Wood County Reporter

A California Romance

A romance as strange as the leading incident in "Ten Thousand a Year," has just come to an end in San Francisco with the decision by the State Supreme Court that Richard Page Jessup, the natural son of Gershom F. Jessup, a wealthy bachelor of San Francisco, is entitled to his father's entire estate, although the son was not mentioned in the will.

When Jessup, who was a well-known man about town, died three years ago, a will was found dated eighteen years before, leaving his entire wealth, $125,000, to his brother and sisters, most of whom lived at the East. Before the will could be probated, however, Attorney Walsh cast a bombshell into the court by appearing with a claimant who he declared was the son of Jessup, and had been recognized by him as such. This disclosure, and the story that accompanied it, created a social sensation, as Jessup was never known to have anything to do with women. Proof was furnished that the man of 40 fell in love with Miss Josie Laudi, a Sacramento county girl, who was a student at Mills Seminary. He seduced her. and, unknown to her family, she bore a son named Richard Page. The father provided for both, and had the boy reared at a ranch. 'The girl married several years after, a wealthy farmer. When she was dying, six years ago, she summoned her son, and told him the secret of his birth. He came here, but old Jessup would have nothing to do with him, as the boy was dull-witted, awkward and uneducated. When Jessup died the boy was working as a scullion in a private hotel, and it was while washing dishes that his attorney first gave him hope of securing his father's estate. The heirs made a bitter contest, but the Probate Judge decided for the son, and now, on appeal, the supreme court affirms this decision. Young Jessup will get about $90,000 from the estate. He has developed great fondness for dress and society, but he casts about as sorry a figure at entertainments as ever Tittlebat Titmouse did, and he is the butt of practical jokes.