The San Francisco call., 1909-10-28
PLOT TO ABDUCT
IN LAVEAGA CASE
Viii Contest Opened by Attor-
ney PiIIsbury, Who Describes
Testatrix as Incompetent
Identity of Person Alleged to
Have Influenced the Dead
Woman a Mystery

marry her TO q Spanish schemer were
among the several ugly skeletons
pulled out of the cupboard of one of
the Oldest and wealthiest Spanish fam
iIies in California in Judge Coffey's
court yesterday when the opening gun
in the famous Laveaga viii contest
was fred.
The secrets were of all sorts and
degrees, stretching on the one hand
TO affairs matrimonial and on the other
10 the enacting of special amendments
to the state laws. The suit is brought
by Miguel de Laveaga, who contests
the viii left by his sister Maria on the
ground that she was of unsound mind
when making il and was unduly in
huenced by certain unnamed persons.
By this viii the greater part of an
estate OF $4,000, 900 was given to Mrs.
Maria Josefa Cebrian. wife of John
Cebrian, a well known civil engineer.
and sister OF the dead woman.
Miguel. the only living brother. was
given only $4,000. .
STORY OF ABDUCTION
The story of the abduction came out
in the opening statement made by At
torney E. :. Pillsbury of the firm of
Pinsbury, Madison & Sutro, for the
contestants. His purpose was to show
that Miss de Laveaga was so childish
and unfit to think for herself that she
was on the point Of being abducted by
Two adventurers when Cebrian, hear
ing Of the affair. interposed and drove
the schemers off.
The event" Pillsbury said, "oc-
Cured in Rome during the contest
over the viii Of Jose Vicente de
Lsveaga between the years 1896 and
1904. The members of the family.
knowing well Maria de Laveaga's
mental condition and fearing that she
might be declared an incompetent,
took her TO Europe. She lived in Rome
and the Cebrians in. Paris. While in
Rome Jose Cevera, a brother in law
and husband of the late Ignacia de
Lsveaga. planned with his brother
Caesar that the two should abduct
Maria TO Spain, where Caesar was 10
marry her.
SCHEME CHECKED IN ROME
Paris. heard OF the plot and hastened
10 Rome and checked the nefarious
scheme, and that. following the epi-
sOde ne took great pride in having
done so. We viii show that Maria
was like a helpless child and would
have proved an easy prey for these two
individuals
Furthermore, we intend to show as
further ground that Maria de LaL-
veaga was Of unsOund mind. that on
the death OF her sister Ignacia the
latters husband. Jose Cevera. at
tempted 10 obtain part of her estate
The other members Of the family
stepped in, however, and settled with
him for sI50.O00.
When the time came for the sign
ing OF the agreement the representa-
uves Of Cevera refused 10 accept
Maria's signature. knowing her 10 be
OF unsOund mind, and would not con-
sent TO the agreement until the sig
nature was guaranteed by Miguel and
by Jose, the two brothers,"
OLD CONTEST RECALLED
Pillsbury delved into the old Lave
aga contest brought by Anselmo Lave
aga. an illegitimate son of Jose Maria.
who claimed an interest in the estate
Of Jose Vicente, his bachelor uncle
According TO PfIlsbury. the members
of~the family were afraid that he
would go still further and claim an
interest in the estate of Maria when
she died, and would prevent her from
making q will by having her declared
Incompetent To Illustrate any such
procedure, Pillsbury said, the brothers
and sisters took Maria to Europe and
Kept her there for eight years, while
the suit was being fought in the
courts. When it was finally decided
against Anselmo they returned.
ATTEMPTS TO AMEND LAW
While this case was in the courts.
according to Pillsbury, the family sue
ceeded in having amended section 1887
Of the civil code by the state legisla-
ture Of 1901 in such a way as to bar
Anselmo from further litigation. The
supreme court overruled the legisla-
ture and a second attempt was made
in 1903 TO have the section amended
in conformity with the ruling of the
court, but this failed
Hers was q case of arrested men
tai development" said Pillsbury.
''She never passed beyond the age of
childhood and when 10 years of ape
her studies were those of a child of
or years. While not insane she
lacked the mentality to reason. She
was helpless and her affairs were
managed by the members of her
family So anxious were they to keen
Tie @HAttt4DH SeCLeL InSr of
them were willing to be exiles from
their home in California for eight
years.
MYSTERY OVER ACCUSED
The will was prepared by some dis
honest scheming person. No charge
of undue influence is made against
Mrs. Cebrian, the proponent, and I
an pleased TO say that nothing of this
kind can be laid against her. The suit
your honor. is to me personally a sad
affair and il is unfortunate that these
family secrets should be aired. but no
other course was open to us in order
that justice be DONE
The case had to be put over yes
.terdsy afternoon on account of the
illness of Mrs. Cebrian.- Her attorneys
Peter F. Dunno and Timothy J. Lyons
said that she was suffering when court
opened in the morning and that il was
impossible for her to appear in the
afternoon. II viii go on again at 10
o'clock this morning
While Mrs. Cebrian is fully exoner
sted from the charge of unduIy in
fluencing her sister ia the making OF
the viii. there is great secrecy as to
who did. We exonerate Mrs Ce-
brian absolutely" said Oscar Sutro
but this is as far as we can go at
nsr~ cr1 nf