davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
WHEN DIVORCES
BECOME FINAL
Supreme Court Establishes
Status of the Absolute
DEGREES Given i'm Error

Absolute divorces granted by certain
Superior Judges in the interim between
the passage of the interlocutory decree
law and the affirmation of its validity
by the Supreme Court are void accord
ing to an opinion signed by the seven
Justices of the States highest tribunal
yesterday. 1t is held, however, that
the absolute divorce shall be con-
sidered as an interlocutory decree and
the judgment may be made final on
application. The question was brought
before the Supreme Court on the pc
tition of James Grannis that Judge
Hunt be restrained from annuling his
previous judgment granting an abso-
lutte decree.
At the time the interlocutory divorce
law was passed, many legal experts
claimed the provision was invalid. In
accordance with this view, Judge Mel
vim of Oakland, Judge Rhodes of San
jose and other Superior Judges in diff
ferent parts of California granted alb
solute divorces as they had done under
the old law. When the case was
brought before the Supreme Court,
the Justices sustained the validity of
the measure. Several people who had
remarried on the strength of the abso-
lutte DEGREES illegally rendered found
themselves In an unfortunate predica-
ment.
In the Grannis case, the wife had
secured an absolute decree In July,
1903. In August, 1904, she asked that
the Judgment be set aside in view of
the Supreme Court decision upholding
the interlocutory law Judge Hunt
signified his intention of altering the
original order so as to make the 1903
decree interlocutory instead of final.
Grannis petitioned the Supreme Court
to restrain the Judge from taking any
, such action and requested that the
divorce be made final from the date of
entering the decree. The Justices saw
that the absolute decree was illegal
and therefore void but that Judge
Hunts subsequent order making II in
terlocutory was just.
After the Supreme Court had sus
, tanned the latter law, p. Claudius OF
Oakland petitioned Judge Melvin to
make an absolute decree in plaintiff,s q
case interlocutory from the time tbs
Judgment was rendered. Judge Melvin
! made the order interlocutory from the
time the Supreme Court had sustained
the law and Claudius appealed. n ia
ordered that his interloeutory decree
be dated from 1903 as he desires.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
WANT WEALTH
He SCATTERED
Son and Widow Deny Legal
ity of Will of Capt. Fletcher
Giving Estate to Strangers
TURNS AGAINST FAMILY
Old Mariner Meets Sweet
heart of Early Days and
Leaves Her Large Bequest
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
1016 Rroadway Feb. s.

Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
1915 Broadway, Feb. g.
To prove by letters, acts, and deeds
to property that her husband mad
loved her for thirty-three years, but
that at his death he left a large share
of his estate to another woman is the
history of days session in the trial
of an action brought by Mollte
Fletcher and her son Albert to have
the will of her late husband, Captain
Leroy Fletcher, set aside on the
ground that he was mentally unsound.
Fletcher was steamship captain
He Travelled up and down the coast
A year or two before his death he met
Mrs. Leveina Emerson of 245 Texas
street in San Francisco. The two had
known each other in their childhood
days in Maine, and a strange fancy
tt ok possession of the old salt He
then deserted his home for another's
and on the day he died left his own
home early in the morning and went
to that of Mrs. Emerson and died
there. He left an estate of about
100000 and bequeathed Mrs. Emerson
a legacy of $4,000 and an interest in a
ship. He disinherited his own son and
gave away all but half of his prop
erty to strangers.
The son has brought the action to
have the will set aside, alleging that
his father had had no less than eight
apoplectic strokes and that after the
first one a. noticeable change came
over him which grew more marked as
the succeeding ones occurred until ne
deserted his friends for strangers.
The case Is being heard before Judge
Ogden and jury.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
ENDEANORERS WILL INSTALL
NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS
Sixteenth Annual Convention of Ala
media County Union Will Be
Held NeXf Friday

OAKLAND, Feb. S.-The Christian
Endeavor Union of Alameda County
Will hold its sixteenth annual conven-
tion at the First Methodist Episcopal
Church on Friday, February 10. Two
sessions viii be held, the first begin
ming at $3.50 p. m. and the second at
7:15 p. m At $50 p. m. a
basket lunch viii be served
in the parlOrs of the church.
The programme of the afternoon ses-
sion includes a praise service led by
the junior chorus and addresses by
Miss Kate Ellsworth, z. A. Hugill, the
Rev. B. Dent Neylor and a number
of others.
The evening session viii open with
a testimony meeting conducted by DR..
.. 5. Deane. This will be followed by
a business meeting, after which the
officers elected for the present year
will be installed by the Rev. T. A.
Boyer.
The closing address will be deliv-
cred by the Rev. f. r. Ollie. The
other speakers at the evening session
will be w. n. Jenkins. the Rev. Mr..
Rathbone and J. Z. White.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
william Graves Takes His Life.

