davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05

That would never. never do; II was
not to be permitted; IL would have de-
stroyed the illusion which the scene
shifters created. So Durso got a front
seat He seemed desperate, and IL was
not safe for the fair Adaberto to sing
in the opera of Lucia" while he was
in the front row. The mad song of
Lucia, it was feared, might have con-
tagious influence on Durso. So Noce-
rino used strategy. He found a police
man in the very plain clothes called
the new uniform and sent him to oc-
cupy the seat next TO Durso. The po-
liceman took off his star and therefore
looked peaceful and docile. The music
Of Faust" did not distract the plain
clothed man from his duty of watching
Durso, and when the seNtet had I'm
ished he took the lovelorn Durso into
a back lot and found a cruel revolver
on him. Durso was arrested for carry
ing a concealed weapon.
Durso was the next witness He.
too. was an impresario; he conducted
1 a place OF dramatic amusement and re-
fined vaudeville on Broadway. and he
lived on Lombard street. On dark
nights he carried much money from
his theater to his domicile Yes that
was why he carried a weapon. He had
not meant to shoot Adaberto He and
she were good friends.
Fifty dollars for troubling the
court; get the press agent to pay it for
you" said Judge Cabaniss But the
press agent had gone.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
FINANCE PLANS OF
PHONE MERGER

The terms of the merging of the
Pacific States Telephone and Telegraph
Company and the Sunset Telephone
and Telegraph Company have been
given out by n. w. Halsey & CO., the
banking firm to which has been in
trusted the handling Of the s35. O0o. 900
Of bonds that will be issued by the new
corporation, the Pacific Telephone and
Telegraph Company.
To provide for present requirements
bonds to the amount of $4,000. 600 will
be sold at once. The proceeds will be
used for the reconstruction and extern
sion of the systems in San Francisco.
Oakland, Los Angeles, Seattle. Port
land, Tacoma, Spokane, San Diego, San
ia Barbara, Riverside. Bakersfield
Pasadena, Fresno. Stockton, Sacra-
mento Eureka, Walla walIa, Everett.
Bellingham, Baker City. Reno, San Jose
and IN siXty-two smaller places. The
terms on which subscriptions for the
bonds will be taken by Halsey & Co.
are Slo2.50 and accrued interest. the
subscription to be open up to and in
cluding January 2I
The trust deed provides that of the
remaining s25.O00.0O0 of bonds $50. ooo. :
eVV SHAH be issuable only to cover act
ual expenditures on plant and improve
ments. The amount issued must at no
cent OF such expenditures, nor can the
bonds be issued TO provide for repairs
TO the plant or to the property. The
residue of s3,000.000 is reserved to pro-
vide for the redemption of the entire
bond issue Of the Sunset Telephone and
Telegraph Company.
OF the capital stock. amounting 70
$50,000o00 ii is proposed to issue at
the present time $4,000. 600 of common
stock and S18,000.0O0 of preferred stoclx
Of which s17, ,000.0 600 common and s17
100000 preferred will be given In ex-
change for the outstanding stock Of
the Pacific States Telephone and Tele-
graph Company. Preferred stock to
the amount of 100000 will be issued
for additional working capital. The
amount OF $4,000. 900 preferred stock
VIII remain unissued in the company's S
treasury. The total OF cash invested
in the properties Of the new company
including the proceeds Of the sale OF
the SlO,oO0.000 in bonds and deducting
fire loss of sl,5O0,oo0. is placed at
$3S,796,O0O.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
JUDGE DE HAVEN TO CALL
NEW FEDERAL GRAND JURY
One Man Being Wrongly Directed Goes
10 the Synagogue I'm Quest of
the District Court

