The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-08-27
GREAT LEGAL BATTLE ON FOR MILLIONS
LEFT BY LUCKY BALDWIN, TURF KING

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27.-Out of
New England has come here a
charming, winsome maid of II to
fight for daughters share Of the
millions left by Lucky" Baldwin.
famous horseman, who died over a
year ago on his magnificent princi-
pality known as the Santa Anita
ranch, near Los Angeles.
AS strange 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 Bald
win Turnbull. She says she Is the
daughter of the man who left $780,
100000, and that she knew nothing
Of her fathers identity during all
the years of her life until her
mother broke the silence year ago
to urge her daughters rights. Now
mother and daughter have settled
here for the long struggle for the
wealth of the dead turfman.
To a Press correspondent here
Mrs, Turnbull and her daughter told
their story. Mrs. Turnbull is the
daughter of William A. Ashley and
grew up on his stock farm at Royal
ton, vt. To Royalton came Bald
win on the '90s to buy horses for
his famous breeding farm and rae
ing stable. Lillian Ashley, who
helped her father in his dealings,
often met the millionaire.
Baldwin took fancy to the girl
and they correspondent. In 1892,
her father having died, Baldwin Wis
an excursion party to California he
met her In southern California and
persuaded her to go to San Fran
cisco 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 already had too
much notoriety by his daughter
clipping with her cousin.
Lillian Ashley says she and Bald
win drew UP and signed a marriage
contract. She went to live with him
at Santa Anita, and six months
later learned that he had a wife
living. She fled 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 courtroom in San Francisco.
Her bullet went wild, and though
she was acquitted by jury the
shot rang through the rest of the
trial and had its weight in the YER.
dict against the girl victim of Bald
win.
Miss Ashley, with her baby. went
to New York. and there met and
married William Barron Turnbull.
an orthopedic surgeon. From that
time, under the sheltering care Of
her husband. her life was spent
placidly 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 Califor-
mia the child Of a common law mar
riage who has been unprovided for
during her parents lifetime and who
is unmentionea 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 Bald
win, duly recorded. and there are
still living many persons who re-
call all the incidents OF Baldwin's
acquaintance with Lillian Ashley.
But she will not get shekel of the
Baldwin money without desperate
contest by those to whom Baldwin
left his millions-unless they COM
promise. And they have done so
twice already.
Baldwin's own history outrivals
the most shocking or astounding
yellowback.
He was married thrice and di.
vorced once. He was gambler,
miner. hotel boniface, race track
plunger, breeder Of horses. real es-
tate speculator and eternally It'll
giant. Lawyers fattened on him. but
he lost few suits. He got his name.
"Lucky" when he won 5000, 900 in a
poker game in which the white