Southern Pacific Company's employ.
committed suicide last Tuesday night
by inhaling gas in a room at Central
avenue and California street The
only word left by the dead man was
this memorandum: To whom II may
concern: My name Is Graves. that's
ALL" A railroad official called at the
Morgue yesterday and identified the
dead man. He said Graves lived at
2437 Fifth street. West Berkeley. He
also said that he believed Graves had
been in trouble with the railroad
company. Graves had been living with
a woman named Amanda Tiernicci.
though he had a wife and four chill
dren, whom he had not lived with for
some time.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
.LAVISHES GOLD
ON SWEETHEART
Small Boy Steals Coin and
Has a Gay Time Until
the Police Catch Him

Henry Gardemeyer, 14-year- old
boy, who lives at 713 Polk street, is in
the City Prison accused of the theft of
$3.50 In coin from F. Kaiser, who con-
ducts a delicatessen store under the
Gardemeyer apartments. The lad con-
fesses that he took part of the money.
The sum of $1O7 was recovered, $50 of
which was in the possession of his
sweetheart, one year his junior.
In accounting for the missing balance
Gardemeyer tells a tale of buggy rides,
expensive suppers, theater parties, can
dy and ice cream sodas. His sweet
heart, Daisy Magnin of IL Willow ave-
nue, to whom he intrusted the sack of
gold soon after he had stolen it and
who supplied him with funds on de-
mand, is also accused by him of having
appropriated a large sum to her own
use and of having made no account
Of 1t.
Gardemeyer was formerly employed
by Kaiser, but quit his position about
returned TO this city on January 20 and
four days later came in possession of
the gold which he knew was kept be-
hind the cash register.
When he abandoned hope of return
ing the money he resolved that his
sweetheart and he should live the life
of the merry as long as the wealth held
out. Buggy rides to the cliff occurred
daily and theater parties were arranged
as evening diversion. Gardemeyer was
not shabby in his arrangement of mat
ters, and a box was always provided
for the party, as well as sumptuous
supper afterward. Meantime the sack
grew smaller, and one day when some
thing over 800 had disappeared, of
which he had no knowledge and for
which he did not ask, he took the Gus
todian to task and asked for an ex-
PLANTATION, and she could give none.
During these days of revelry Detec-
tives Dinan and Wren were at work on
the case and had no difficulty in trac-
ing the theft to the youth. They learned
of his lavish use of, coin, anu last night
confronted him at his home with the
evidence they had. Gardemeyer broke
down and confessed. The boy has not
been charged yet, but the detectives
will make arrangements by which he
shall appear to answer before the juve-
nile court.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
FRANCO-TURKISH RUPTURE
DUE TO GERMAN THRIFT
Berlin Financiers in Complete Pos
session of Ottoman Empires
Financial Field.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Feb. Seer
many's victory in capturing the con-
tract for the rearmament of the Turk
ish artillery threatens to result in a
serious disturbance of Franco Turkish
political relations. French Embsssador
Constans proposes to leave Constanti-
nople soon for Paris to consult with
Foreign Minister Delcasse. Meanwhile
the ambassador has informed the
Turkish Government that the French
market is closed to any fresh Turkish
loan.
Tewfik Pasha, the Turkish Foreign
Minister, tried to compromise by offer
ing to settle the Syrian Railway ques-
ton in manner satisfactory to the
French claimants and to purchase mil
itary equipment to the value of $780,
600 in France. The ambassador, how
ever, demanded the expenditure Of
$6,0O0,00O, being one-third of the value
OF the new armament, with French
gun factories and the complete satisfac-
ton of the French demands regarding
the railroads. These terms the EN-
bassador declared to be final, and, not
having received a reply on February g.,
he informed the Turkish Government
that he refused to continue the nego-
tiatfons, adding that the French mar
ket was closed to further Turkish
loans.
AS result Of this notification the
ottoman Bank withdrew its proposals
for the projected loan. The Deutsche
Bank then came to the Porte's aid with
an offer to assist the treasury. The
Germans are thus for the moment in
complete possession of the financial
field, and an trade has already been
promulgated ordering the purchase of
all the new guns in German factories,
but 1t has been decided only to rearm
sixty batteries at present, instead of
142, as originally proposed
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
RPRISE HIM
WITH CHARGES
Superintendent Of Schools
Answers Letters He Has
Received From Citizens
WATERWAYS FIGURES
Gives Account of Money Used
in Construction of the New
Carnegie Library Building
Berkeley Office San Francisco Can,