OF the seventy-five citizens sum-
moned by United States District Judge
de- Haven to appear in court yesterday
to be examined as to their qualifica-
tions to serve as United States grand
jurors forty-four put in an appearance.
OF these. twenty were excused, leaving
twenty-four available. A venire was
issued for an additional fifteen tales
men to report on Monday, and out of
the thirty nine the jury of Twenty-Five
members will be selected.
One citizen, who lives in Oakland,
came late and excused himself by the
statement that when he inquired of
Customs Collector Stratton on the fer
ry-boat where the United States Dis
trict Court was situated he was di-
rected to go to the synagogue on the
California street hill. He went to the
synagogue and there IearnsN OF the err
ror he had made.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
Mayor Trailed Abroad
by Son Of Burns
Young Detectives
Suit Case Tells
the Tale

A suit case plastered with multi-col-
ored pastors from European hotels has
told, mute tale of the travels of
Mayor Schmitz. and has served to iden-
tify the man who followed him in the
interest of the graft prosecutors. The
trip through Europe in the wake of the
Mayor was made by George E. Burns.
the son of Special Agent William j.
Burns. That young Burns was ever at
the heels of the absent executive is
attested by the decorations on his
leather grip. They begin with Liver
pool. run on to London, Paris, Berlin,
and finally wind up in New York.
George Burns has not been long IN
the service, but he has inherited all the
qualities that go to make up a first
class detective. Burns followed every
movement of Schmitz from the time he
left New York for Europe until he re-
turned to San Francisco. The young
sleuth can supply the Mayor with a
complete diary of his journeyings. He
can tell him where he breakfasted,
lunched and dined and where he spent
each night
When the Mayor announced that he
was going to Europe the graft iflvesti-
gators had not made public their plans
to prosecute him. While it was thought
that the Mayor intended to absent him
self from San Francisco Indefinitely, it
was deemed advisable to have an agent
near him so that he could be produced
in San Francisco as soon as he was
wanted.
Cables in code kept Heney informed
of the wanderings of the Mayor. and at
no time was the local prosecution In
ignorance of his whereabouts. Schmitz
was at no time aware that he was under
surveillance, so skilIfully was the work
done.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
HENRY {. H|GHTON
DEAD IN HAWAII

Henry z. Highton, prominent as a
lawyer throughout California, died
Thursday in Honolulu after long
illness and following an operation. His
passing recalls many of the famous
cases that have stirred the State, for
in the height of his professional career
in this city there were few cases of
note with which he was not connected
one way or another
He first came into wide prominence
as the defender of /. s. Kalloch though
before that celebrated case he was
largely identified with water litiga-
ton. Famesals came to him for the
successful manner in which he steered
Lucky" Baldwin through several en-
tanglements with the fair sex. Not
only was he lawyer of rare ability,
but as writer he achieved some sue
cess.
A few years ago Highton went to
Honolulu, where he engaged in the
practice of his profession. meeting
with fair success. Although the de-
ceased ofttimes received large fees for
his services. he left but little The
receipt of large fee by Highton was
always followed by an extended trip
into the mountains to hunt and fish.
and through his liking for these and
other outdoor sports he never permit
ted his finances TO accumulate.
He was born in Liverpool July 81,
1885, and came to California September
3, 1S49, remaining here continuously
until his recent departure for Hawaii.
1t is not believed his body will be
brought here for interment
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
DIVORCE ASKED BY
PRINCE" ALLEN

