The San Francisco call., 1910-07-07
LONG LOST STOCK
MAY SUCCOR BANK
Suit Commenced to Recover
1850 Missing Western Pa
CifiC Stock Shares

Twenty three hundred and fifty
shares of Western Pacific railroad
stock standing in the name of j. Dali
zell Brown, which have been missing
ever since the California Safe Deposit
& Trust company went bankrupt, but
are now in the New York Office of
the railroad corporation, were the sub
ject of a suit begun yesterday by
Henry G. Haas, as administrator of
the estate of Brodie M. Bradford. If
the stock is recovered, nine-tenths of
its value will be paid into the funds of
the inso1vent bank, Bradford having
been largely indebted to the institution
at the time of his death. He was the
first secretary of the Western Pacific
railroad, but when he died November
20, 1908, was insolvent. Suits by the
receiver of the bank for the recovery
of about 100000 from him on promis-
sorry notes are now pending.
PECULIAR DISAPPEARANCE
The story Of the disappearance of
the 1880 shares and their recent dis
covery is a peculiar one. Jeanette
M. Laurie, who is named as one of the
defendants in the suit, was Bradford's s
nurse at the time of his death. 1t is
stated by De Laveaga & Magee, at
torneys, who, with Hiram w. Johnson,
began the suit yesterday, that Miss
Laurie took the stock and went to
Oregon with it. lie Breton made re-
peated efforts to trace the shares, but
without success. Within the last three
weeks, however, the stock was sent
from Montana to a broker in New
York, with instructions to have it
transferred on the books of the COM
pany from the name of ]. Dalzell
Brown to that of John c. Rogers, who
is an uncle of Jeanette M. Laurie.
OFFICIALS ON LOOKOUT
Instructions had been left with the
transfer officials If at any time this
stock turned up for transfer it should
be held and notification sent the San
Francisco office. This was done, and
the stock is now with the Western
Pacific officials in New York. Judge
Seawell signed a restraining order
yesterday forbidding them from trans
ferring the stock to anyone pending
determination of the suit. 1t is ex-
pected this order will prevent jean
nette Laurie from regaining possession
of the stock. The plaintiff in the
suit prays that the Western Pacific
company be directed to surrender the
stock to the estate.
Altogether Bradford in his lifetime
gave promissory notes to the California
Safe Deposit & Trust company for
100000, but it is believed these were
merely accommodation notes, and that
]. Dalzell Brown and Walter j. Bart
nett received the money. The defend
ants include the Western Pacific COM
pany, j. d. Brown, Jeanette ]. Laurie,
E. E. Laurie, a relative, and John C.
Rogers.
Depositors Protest
The only opposition voiced yesterday
when application was made to Judge
Seawell for $4,000 compensa ton for
the services of the late E. J. LIE Breton
as receiver of the California safe de-
posit and trust company from January
1, 1909, to March 10. 1910, and for
$4,000 for the work of his attorneys,
De Laveaga & Magee, during the
same period, came from the depositors'
association. Judge Seawell took the
matter under submission.
Attorney Samuel Rosenheim, repre-
senting the depositors' association.
said he had been requested to suggest
that $4,000 was sufficient to pay for
the services of the receiver and 100000
or $4,000 for the services of the law
yers considering the amount of work
done and the value of their services to
the depositors. He added that, includ-
ing the $4,000 paid to LIE Breton for
MS nTSI year ScINlCCS duQ lhC PNo'VVV
paid the attorneys, together with $4,000
for office expenses, in all SS2,500 would
have been paid them if the present ap-
plication were granted.
E. De Los Magee, one of the attor
neys, replied that Rosenheim had told
him that $4,000 was a very reason
able fee for the legal services rem
=dered Rosenhefm did not deny this,
but explained to Judge Seawel that he
was not giving his opinion attor-
ney when he asked the court to reduce
the amount asked, but was simply
doing his duty by voicing the oppo-
sition of the deposfors association.
Attorney l. /. Brown, also represent
ing the depositors' association, said
that the first $4,000 might be taken
to have included retainer fee, and
urged that the Judge should there
fore give a reduced amount for the
second year.
Judge Seawel intimated his opinion
that the services were probably of
greater value the first year than sub
sequently on account of the mass of
new work to be performed. Magee
replied that the $4,000 now being
asked for was for nearly fifteen
months. whereas the first s25.Oo0 was
for few days less than IL months
his partner had practically given up
their entire time to the work of the
insolvent bank to the exclusion of all
else They had acted on 5SS separate
matters of litigation and had made 369