214S Center street, Feb. s.
Distressed and surprised because of
the receipt of letters charging that
there was graft" in connection with
the construction of the $4,000 Carnegie
Library here, Superintendent of
Schools S. D. Waterman, who is also
president of the board of library trus-
tees, to-day issued an "open letter to
the people of Berkeley" giving a de-
tailed account Of the expenditures in
connection with the building.
Mr.. Waterman has a letter signed
Charles Miller" In which the writer
says that he and many of his friends
will oppose the issuance Of school
bonds in the sum of s150,000, as pro-
posed by the School Department, un-
less he is assured that the money will
be in other hands than those which
built the Carnegie Library. The writer
asserts that every contractor or citi-
zen knows that the library could easily
have been constructed for $50, 900, in
stead OF the $4,000 that was expended. 4"
superintendent Waterman's reply to
this is in part as follows:
TO THE PEOPLE OF BERKELEY:
In accordance with a promise made at the
opening of the new Library building, and in
justice to the public, who are entitled to know
about the manner in which their servants per-
form their duties the following statement as
TO the erection of the building is made:
On November 3, 1903. bids were received by
the Board of Library Trustees for the erection
of the building according to the plans of Mr.
John Galen Howard, which had already been
adopted
The architect was authorized to consult with
the lowest bidder to if the price could be
reduced to $35 000 On November 10 the archi-
tect reported that he and Mr.. Greig had
changed the specifications, substituting brick
for terra Gotta and stone. to make re-
duction of $3005 finished in pine, leaving the
figures at S33, 9S5. Afterward at the same
meeting 1t was decided to have the wood finish
In the main rooms of the second story and the
main hallway on the first floor done in oak
AT meeting held on November % the presi-
dent and secretary were authorized to sogn
the contract with Mr.. Greig for the construc-
ton of the building exact figures
were agreed upon by Mr. Greig and the archi-
tect.
On November 2s, 1903, the contract was
signed for the erection of the building at
cost of S34, ,S34. The books are open for inves-
tigation.
The library trustees, besides Mr..
Waterman, are A. w. Major, president
of the First National Bank of Berke-
ley; Professor Leon ]. Richardson of
the Latin department of the University
of California; Charles Sleeper and
Charles P. Henry. None seem to know
who Charles Miller" is who writes to
superintendent Waterman.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
NEW ORDER WILL CHANGE
APPEARANCE OF PRESIDIO
Temporary Camp of Weather-Beaten
Tents to Be Removed From
LOmbard-Street Gate.

The line of weather-beaten tents
near the Lombard-street gate at the
Presidio, which added a picturesque
appearance to the entrance to the
reservation, will soon be a thing Of
the past. Colonel Morris, command
ing the Presidio. has ordered their
removal The tents served as a tenn
porary camp for passing regiments
during the late war. The departure
of the Twenty-first Infantry leaves
their permanent buildings vacant and
these will be occupied by troops tenn
porarily stationed at the Preside.
The army transport Dix arrived on
the 9TH at Honolulu homeward bound
from the Philippines. The Sherman
is due at Honolulu to-day and car
ries the Twenty-first Infantry to the
Philippines. The transport Logan has
left Honolulu and Is rapidly nearing
this port. She is due to arrive on the
11th.
Captain r. S. woodson of the med
ical department, with station at Fort
Mcdowell, is staying at the Califor-
MIA Hotel and registered at army
headquarters yesterday.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
Wife Would Danish Club
man, Stating That Popping
Corks Spoil His Temper
IS HER SECOND ACTION
The Troubles of George E.
Lawrence Reach a Climax
and He Must Make Defense
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
1n16 BROAD dWaY Feb. &.

