The Savannah morning news., 1900-10-27
MAY BE HEIR TO MILLIONS.
SAVANNAH FAMILY MAY PROVE IN
TITLED TO CALIFORNIA FORTT Ne.

~ ANNAAA Y - VIII mAN N-NNN = AaN@
TITLED TO CALIFORNIA FORTUNE.
Children Of the Late Edward NJ.
Purse and Their ncIieved RE-
Iationship 20 banker Murphy. OF
California, who Died Interstate.
Leaving MiiIi0ns-Mrs. Purse Was
the Daughter of one 81 Three
brothers. Named Murphy, Who
Came 10 savannah From ireland.
Two of Them Lived aud Died IA
Savannah. While the Third went
West 90 seek aud FIND His Fort
une.
There's a fortune o. several million dol
lars out iu California. a. yet unclaimed
hy anyone able Co establish clear utlc.
Which may 30 enc rshJtui property Of
weI-knoRn Savannah people. These pos
slbie favorites Of Fortune are the chile
drcn OF the late Edward 81 Purse. And
thereby hangs a tale.
Along about the year isis there came 90
Amerila from ireland three brothers. by
the name OF Murphy. VINO ali settled ln
Savannah. Two OF them made thia ciD
their permanent home. but the third. In
fected with the gold fever o. -. started
across the continent and settled To- CALI
forn.a. For time there came occasional
letters from him, gtiug accounts Of sca-
sons OF alternate good and bad luck. ANA
then the letters ceased.
In the years that had passed one OF
the brothers remaining ga Savannah had
married and had several children. but just
before The outbreak OF the civil War both
he and his brother died one - bis dnugd-
ters married "a prominent ftockman %
those days. MI Foreman and after DTS
death married Mt Edward 81 Purse MT
Purse lcft several children. among them
Mr. Frank T.. Purse VINO are stan resi-
dents az Savannah. Another daughter OF
shat one OF The three brothers who mar
ried. a sister OF Mr- Purse IS now rose
sdent OF Brooklyn v This is Miss joe
hanna Murphy. who has interested herself
greatly in the Identification Of the Cali
aoruia millionaire. who dted several years
ago. with her uncle who left Savannah Zoo
80
For IN this prospect of positive identi-
nratiou lies the hope Of the fortune. the
ar Murphy who wcns io california is
believed Co be the millionaire. and taera
are indications. though as vet no positive
proof thal this is ~" fact Tine Gale
fornian died thc president Of q bank ana
leaving property of various kudr Hsere-
eating ln value several millions eff doi-
lars. His given name Was the same as
thas % the Murphy. who lived Tor q
time ln Savannah aud ia other respects
tie descrl ptious tally.
Miss johanna Murphy Of Brooklyn. has
spent some time Ten California invesueat-
ing the case. and has become firmly con-
WINGED Of tho validity Of her claim. and
HhIf "a hss
she ee'ate. The estate s. now CO. the hands
Of the probate court. awaiting a claim
ant, who can prove his fitie clear
beeouAe OF the early death 81 tho
brothers who continued 10 live in sayau-
nah there was long cessation 81 cor
TeFpoudcnce between their surpfNf. u
brother in California. ANA tbcI- families
here Living boz a far-distaut state. eur
rounded hy changed and new condition.
absorbed IN the successful pursuit q
wealth and interested IN dozen vora-
tons. 30 ls easy o. understand how they
grew out Of his NE Il may have been.
even, that he did not know that either OF
his brothers left any children or that he
had any relatives IN this country
For an u these reasons IL has been
found difficult 10 supply the missing links
IN the chain % evidence. but tho EFFORT has
not been at an reliuquish.d SHrtin.
ssith a moral certainty og tho iu4fic. and
legality 81 their claim. Miss Murphy and
Miss Purse. the latter 81 Savannah. nr.
continuing the search for the MISSING
Facts so establish the identity OF tn.
California mulu-milll onairc with the uncle
OF ono and the grand uncle - the other.
II has been only a few years since the
Californians death ami the effort while
So Is difficult ought not 10 prove impo.si-
hle. some Of his friends in san Francisco
must be living and Co some OF them he
must have told the story or hts Cmlsnn-
zion from Ireland and hts coming 90
America lie must have recalled stories Of
his early lie. in which hts brothers nr-
ured, and h. must have mentioned thai
these brothers lived ana died In Savannah
Could these old friends OF his but be found
the claim could easily be- proved