Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-30
GREAT LEGAL BATTLE ON FOR MILLIONSE
LEFT BY "LUCKY' BALDWIN, TURF KING

LOS ANGELES.-Out OF New Eng
land has come here a charming WIN
some maid Of II to fight for daugh-
ter's share of the millions lert py
Lucky" Baldwin. famous horseman'
who died over a year ago on his mag
nificent principality, near Los Angeles
The first legal step was taken re"
days ago when Leo ]. Mcguire was
appointed her guardian so that the con-
test Of the dead millionarles VIII
might begin In due, courtly FORM
AS strange a romance as was ever
penned by the most up-to-date nov
elist is told in the plain statement
OF the claim of Beatrice Anita 6alo-
win TurnbuIl She says she is the
daughter Of the man who left $zO'-
600, 600, and that she knew nothlhs
of hpC fathers identity during All
the years OF her life until her moth-
err broke the silence a year ago TO
urge her daughters rights. NOW
mother and daughter have started
here for the long struggle Tor the
wealth OF the dead turfman.
To The Journal correspondent mere
Mrs. TurnbuI and her daughter told
their story Mrs. Turnbull is the
daughter of William A. Ashley ana
grew up on his stock farm or Roy
alton, VT. To Royalton came Baldwin
in the SOS to buy horses for MS
breeding farm and racing stables LII
liam Ashley, who helped her father In
his dealings. often met the Million
aire
Baldwin took a fancy to the girl
and they corresponded. In 1897
her father having died, Baldwin WIS.,
tied her and when she was one or an
excursion party to California he met
her in southern California and per-
suaded her to go to San Francisco with
him. There she says he welded her at
common law, telling her he was a
divorced man, but that he could not
marry her publicly because he had al
ready had too much notoriety by his
daughter clipping with her cousin.
Lillian Ashley says she and baldwin
drew up and signed a marriage con.
tract. She went to live with him at
Santa Anita, and six months laIer
learned that he had a wife living. Sne
fed from him and soon was born the
daughter who now seeks to inherit part
of his fortune.
She entered suit against Baldwin and
at the trial her sister, Laura Ashley
tried to kill the turfman In the court
room in San Francisco. Her bullet went
wild. and though she was acquitted py
Jury the shot rang through the rest OF
the trial and had Its weight IN the Ne'-
dict against the girl victim Of Baldwin.
Miss Ashley, with her baby. went TO
New York and there met and married
William Barron Turnbull, an orthopoedic
surgeon. From that time. under the shell
tering care Of her husband, her life was
spent placidly in their home in Boston
until the news of the death OF LUCKY
Baldwin over a year ago awoke the
mother to the sense of her daughters
rights to the vast wealth of her father.
She consulted lawyers and they told her
that under the laws of California the
child Of a common law marriage VINO
has been unprovided for during her pa
rents lifetime and who is unmentioned
in such parents will, shares equally with
his other children in his estate.
The Los Angeles city hall holds the
record of her birth. with her fathers
name, Elias Jackson Baldwin, duly re-
corded and there are still living per-
sons who recall all the incidents OF Bald
wins acquaintance with Lillian Ashley
But she will not get shekel OF the
Baldwin money without desperate con-
test by those to whom Baldwin left his
millions-unless they compromise-and
they have done so twice already.
Baldwin's own history outrivals the