1915 Broadway, Feb. 8.
Despairing of being able to live with
her husband, Mrs. Laura I. Lawrence
began a second action of divorce
against George e. Lawrence, clubman
and bon vivant, to-day. Their troubles
have gained publicity on a number OF
occasions owing to the fact that his
life, she AYERS, Is accompanied by the
popping of many corks, in conse-
quence of which he arrives at home In
the small hours in an intoxicated con-
dition- When home, his wife alleges,
II things do not go to suit him he
makes a wreck of the establishment.
Lawrence is reputed to be worth
$3.50, 600 and has monthly income
OF $500 which keeps him busy spend
ing it. Twice his wife has had to re-
sort to the police to restrain him.
Last July she began an action for di-
Vorce, which she afterward dismissed,
their troubles having been patched up.
They were married at Napa in 1903
and have one child and have pretty
home at 1866 Piedmont avenue.
A final decree of divorce was
granted Charles P. Reed to-day from
Winifred A. Reed on the ground of
desertion. Anna M. Mitchell has filed
an amended cross-complaint to the
divorce action brought by w. A.
Mitchell, a travelling salesman, and
eliminated all her charges of more
serious nature than desertion.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
"HAYFOOT, STRAWFOOT'
ORDER is RESCINDED
Captain Nance Relents and the Digni-
fed Seniors Feel Greatly
Relieved

BERKELEY, Feb. 8.-Captain ]. T.
Nance to-day revoked the order re-
quiring seniors to march in military
formation into classrooms for instruc-
ton in the theory and practice of mill
tary science. This was the order
whose PRONUNCIATION two months ago
when Captain Nance took charge of
that department of the university
caused a wild tumult on the campus,
followed by summary disciplining of
several riotous students. Hereafter
the dignified seniors will be permitted
to enter the department of military
science in their own way and will be
absolved from what they have termed
the childish method of ''hayfoot,
strawfoot" to sit at the feet of Captain
Nance in his calculations of the mys-
teries of right face and left face and
the reasons therefore. Captain Nance
has not given an explanation for the
resembling of the order. He has fol-
lowed strict military custom and rule
in that regard
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
LAWYERS IN UISUROE
CASE COME TO BLOWS
Judge Boone and V II. Shaw Clash
in Gay Proceedings i'm San
Diego.

SAN DIEGO, Feb. S.-Lawyers in
the Gay divorce case, which has been
much in the public eye for some time
past; came to blows last evening over
the service of some papers in the case.
The action has been bitterly fought
and the attorneys have not been on
speaking terms.
Last evening Judge l.. l.. Boone, at
toTney for Gay, asked v. z. Shaw to
accept service of a bill of exceptions
On one of the issues of the case and.
on being refused. intimated that the
other lacked the instincts of a gentle-
man. Blows followed but before seri-
Gus injury could be done the two were
separated Their differences were
made up this afternoon and each ex-
pressed regret that the trouble had
occurred.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
Pay for Alameda,s water

Hermann Schussler. chief engineer
OF the Spring valley Water Works, re-
sumed ms testimony yesterday morn
ing before United States Commission
er Heacock and gave list of the per-
sons and interpretations outside of tba
city and county of San Francisco to
whom the company is compelled to
denver water by contract. This in
cluoes large number of persons in
Alameda and San Mateo counties. re-
ce1ving all Sne way from 500 gallons
day to 100000 gallons a day. The
operating expenses of the plant from
which this water is supplied are paid
by the consumers in this city
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
CLAREMONT COUNTRY CLUB
MAKES SEVERAL INNOVATIONS
Bylaws Are Amended With View
to Increasing the Membership
of Organization.

OAKLAND, Feb. S.-The directors
Of the Claremont Country Club have
decided to adopt innovations in the
management of the club. the purpose
of which is to increase the member
ship of the organization and insure a
larger attendance at the social func-
tions given by it. The bylaws relat-
ing to fees and dues have been
amended SO that now the entrance fee
of 500 paid by the head of family
extends the privileges of the club to
all the members of his family of des-
ignated ages.
The monthly dues are as follows:
For the head of a family, So; for men,
So; for women, 81 so; for a family of
more than two persons, $40. The en-
trance fees and dues of members Of
the faculty of Berkeley and Stanford
universities will be one-half. the reg
ular fee, and no entrance fees will be
required of army and navy officers
and attaches of foreign embassies.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
COLLEGE GLEE CLUB MEN
DID NOT GO FLIRTING
Mills College President Gives Uni
versity Boys Clean Bill of
Health.

BERKELEY, Feb. s.-Strenuous
denial is made by the glee club men
of the university to-day of the edi-
torial charges by j. P. Loeb in the
Californian that they misbehaved, by
flirting with the girls of Mills College,
during the concert there last Friday
night, and their denial is backed up
by an official statement from Mrs.
Mills, head of the girls seminary, who
is exercised over the matter.
Mrs. Mills has written a letter to
Stuart Hawley, manager of the glee
club. in which she says the criticisms
of the singers acts while at her college
are unfair and unfounded. She denies
that her girls were the subjects OF
firtatious attacks by the college visi-
tors within her gates, and gives the
young collegians clean bill of health,
as gentlemen and concert singers.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
History Making TroweI.

