The San Francisco call., 1904-10-23
FORCER'S DEED
MAKES TROUBLE
Berkeley Land Taken From
Owner in San Francisco
Without His knowledge
Berkeley Office San Francisco Call.
214S Center Street. Oct. %.

214S Center Street, Oct. %.
Coming to Berkeley to pay his taxes
on Dwight way property, transferred
to him by his father many years ago.
James Irvine, a San Francisco capi-
talist, made the astonishing discovery
that he had no property in this city,
and that valuable land which he sup
posed he owned had been sold,
through the medium of a forged deed,
to Milton Shepardson of San Francis
co. The swindle was perpetrated
year ago, and on the land which lr-
vine thought he owned Shepardson
has erected three fine houses.
Irvine was informed by the town
authorities that, despite his desire to
pay taxes in Berkeley, no land in the
university town stood in his name.
Then Irvine, amazed and indignant,
walked to Dwight way. near Tele-
graph avenue, and there rubbed his
eyes as he beheld the three new
houses that stood on land he had
owned for many years.
Inquiries made by him developed
that E. j. Stewart, a real estate dealer
of Oakland, sold the lots to Shepard
son year ago for a stranger. rep
resenting himself to be James Irvine
of San Francisco. Stewart tells OF
meeting the false Irvine, whom he
supposed to be the real owner Of the
Berkeley land, and of selling the lots
TO Shepardson for $4,000, a price be-
low their value, the land being now
estimated as worth $4,000. The
stranger gave his address as Stoneville.
Phillips County, Miss. He received
$500 of Shepardson's money, through
Stewart, and left the country. The
deed to Shepardson was recorded on
November 2, 1908. Mr.. Stewart said:
In October. 1903, a man claiming
to be James Irvine came to me, rep
resenting that he owned property in
Berkeley. He said he had purchased
it twenty-five years ago, was tired OF
paying taxes, and wished to dispose
of ii before he returned East. He de-
scribed the property as a lot on
Dwight way, $50 feet front by 800 feet
IN depth, $50 feet east of Telegraph
avenue. He said that he would ac-
cept $4500 cash for the property. 1
secured a purchaser and paid de-
posit on the property. Irvine at once
made out a deed, which was placed
in the First National Bank Of this
city to be delivered upon payment Of
the balance due.
Il ordered a search Of the property
made and found that it was owned by
James Irvine and that the conditions
were all as he had stated regarding
the time of the previous transfer.
II sold the property to Milton Shep-
ardson, a San Francisco attorney, and
on account of my receiving no COM
mission for the transaction it was
agreed that 1 should have an interest
in the profits of the property. Mr..
Shepardson has since built three
houses on the land, mortgaging the
three lots on which they stand to
raise the money for their construction.
THE real James Irvine has told me
that he does not wish the holders of
these mortgages to lose anything;
hence he will pay reasonable amount
for the Improvements in order to
clear the title to the property. Mr..
Irvine says that he does not hold
either Mr.. Shepardson or myself re-
sponsible for the swindle, as we were
both victims of a clever bunko man.
1.-The bogus Irvine was a man about
So years old, rather short and heavy
set, with a heavy dark mustache. He
was we'll dressed and had the appear
ance of a man of wealth and refine