Prince" Chariemagne Allen. who
calls himself founder of the African
Church OF God and plenipotentiary of
Jesus Christ" began proceedings for
divorce against buxom Annie NJ Allen
before Superior Judge Hunt yesterday.
The Prince" was represented by
counsel and had a legion Of witnesses
from his congregation to support his
claim that his wife was insanely jeal-
Gus and harassed him 50 persistently
that life with her was unbearable.
Isabella Allen. mother OF the plain
tiff. was among the witnesses called
She told how the Prince" had received
heavenly revelations which led him to
establish the African Church OF God,
and how the sect hourished IN Los An
Feles. where her sons marital troubles
began about a year ago. Eight months
ago the Prince" and his following
came TO San Francisco and have been
trying 10 spread their message of sal
vation from a tent out near the Pre-
sidio, where they hold nightly ser
vices.
The Princes wife was very cruel to
him." said his mother. She was con-
tinually fussing and lighting with him
over Sister Mary Jordan, OF whom she
was monstrously jealous. I've seen her
scratch the Prince often. He bore with
her until he could stand II no longer.
He is a patient man like all prophets
OF God, but II was beyond human ma
ture 70 put up with his wife's nagging."
HICKS ADVISED WAITING
Newton Hicks, wealthy member Of
the congregation, was called as q wit
ness by the defense
II know the Prince paid marked at
tention to Sister Jordan" he said.
Il have frequently seen them together
and know they were on terms of in
timacy. Sister Allen has grounds for
her jealousy. ] frequently told the
Prince so. and said that 1t would be
more gentlemanly to wait till his two
children grew up before throwing
down Sister Allen"
eHave you anything against Allen2'
asked Attorney Davis, counsel for the
4 regard ~Aim as brother" said
Hicks.
He is in everything that concerns
Cod"
did you ever know him to tell a
lie2"
"oh. yes: lots Of times" replied
Hicks. as II there were nothing extra
ordinary about such a very human
trait IN a prophet
What have you against him2"
Il have nothing against him." said
Hicks; but he owes me $17. He prom
ised 10 pay me, but he never did.
don't hold this against him. however"
Are you sure about this2"
Quite sure" insisted Hicks. He
indebted himself TO my personality for
sI7. ] couldn't disremember facts Of
such euphonious Significance. ] haven't
the remOtest suggestion Of the shadow
OF a fundamental doubt about il. It's
all transparent to my recollection"
MarOn Grafton, another witness for
the defense, told how the Prince" used
10 fay his wife from the pulpit and
compare her with Sister Jordan TO the
advantage Of the latter.
The Prince" resplendent in a full
dress military uniform, with heavy
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
Dennaro Durso, DR., TO being I'm love
with signOra Esther Adaberto. -. $50

Police Judge Cabaniss has estab-
lished q market quotation to be levied
on those who fall in love with prima
donnas and go TO the theater with
rapid-hre guns.
The story Of the wOOing by Durso Of
the soprano, Adaberto, was told under
oath yesterday in Judge Eabaniss'
court, and IT developed that the lady
did not mind being wooed by a gentle
man who carried six-shooter. and
she showed her appreciation Of his fine
sentiment by taking him to dinner
after he had been released from the
bastile and giving him a treat Of yards
and yards Of spaghetti. washed down
with several bottles Of champagne.
Signora paid the bill to the restaurant
man. and all that Durso had to pay
was the little sum Of $50 levied by the
Judge. The press agent told the court
that the lover won 500 on the bet that
he would get the lady's name in the
paper. so he figured out that Durso
profited $50 by the experience. The
prima donna did not appear in court
no, no. no.
Signor NJ. Nocerino. assistant to the
manager OF the Lambardi Opera Com
pany, TO which Adaberto is attached,
spoke harshly of the lovelorn Durso.
Durso had wanted TO go behind the
scenes and meet Adaberto- between acts.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
GRAND JURY TO MEET
VIII Clear the Way for Evidence In
Trolley Case

The Grand Jury will resume its ses-
sions this morning and will clear up a
large amount of work. The commit
tees will report and recommendations
drawn up looking to the correction of
those evils which will not be coveerd
by indictments.
Most of next week will be spent by
the grand Jurors in Judge Dunne's
court. After they are excused they
will be in a position to take up what
have been referred to as 'the larger
gratis" The plan is to take up the
trolley deal first. The evidence in this
case is said to be ready for presenta
tion to the Grand Jury.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05

gold epaulets. took the stand In his own
defense. he presented an appearance
suggestive OF the late Emperor" Nor
ton and spoke like an ambassador. He
corroborated everything said bv Inc
witnesses who apeared for him. and
said he was much abused man of God
His wife, wearing a gingham gown
and a jaunty sailor cap. testified at
length regarding his alleged philan-
oerings with Sister Jordan.
They We're always together on
moonlit nights" she said. How could
help feeling jealous?"
Sister Jordan arose after Judra
Hunt had said he would take the mar
ter under advisement and said she
would sue the Princes" consort FOR
libel.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
SAN MATEO ANGRY
OVER SERVICE

