in which the document was found
and q sensational charge against the
man who delivered it to the devisee
add to the mystery.
Soon after Mr.. Fuller's death vigor-
Gus search was made for a Will. Mrs.
HOuseWOrth was most anxious TO find
it. as according 10 her testimony before
the probate judge Fuller had told her
he had made a viii giving all his prop
erty to her. She claimed Fuller was in
love with her for many years and only
the Interference Of his brother prevent
ed their marriage.
The Fuller heirs have engaged Knight
& Heggerty of San Francisco to con-
duct their contest and Mrs. House
worth is represented by Joseph D.
Sproul Theodore A. Kytka, the San
Francisco handwriting expert, has been
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
OYEA BUILDINGS
RAZED BY FLAMES
ConfIagratiOn Visits the
Alaskan Port.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

SEATTLE, March 7.-Dyea had It's
first big fire on the evening of March
l, resulting in the razing of five build
ings and contents and a loss Of over
S12, 900, with no insurance.
The fire started in the Palace Hotel,
in the extreme southern end of the
town. It originated in the room OF the
proprietor's wife. Mrs. McCue, while all
were at dinner. When discovered the
flames had made such headway that
they were beyond control ana soon the
entire building was ablaze.
Dyea has no fire apparatus and is de-
pendent solely on a bucket brigade.
This was quickly formed, 200 men
standing in double line 10 the river
close by Efforts were made TO save
adjoining buildings and a building on
the opposite side of the street. The
fire-1ghters failed on the first, but sue
ceeded on the last.
The Northern Hotel. adjoining the
Palace. was soon ablaZe and was tot
ally destroyed, and the Chilcoot stable
Of the ChilcoOt TTamway. adjoining
the Northern TO the south. also was de-
stroved. This stable was full Of
horses. but these and all the wagons
were saved, and the bare stable and
small quantity Of feed were DESTROYED
North of the Palace Hotel. where the
Gre originated. the Senate saloon and
the Courthouse fell victims TO the
flames. Several buildings on the oppo-
site side Of the street caught fire. but
we're saved. In one hours time the
fire had burned itself out. Very little
furniture was saved from any OF the
buildings destroyed
plainly visible in Skaguay, across the
@S,fy
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
This battery represents the deal pro-

This battery represents the ideal pro-
portion between guns, taught by the
experience of our own fleet during the
Spanish war and of the Chinese and
japanese vessels during their late war
The speed of the ships will be 18 knots,
an advance of two knots over the Ore
gon class, but just equal to that of the
new Maine. For protection against the
enemys shot the battleships will have
but one belt of armor seven feet six
inches broad, running clear around the
water line, three feet six inches above
and four feet below. It was originally
planned to have this armor sixteen
inches thick, but the designers have
now reduced the thickness to twelve
inches. This change was made in order
to strengthen the easements, which
Will be made seven and a half inches
thick instead of five inches.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
WILL PRAY FOR RAIN.
Los Angeles Methodists Designate a
Oay for Fasting.

LOS ANGELES, March THE Meth
odist ministers of Los Angeles and
vicinity will seek to learn why rain is
withheld from Southern California.
Wednesday of next week has been set
aside as a day of fasting. humiliation
and prayer. The committee that was
appointed by the Methodist Ministers
Association to draft resolutions on the
situation has reported. The chairman
said the situation in certain districts
was appalling. The committee decided
there was need of rain in the spiritual
as we'll as in the physical world. No
recommendation was made that the
churches pray for rain, but it was sug-
gested they pass a day in humiliation
and fasting, and ask God why he has
sent this drought and what he wishes
bis people to do.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
Bridge Contract Cancelled.

SANTA CRUZ. March THE Aptos
bridge scandal which has already re-
suited in the indictment of F. D. Elwell
of the Mcmahon Bridge Company by a
Grand Jury for the alleged altering of
the terms of a contract, was again taken
up by the county Supervisors to-day. The
board passed a resolution declaring that
inasmuch as the contract was altered ''at
the instigation of and with the consent
of a party entitled to some benefit un-
der said contract, TO wit: James a. Nc
Mahon.' the contract for the bridge be
Cancelled. The County Clerk was ordered
to notify McMahon of this action.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
WARNED TO LEAVE TOWN.
Slayer of a Merchant Not Wanted il
Everett

TACOMA, March Tt was reported to-
day that an attempt had been made at
Everett to lynch Editor ]. w. ConneIla,
who shot and killed Merchant Olsen at
Everett several months ago. AT his sub
sequent trial in Kitsap County on a
change of venue Connella was acquitted.
mass-meeting then held at Everett
passed resolutions requesting that Con-
nella should not return there. He an
nouced his intention to return when he
got ready. and went East TO visit rea-
tives. Upon his return, two days ago, he
was waited upon and asked TO leave town
He declined to go. 1t is reported tonight
from Everett that the feeling against
Connella remains strong there, though no
violence has been attempted.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08

dulged In, but neither Of the witnesses
enlightened the anxious public. DR..
Rodley told a half dozen people that
he had, at the deceased's request. wit
messed his last viii and that he also
had called John Garner into his office
to act In the same capacity. The doctor
did say that the beneficiary named was
a woman well known in Chico, but he
did not disclose her name.
Interest in the case began to flag and
had almost died out when one day last
August H Cormack, a well-known and
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
SAN FRANCISCO MAY
GET THE BIG FIGHT
Manager Brady Accepts the $4,000
Bid of California
Syndicate.

NEW YORK. March Dan Holland.
Who has been commissioned TO accept bids
for the observation-disclosures fight, said
to-day that william a. Brady, manager
Of Jeffries. had accepted the highest pld
so far received, that Of $4,000, oneTea by
Fitzsimmons nor Julian had been heard
from yet Holland has telegraphed the
champion and his manager at ChcaSo'
notifying them of Brady's acceptance.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
LIGHTNING HAS NO
TERRORS FOR HIM

NEW YORK March Joseph ape an empoye of the exing
ceed survived electric of about 1000 The
n
s
mi
o a
n
of
a a