The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-06
NOTHING LEFT WHEN BEST DIED
His Sons Say Woods Carried OF Ills
Effects.

The sons Of William j Best, who died at
San Rafael, Cal, on April 8, are seeking to
recover some OF his belongings which they
accuse j. d. Woods, at whose house Best
died. of carrying away. W. ]. Best was
once New Yorker, held several fat receiv-
erships in the 10 and Sos and in 1882 was
the subject of investigation by legislative
committee in the matter of his fees as re-
ceiver Of the National Trust Company.
Lately he had been a mining company pro-
moter with headquarters in Denver Ac-
oording to his son Alfred NJ, who is in bust
ness in this city. he fell in with Woods on a
trip to San Francisco. Woods pretended
to be millionaire living at San Rafael for
his health. and invited Best to visit him
there.
Best, according to his sons, went to San
Rafael. arriving on March 23. Woods
talked of investing $3.50, 900 in one OF Best =
mining companies, but being temporarily
short of money wanted Best to pay his
expenses TO come East TO get his capital
Best on March 81 drew from the Wells
Fargo Bank at San Rafael $500 that had been
sent to him by his associates In Denver.
Beet was taken i'll next day and died on April
from apople1y. according to the death
certificate. 1t is not disputed that he died
natural death. Alfred NJ. Best "a id yes
terday:
Woods wrote us, saying that he had
engaged for my father the hest doctor
and trained nurse in the place, and tina; he
had done everything he could. He sent
us bill for a lot Of things, including $50
for the trained nurse and said that my
father had only $40. NV brother William.
from Seattle aft.rward went to San Rafael
intending to get my fathers things. Woods
said that my father had left everything in
San Francisco and had been going there
every day. which We found was untrue.
The doctor WHO was called said that he had
only seen my father once, at the beginning
of his attack, and had then been called sim
ply in consuitation by Woods, who passed
as a doctor. We also learned that there had
been no trained nurse
about this time a wealthy ranch owner
named Hickmott, whose daughter was
engaged to marry Woods, found out that
Woods was not millionaire from the East
az he had pretended, and the engagement
was broken. The papers In San Francisco
got on to the sham and Woods suddenly
left
The next thing We got letter dated
at Chicago from n woman who had passed
at San Rafael as Woods's sister, saying that
Woods had died and asking. US 20 settle
the bill he had presented. We found she
had gone from there 70 Phillipsburg, y. j.,
and and my brother went there and found
DOtn neI ana "OOuN Ht tiF' HOtSt VI a Idll-
road brakeman. said to be the woman's
father. They insisted that they had not
seen my father have any money and that
he had left no effects. While we were
debating what 10 do they went to Atlantic
City, from which place We go' a letter from
the woman enclosing an alleged promissory
note for 81 900, dated last December and
purporting to have been signed by my
father. It Nss for money she said, they
had lent him. The signature was not my
fathers.
when We got this my brother went to
Atlantic City, where on June II we found
the pair living in n small hotel. We showed
the letters and their contradictory state
ments to a Justice and got search war
rant In their room we found a lot of my
fathers personal effects, Including an ALI
gator bag. Woods was arrested. but after
considering the matter for three days the
Justice said he had no jurisdiction.
All this. Alfred NJ Best says, has been put
into affidavits and sent to Hickmott in Cali
fornia who will lay il before the authorities
there.
ATLANTIC CITY. y. j.. July 5..The police
and Justice DeHart know nothing Of John
D. Woods