San Mateo County. suffering from the
ills inflicted by the United Railroads.
has decided to take action against the
car. company. and Thornwen Mutually
and General Manager George F. Chap
man have been cited to appear before
the San Mateo Supervisors on next
Monday to show cause why the fran
chises of the company should not be
forfeited. The complaint is made that
In addition TO giving the poor service
to the patrons of the line the company
has torn up rOadways and streets, leav-
ing them in irnpassable condition. At
Colma the street has been torn UP by
the railroad company and left unre-
paired after the United Railroads had
finished its construction work There
Is a quarry maintained by the road
near the town. but no effort has been
made to bring stone to the excavated
section.
The passenger service conducted by
the company between this city and San
Mateo is almost intolerable and the
San Mateo Supervisors will endeavor
to have the company do something
toward improving the traffic.
Within the three years dating from
November next, the canadian Govern
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
SOUTHERN PACIFIC WINS SUIT

BY a decision yesterday IN the First
District Court of Appeal James Cook
lost his suit against the Southern Pa
cific Company to recover $1,000. which
Cook claims is due him by failure of
the corporation to give him title to
four parcels of land he purchased
from the railroad. The lower court
had decided in Cooks favor
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
kfI'[;liI'l!IY yJ:(I;,3 335sLIil'I !!
Corner Geary Steiner
SAN Francisco's Grandest
OPENS TODAY
Saving Special Sales at !
Prices Are for This
at All Departments.
This Day Only.

at All Departments.
This Day Only.
ABBEY WINE COMPANY.
Joe Haslam. Mgr.
Formerly of Olson Market.
DELIVERY TO ANY PART OF THE
Abbey Port or sherry, gallon 40.
Regular 75c.
Abbey CIaret. Xxx. gallon. 4Oc
Angelica MuscnfeI, gallon AZ.
Goes fine with light lunches.
Golden RieslinE. gallon .6sc
American Club Whisky. gallon ., On
Regularly $3.50.
Maryland Rye whisky, gallon An
Absolutely pure. Regularly $500.
Old McBrayes' bourbon Whisky. GAL
Ion - az. N
The highest grade of Kentucky distii1ao lila
tion- Regularly S4OO
Rock and Rye. bottle ~ Kxo
For that cold. Regularly 75c. 00e
College Club Bourbon. Quart a.
EuiI quarts and the goods. Reg. oOe'
Gnka hummei ...........-s ana
The genuine old German tonic. 49,
larly S1.25.
Jesse Moore A, bottle - o.
The great popular whisky.
CRACKER DEPT.
SPECIALS.
BIB. carton S0das =.
lib. carton BANQUET Lunch o.
Z lbs. Boston Specials . 9Ss
= IDS Graham Waters 2Sc
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE DEPT.
VI. Klang. Prom
ON SALE TODAY
oranges. dozen ....... ~
The largest and best. Reg. soc.
sec our daspiay OF Fancy Fruits and
vegetables. The most henufff,,1 e-,..
shown I'm San Francisco.
POULTRY AND GAME
>. CompagnO & Son.
From All Departments.
ID PUBLIC TELEPHONER
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
SUPERVISOR WILSON RESIGNS

