The San Francisco call., 1908-09-22
MRS. DUMOURI[z
MAY DROP CLAIM
Mystery of Identity Would Be
Revealed by Contest With
Mrs. Budd
Mother of Late Governor ADJ
mits Her Ignorance Regard
ing Reported Relationship

H. Budd, widow of Ex-Governor Budd,
and Mrs. Zilla Dumouriez. the woman
who exercised over the states late chief
executive such remarkable influence
during the latter years of his life, has
not as yet taken on the shape of legal
battle. Only one contingency, however
now seems sufficient to prevent the ex-
pected fight in the courts for the con-
troll Of the Filbert street property.
which each of the women claims as
her own. That is that Mrs Dumouriez
may drop her claim entirely rather
than prosecute II at a cost of making
known the secret of her identity. so
long concealed. Against this. however.
is her definite statement that she will
carry the contest to the end.
If the property contest ever does
reach the courts this secret must come
out and in all probability 1t must be
told by Mrs. Dumouriez herself. Though
the deed filed by Mrs. Budd was not
recorded until after the one trans
ferring the property from Mrs. Du-
mouriez to her daughter, it antedates
the latter, and a strong point in Mrs.
Budd's favor is that the deed from
Mrs Dumouriez to Governor Budd was
witnessed by Mrs. Dumouriez' daugh-
ter. precluding all possibility Of a claim
that the latter might not have known
of its existence when she accepted
0CCQ " tAAC coAAO pAOPCANJ AAOAA4 AiOA
mother.
Mrs Dumouriez' hope of winning
against Mrs. Budd in contest over the
property must rest largely on her
ability to establish the relationship
which was claimed to exist between
herself and Governor Budd, for so ex-
traordinary is the history of her ro-
mantle life as far as 1t is now known
that the attorneys for Mrs. Budd will
I-
every detail of the relations between
Governor Budd and Mrs. Dumouriez.
MRS. DUMoURIEZ MUTE
Mrs. Dumouriez' refusal to explain
exactly the nature of the kinship con-
cerning which there have been so many
hazy, unveriied stories has remained
steadfast. When seen at her home in
Belmont Sunday night she refused to
discuss any phase of the case herself,
and her attorney, Edward J. Livernash,
who acted as her spokesman, made no
convincing explanation of her identity.
He declared that she was a daughter
of a sister OF Judge Joseph Budd by an
early marriage, but did not throw light
on the discrepancy arising from the
fact that she was born Zilla Shaw and
that her parents, Mr.. and Mrs. William
Shaw, were well known at their home
in Belvedere, n. J.
Why all this secrecy should continue
and why her identity should have been
shrouded so long in mystery even to
the members of Governor Budd's i'm
mediate family, If such kinship actu-
ally existed, is a question that has gone
unanswered. Mrs Dumouriez has made
no attempt to answer personally and
her continued silence leaves reason to
believe that she may still refuse, even
at the cost of losing the valuable prop
erty in San Francisco.
Soon after Governor Budds death It
was announced that Mrs. Dumouriez
would leave on September 10 for her
European villa and that she would be
accompanied by Livernash. Then the
property trouble reached a partial eli
max and the plan was changed. Mrs.
Dumouriez is still at Belmont and no
indications have been given that she
intends to leave at any time in the
near future.
TRAVELLED IN EUROPE
A year ago this summer As-s. Du-
mouriez and her daughter 81 . sew
eral months in Europe with Governor
Budd- They toured together through
several continental countries. In Eng
land they were Joined by Lee Ross, son
of Attorney George c. Ross of Belmont
The four continued together on an au-
tomobile trip into France. Mrs. James
H Budd, wife of the governor, was at
that time in Stockton, but Budd did not
return until Mrs. Dumouriez and her
daughter also sailed for this country,
and then he spent fnost of his time in
San Francisco instead of at his home
in Stockton.
Neither Mrs. Budd nor Mrs. Dumouriez
desires to take the initiative in insti-
tuting legal proceedings to ascertain
the correct title to the Filbert street
property. The action, however, can not
be long delayed, for taxes will shortly
be due. and over the payment of these
taxes the controversy must necessarily
reach climax unless there is a with
drawal of one claim or the other in the
meantime.
The publication of the history of Mrs
Dumouriez early life and her mar
riages to Captain w. H Ashby of Ne
braska and to Clifton E. Mayne, as
told fully in The Call yesterday, created
profound sensation among Governor
Budds host OF friends to whom the
woman's Identity had always been
clouded in mystery. To those who
knew her during Governor Budd's life
time she was simply Mrs. Dumouriez,
the governors friend and supposedly
his relative No hint was ever given
of the past, and her former husbands,
both Of whom have married again since,
being divorced from her. never en-
tered to disturb the serenity of the
later relationship.
IGNORANT OF RELATIONSHIP
Mrs. L. NJ Budd. mother of Governor
Budd, who has sided with Mrs Du-
mouriez against Governor Budd's widow
in the present controversy, added a
new feature to the case yesterday, when
she candidly admitted at her home in
Stockton that so far as she knows there
was no relationship existing between
her own husband and Mrs. Dumouriez
or any member of her family. Further
more, she practically annihilated one
OF the stories that has been given cir
culation concerning Mrs. Dumouriez'
parentage by declaring that to the best
OF her knowledge her own husband.
Judge Joseph Budd, was never married
previous to his marriage with her.
Mrs Inez Budd, widow of Governor
-->~~~~->~~~-->>~~-~-~~~.~~
excused. He testified that he was more
than 70 years old.
One new juror was secured in Giu-
seppe G. Bacigalupi, a clerk, residing
at 42s Point Lobos avenue. Bacigalupi