OAKLAND. Feb. S.-Frank K. Mott
has presented TO the Merchants Ex-
change the trowel that was used in
placing the Oakland stone in the SIoat
Monument at Monterey. Mr.. Mott was
one Of the committee interested in the
placing of the stone and secured the
trowel, which is of sterling silver. Mr..
Mott has had the instrument engraved
as follows: ''Trowel used in laying the
Oakland stone in the Sloat Monument,
September IL, 1904. Presented by
Frank K. Mott, Master of Live Oak
Lodge No. 81, F. and A. M"
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
Basket Work of Indians.

BERKELEY, Feb. s.-An exhaus-
tive discussion OF the art of basket
making by the Indians Of Northern
California is contained in a bulletin on
the subject, just issued by A. L. Kroe-
Der, executive officer for the anthropo-
logical department of the University
of California. Mr.. Kroeber, after re-
ferring to the names the Indians give
10 their designs on baskets, declares
his belief that none Of the designs or
rames are intended to be symbolistic,
like the work of some Indian tribes Of
the Southwest
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
TEN THOUSAND POUNDS
OF DYNAMITE EXPLODES
Many Miners Killed or Manned and
Men Miles Distant Knocked

CALUMET, Mich. Feb. s.-Ten
thousand pounds of dynamite stored
underground in a magazine at the
eighth level. No. 8 shaft of the North
Kearsarge branch of the Osceola Con-
solidated mine. exploded to-day kill
ing at least three men and injuring
many others. The impact was felt
for miles around. and men working
in other portions of the mine some
miles from the explosion were
knocked down. The cause. of the
disaster may never be known, as
William Pollitt Jr.. the man who was
in charge of the powder, was blown
into thousands of pieces, no trace of
him having been found.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
SUBTLEST OF POISONS
FOR WIVES OF HOCH
Chicago Physician Believes Curare
Was Placed Upon Their
Wedding Rings.

CHICAGO, Feb. 8.-Curare, the
most subtle and deadly poison
known to modern science, is believed
by DR.. Joseph Springer. formerly
Coroner's physician, to have caused
the death of Johan Hoch's wives. DIR.
Springer is convinced the fatal drug
was administered by means of en-
gagement or wedding rings. He said
to-day:
BY turning the inner edge of the ring, OF
making it rough or sharp, in any manner
applying the curare on the rough edge and
then slipping the ring on the finger SO as tc
cause the slightest abrasion Of the skin death
would follow
1t would only be necessary for the slightest
quantity of the poison to reach the blood
Ore-sixtieth of a grain of curare Is fatal.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
JOHN l.. SULLIVAN MAY
OPEN SALOON IN PORTLAND
Pugilist Writes to the Chief of Po-
lice in Regard to the
license

PORTLAND, Feb. s.-Chief of Police
Hunt tonight received a telegram from
John l.. Sullivan inquiring what the
chances were for the expuglilist to OBJ
tain license to run a saloon in Port
land. The Chief and Sullivan are old
friends and the former will use his in
fluence 10 have the license granted.
The supposition is that Sullivan
wishes to have saloon here during the
fair If Sullivan comes he will bring
with him the famous $4,000 jeweled
belt to hang behind the bar. The sport
ing fraternity here considers this the
greatest honor the town has ever re-
ceived.
The San Francisco call., 1905-02-09
YOUNG MOTHER BORROWS BOY
And KEEPS HIM.
Parent Hunts Son
MARSHAL OF BERKELEY IS ASKED TO
HELP FIND THE MISSING LAD.

Dear Sir: Is there any in your town
or about there a by the name of H.
Weise? Last June woman giving the above
name called at the Youths Directory in San
Francisco for a boy for the vacation. Since
then / have never heard from my boy, who
was allowed to go out with her
His name Is Terence Fields, IL n years DID,
fair complexion light hair and eyes; OF stout
build: good sized for his age. He has scar
on his forehead; quiet in manner and back
ward in actions Please let me know Il you
hear OF any such party. She carried a baby
in her arms and was young Very respectfully
yours, MRS MARY FIELDS.
Marshal Kerns is unable to find any
trace either of g Mrs. Weise or the
youthful son of Mrs. Mary Fields and
has written accordingly to the mother
in Yolo County.