5 Supervisor Andrew NJ. Wilson filed
his resignation with the Board of Su-
pervisors yesterday. to take effect
January Z, 1907. Wilson will assume
his duties as Railroad Commissioner
on that date.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
MILES Of WATER
FRONT CLAIMED
UNDER GRANT
Heirs of Bird Estate Will
Seek Title Through Deeds
From the Peralta Family
CITIES ACROSS BAY
ARE ALL INVOLVED

OAKLAND, Jan. 4.-Claims to the
entire water front OF Oakland. Berkeley
and Alameda. stretching from the boun-
dary line between Alameda and Contra
Costa counties to Alameda Point and
taking In portion If not all of Lake
Merritt. are to be asserted by John
Bird and Ada Bird OF Alameda. surviv-
ing children of Urban Bird, who was
pioneer of this county. They have
already instituted the work of estab-
fishing title. which they allege comes
to them through the Peralta grant and
subsequent deeds to their father.
Alive with startling and dramatic
incidents is the story of the Bird estate
which is being shaped for battle in the
courts or before the United States Land
Commissioners to establish title TO the
miles of harbor frontage over the en-
tire water boundaries of the great
Spanish grant. the lines Of which were
laid in the days before the Gringoes
came"
Mysteries of lost deeds, the destruc-
tion of documents by an earthquake.
battles at arms and dispossession of
settlers are among the features which
go to make the thrilling chapters that
are to be unfolded in the impending
contest between the Birds and hun
dreds upon hundreds of the present
holders of the property.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
EASTERN OYSTER COMPANY,

Sole Agents on the Pacific Coast for
Eastern Blue Point, San Leandro
and RoeI<away Oysters.
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.
SAN FRANCISCOs
Grand Central Market. Geary and Steiner
Sacramento ST. Phone Temporary 134.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Department,
s. w. Cor. 11th and Clay SITS.
Phone Oakland 3SSS.
8. w. Cor. 9th and Washington SITS.
General Free Delivery
BRANCH POSTOFFICE A
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05

FINDS WOMAN DEAD-maria Fedd,s q
woman, aged -. was found dead In her cottage
at 12TB Hamilton square vesferdsv sffernoor ~
N. Murphy. Her death occurred on New Yesrss
day and is supposed TO have been due 10 nat
urHl causes
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
RUEF,s PLAN OF DEFENSE

ROtnenDerS mas Deen COnS1ueTeO
Ruef Juror. In the examination before
Judge Lawlor in the case of Super
visor Nicholas he testified that after
sitting on the Grand Jury he had not
heard any evidence which made him
think that there was graft in the city
administration.
The effort to show bias on the part
of Grand Jurors Block and Dwyer was
not success. Dwyer said he had read
the newspapers, but on the question
of graft he was like the man from
Missouri-"You'll have to show me-"
Ach and Shortridge directed their eff
forts mainly to the incident In the hall
adjoining the Grand Jury room when
Special Agent Burns blocked the eff
forts of Ruefs office boy to speak to
Jean Loupy, a witness, and 10 the court
scene when Judge Graham impaneled
the Grand Jury. They tried to show
in the former instance that Burns had
entered the Grand Jury room or that
Heney had accused Ruef of tampering
with witnesses in the hearing of the
grand jurors. In the latter instance
Ach argued that the demonstration in
Judge Graham's courtroom intimidated
the jurymen. He failed to impress
Judge Dunno on either of the two con-
tentions.
During the hearing yesterday 1T be-
came evident that Ruef will set up as
a defense that he accepted the money
from the French restaurants as part
of a legal fee on a written contract
which the boss claims to have in his
possession
The case will be resumed on Monday
morning at 10 o'clock.
The Ruef-Dinan case has been put
over until next Friday.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05

Murine Eye Remedy is a Tor
for the Auto Eye"
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
MEAT DEPARTMENT.
BAUMGARTEN BROS, Props


