Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-26
ATTORNEY FILES
UNUSUAL CLAIMS
WANTS $4,000 FOR UNcER-
TAINTY AS TO SERVICES
Lawyers Client Brings Bills Against
Public Administrator of Prop
erty Left by Mrs. Ma
tlIda Walden

Five years of uncertainty as to how
long the recipient of services would
require attendance at $1,000 a year, is
one of the peculiar items contained in
claim filed in the probate court yes
terday against the $4,000 estate of
Matilda Walden, who died August 21,
1908.
The big claim, the items of which
are many and the total aggregating
nearly half the value of the property
left by Mrs. Walden, was filed by Mrs.
Kate Palmer through her attorney,
James S. Bennett.
After Mrs. Walden's death. Judge
Rives appointed Frank Bryson, public
administrator, to take charge of her
property, and since that time dilSent
search has been made for heirs, the
only success being measured by a
rumor from Europe that trace of rela-
tives has been obtained, but with moth
ing definite concerning their identity
or whereabouts.
Mrs. Palmer's claim, which is for
$4,000, is on account of services rem
dered to Mrs. Walden from 1889 until
the time of her DEATH covering a
period of nineteen years. These SER
vices, according to the claimant, can
not be fully compensated in money.
When Mrs. Walden came to Cali
fornia in 1889 she went to live on the
Palmer ranch, and the first item in
the claim is dated in November Of that
year. IT is for 5000 on account of SIX
weeks boarding and lodging, with
daily alcohol baths and massage treat
ments.
Services until November 80, 1908. con-
sisting of boarding and lodging and
treatment, total $4,000, and on the lat
ter date, Mrs. Palmer says verbal
agreement was entered into Mrs. Wal
den agreeing if Mrs. Palmer and her
husband would care for her during
the remainder of her life they would
receive a substantial bequest in her
WILL But no will has been found.
Claims Will Be Contested
Another itemized account of services
and their value from the date of this
alleged agreement until Mrs. Walden's
death is contained in the claim and 1t
Is stated by Mr. Bryson many of them
will be contested Among these items
are the following:
December 1, 1903 to February Is,
1908, one half of claimants time passed
in personal attendance of Mrs. Walden,
$5000 February Is, 1908, to August 20,
1908, nursing four days a week, $500;
after death, assisting in laying out the
corpse and watching the body at re-
quest of the deceased, 5000; postpone
ment of payment of the consideration
for the services on the death of Mrs.
Walden, $4,000; uncertainty as to length
of time these services would have to be
performed by the claimant under the
contract, $4,000; risk assumed by the
claimant that Mrs. Walden would con-
vey or mortgage her real property or
otherwise make performance Of the
agreement on her part impossible,
$4,000.
The most valuable asset of Mrs.
Walden's estate is the property located
at the southeast corner of Main and
First streets.
During the latter years, Mrs. Walden
is said to have been addicted to the
use of intoxicants, and it was stated
yesterday another large claim would be
presented against her estate by a pa
trolman whose beat included the vicin-
ity of her home at BiXel and Ingram
streets. This patrolman, it is said, will
base his demand for portion of the
estate on the fact that he acted as a
guardian over her person when she
was incompetent to care for herself.