Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-12
Wants Widows Share
of Estate
Will Fight Heirs for Vast
Holdings
Woman Claims She Lived Twenty
Years as Wife of Lord Beresford,
Who Left a Million
Dollars
Special to The Herald.


NEW YORK, Jan. ia cablegram
from London to the New York World
says: Lord Charles Beresford and
Lord Marcus Beresford will soon leave
for the United States to take over and
realize the estate of their brother, Lord
Delaval, who was killed in railroad
wreck in North Dakota.
The estate. roughly estimated at
$1,OOO,0OO, was left by Lord Delaval to
be divided equally between them and
the son of the late Lord William Beres-
ford, another brother, who was the hus-
band of Lily, duchess of Marlborough.
A telegram from Ell Paso. Texas, says
that Flora Wolf the mulatto woman
who declares she was The wife of Lord
Delaval Beresford, and who was left
$4,000 by him in his will, announces
her intention of contesting the will of
the wealthy Englishman. She Is at
present staying in rooming house in
the southern part of this city.
Woman Tells Story
"For twenty years. she said today,
al lived with Lord Beresford as his
wife. All over the state of Chihuahua,
IN Mexico. l was known as Mrs Beres-
ford and Lady Beresford. We lived
as man and wife and he never denied 1T.
Now propose to have widows share
of his estate.
'I met Lord Beresford in Chihuahua
about twenty-five years ago. 1 was
then working at the home of the Amer
lean consul in that city. went there
with a relative of Governor Anthony or
Kansas and when offered position
decided to stay there. Lord Beresford
came to chihuahua after he had in
vested in some Mexican ranch proper
ties. He was about 90 years old and 1
was 10. We met there, liked each other
and decided to. live together.
"There was no legal marriage, as we
did not consider 1t necessary. We first
went to the Santo Domingo ranch, near
Ahumada, where we lived for some
time Then we moved to another ranch
up in the mountains and finally we
moved to the Ojitos ranch, where we
STAYED for q number of years. We
have been so long together that / do
not remember the exact number. We
often came to FL Paso together and
bought goods around town. having
them charged to Lord Beresford. What
I bought was as much for him as for
myself. He told people here I was his
wife and we lived together and recog-
nized each other as husband and wife,
as other people do.
Intended to Marry
"About three months ago he left to
go to Canada to sell a farm there.
When he returned it was our intention
to be legally married in Mexico. Just
before he went away he said to me
he thought that 1t would be better If
this were done.
"I knew how the will that has been
found was made out, but Lord Beres-
ford had promised me that he would
make another one leaving the greater
part of the estate to me. I think that
will of that kind will eventually be
discovered. But if it is not found
have no fear as to the result.
"Under the Mexican laws we were
man and wife, and I will ask for my
part of the property. / do not propose
to work for a lifetime and get nothing
for it. Even though l am negro. l was
his wife. / am glad that we lived in
Mexico and that / will have the pro-
lection of the Mexican laws, for know
that a person with dark skin does not
get much justice in Texas
81 will leave in a few days and re-
turn to the ranch. All the household
goods there are mine. I have in addi-
tion in my own name some property
and cattle in Casas Grandes, and I will
L a
lawyer in Juarez whom I will engage
to work for me in the case and ] will
live on the ranch until Lord Beres-
ford's brother comes over from Eng
land"
During the years that she lived with
Peresford in Mexico the woman says
that Beresford returned to England
several times, his last trip being made
three years ago. He carried on cor
respondence with his brothers, but
heard more frequently from Marcus.
The other brother Lord Charles, ad-
miral of the British navy did not write
so often because of being away on long
cruises.
The Wolf woman is now past 40
She bears traces of former beauty. She
has a fair education and speaks Span
ish as well as English huently. Accord
ing her estimate the Beresford es-
tate Is worth over 81 000 900. She says
BeresfOrd was ga pOod man -