Shoulder Spring Lamb, per lb. SC
Leg of Spring Lamb, per Ib. .121e c
Roast Pork DC
Roast Beef, Prime Standing &c
Roast Beef, Roll Sc
Eastern Ham tthe very best) -161ze
Eastern Bacon (the very best) 1Sc
Pure Rendered Leaf Lard lie
All meats to he sold ut wholesale prices.
We sell the hest the market produces.
GROCERY DEPARTMENT.
F.. A. H. HoIbrook, Prop
~ lbs. Best Granulated Sugar. 81. 90
2-lb. square Isleton Butter. soc
3 cans Carnntion Cream. 2;Sc
lib. tin Ghfradeili's Ground ChOcO-
fee ............. ....... soc
All 50c Teas, per Ib. Observation-Disclosures .45c
Very best Eggs, dozen SOC
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05

Within the three years dating from
November next, the CanadiGn Govern
ment will have to pay off $3.50, OOO. 900
maturing bonds,
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05

GRONDONA FISH CO.,
Wholesale and Retail Dealers.
Special Attention Given Family Trade.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
DEEDS GIVEN TO FATHER

The Bird claim rests upon a conteR-
tion that the original Peralta grant
from the Spanish Government gave
the famous Spanish Californian family
much more land than the lines as con-
firmed by the United States Govern
ment indicate. The Birds claim title
now through deeds said to have passed
from the sons of the original Peralta
grantee to Urban Bird, father of the
claimants, and his brother. Thomas
Bird.
The narrative runs back to the earli-
est days Of the Spanish dons in Cali
fornia- It begins in 1920. when Cover
nor de Sola. representative of the
Spanish monarch in California. granted
to Louis Peralta the lands which the
greater part of Alameda County now
embraces. In that grant was defined.
according to the claimants. the boun-
daries Of the great domain. And or
the water side, so the contention is, the
grant extended from high water to
deep water.
Louis Peralta in time decided his
possessions to his sons, Vicente, Domin-
go. Antonio Maria and Ygnacio. These
sons. 1t is asserted. gave deeds to the
Birds in the eos to enough of the grant
to include all of the water front of the
cities which have grown up along the
shores of the bay and upon the western
boundaries of the original Peralta
grant.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
GREAT INTERESTS INVOLVED

Enormous interests would be In
volved in the controversy over title if
it should reach the point of a strenu-
Gus struggle. Among the heaviest hold
ers of these water front lands is the
Southern Pacific Company Many pri-
vate firms, individuals and corporations
also hold titles to the water holdings
The State of California is Interested in
all of the land beyond low water mark
to deep water.
The Peralta grant lines as established
have been the basis of all titles in this
country for many years Outside of
these lines lies the vast stretch of
water frontage which the Bird contest
involves.
Also concerned are the numerous
moves by which the Oakland Water
Front Company obtained its title
through Horace w. Carpenter and the
City OF Oakland to the water front of
Oakland from ordinary low tide line to
high tide line. All of this land would
come within the claimants title, for
it would run from high water to deep
water. Yerba Buena Island is the mark
set as the outside boundary of the Bird
claims.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-05
FATHER MADE CLAIM

Bird. the father. for many years tried
to assert his title TO this great water
front Some time in the SOS he was
fought by the Oakland Water Front
Company, and the result was against
him. He was shot while resisting evic-
tion from land near the present Web
ster-street bridge and suffered the loss
OF an eye. He was finally dispossessed
after much bitter fighting.
Bird had claimed that the original
Peralta grant carried with it a title to
all of the land to deep water, instead
of merely to the lines that were estab-
lished practically on the shore limits
The pioneer died and the old claim
that he fought for so determinedly has
lain dormant for many years. Recently
the case was presented to Mendenhall
e. Langan, attorneys of this city. They
began an inquiry. which, it is asserted
has led to recovery from the archives
of the Spanish Government the original
grant to Louis Peralta- A certified
copy of that document, sent from
Madrid, is said to sustain the Bird con-
tention to the water boundaries of
the grant.