New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-06
Sprightly Californian Tells
of Lifelong Intimacy with
Dead Mans Family.
MRS. w. K. VANDERBILT
WAS BIRDIE" TO HIM
Saws Fair Was Born In Virginia
City, Nevada-Was Executor
Of the Mothers Estate.

Richard v Dey, the sprightly Cali
fornia millionaire Of eighty-one sum
mers. who signed himself "Dickey
Bird" in letters written to the late
Countess Mabel Florence Stavra. is
factor in the disposition Of the Sl2,-
100000 estate of the late Charles l..
Fair. His testimony. taken before
referee. in the suit brought by George
Elmer Letter against Mrs. W. X. Van
dcrbilt. IT,, and Mrs. Hermann Oelriehs,
sisters Of Mr. Fair, has been fled IN
the Supreme Court here, II was learned
yesterday.
Mr.. Letter. whose home is In Newark
alleges that Mr.. Fair died interstate
following the automobile accident IN
France in 1902, that he was native
Of New York State and, as nephew, ne
Is entitled TO a share Of the estate
the courts having declared that Mr..
Fair survived his wife. Mrs. Wander
bilt ard Mrs. Oelrichs assert that their
brother was a native of California and
deny Mr.. LETTERS claim.
In n story reminiscent OF the roaring
'5O's. Mr.. Dey declared that Charles l..
Fair was born in Virginia City, New.
Declaring that he was "a young
bachelor. eiehty-one years old" resi-
don't of San Francisco, here on visit
10 his sister, at % West Eighty-elghth
Street, Mr.. Dey recalled the days when
the Comstock Lode was stlll undiscov-
cred He went West in lS55, he sald'
and had been an intimate OF James ~ ~
Fair, John ". Mackay, William n;
4 10 n
days ~.
lie met Mr.. Fair, the father Of
Charles l.. Fair, in 1850, in virginia
CITY. New. the witness said. In 1867
he entered the employ OF John W.
Nackav, James G.. Fair and William II.
O'Brien. From that time on his init
macy with Mr.. Fair and his family
ION what terms Of intimacy were
YOU with these children" Mr.. Dey was
a. called them by their Christian
names Charlie, Jim, Tessie and Birdie,
was the reply.
"Who was Birdie"
"Birdie was Mrs Vanderbilt"
While James G. Fair was United
States Senator his intimacy with Mr..
Dew continued to grow, the witness
said. 81 was constant visitor At their
house" he continued, attended TO
business for them in their mining
claims and was executor Of Mrs. FAR
estate with John ". Mackay. Mrs.
Fair died after they were divorced
September -, 1891"
After her death. which occurred In
San Francisco. Mr.. Dey paid TO Hrs.
Oelrichs, Mrs. Vanderbilt and the other
a
their mothers will the witness said.
"The bows were allowed $500 each
month" he said, land when James died
there was no objection on the part Of
the sisters to giving Charles SlO9O a
month"
Mr.. Fair senior lived at the Ocoiden-
tai Hotel. in San Francisco, after the
divorce. Mr. Dcy added. Later he
bought the Lick House, and died there
at Christmas time, 1895. Charles lived
with his father and the two daughters
lived with their mother, the witness
said. Charles L. Fairs home in San
Francisco after his marriage was on
Van Ness Avenue, Mr.. Dey remem-
bered lie said also that Charles
cwned part of the Ingleside racetrack.
Did he own any horses Mr.. Dey
was asked.
NO" was the answer, "he didn't but
he informed me that he was getting up
an automobile according to his own
ideas.
"IIe was what you would call a
young politician, very intimate with
Democratic leaders. | think he always
voted the Democratic ticket. lie used
to tell me il ever wanted anything
Of Johnny Rainey or Chris Buckley,
he could get it for me-"
Mr. Dey was summoned to give his
testimony before a referee in the Of
fee of Bowers & Sands, attorneys for
Mrs. Vanderbilt and Mps. Oelrichs. be
canse of his intention 70 return 70 San