Stories by American Authors Volume I Part 5

_Letter from Messrs. Throstlethwaite, Throstlethwaite and d.i.c.k, Solicitors, Lincoln's Inn, London, England, to Messrs. Hitchc.o.c.k and Van Rensselaer, Attorneys and Counsellors at Law, 76 Broadway, New York, U.S.A._

January 8, 1879.

Messrs. HITCHc.o.c.k & VAN RENSSELAER:

GENTLEMEN: On the death of our late client, Sir William Beauvoir, Bart., and after the reading of the deceased gentleman's will, drawn up nearly forty years ago by our Mr. d.i.c.k, we were requested by Oliver Beauvoir, Esq., the second son of the late Sir William, to a.s.sist him in discovering and communicating with his elder brother, the present Sir William Beauvoir, of whose domicile we have little or no information.

After a consultation between Mr. Oliver Beauvoir and our Mr. d.i.c.k, it was seen that the sole knowledge in our possession amounted substantially to this: Thirty years ago the elder son of the late baronet, after indulging in dissipation in every possible form, much to the sorrow of his respected parent, who frequently expressed as much to our Mr. d.i.c.k, disappeared, leaving behind him bills and debts of all descriptions, which we, under instructions from Sir William, examined, audited and paid. Sir William Beauvoir would allow no search to be made for his erring son and would listen to no mention of his name. Current gossip declared that he had gone to New York, where he probably arrived about midsummer, 1848. Mr. Oliver Beauvoir thinks that he crossed to the States in company with a distinguished scientific gentleman, Professor t.i.tus Peebles.

Within a year after his departure news came that he had gone to California with Professor Peebles; this was about the time gold was discovered in the States. That the present Sir William Beauvoir did about this time actually arrive on the Pacific Coast in company with the distinguished scientific man above mentioned, we have every reason to believe: we have even direct evidence on the subject. A former junior clerk who had left us at about the same period as the disappearance of the elder son of our late client, accosted our Mr. d.i.c.k when the latter was in Paris last summer, and informed him (our Mr. d.i.c.k) that he (the former junior clerk) was now a resident of Nevada and a member of Congress for that county, and in the course of conversation he mentioned that he had seen Professor Peebles and the son of our late client in San Francisco, nearly thirty years ago.

Other information we have none. It ought not to be difficult to discover Professor Peebles, whose scientific attainments have doubtless ere this been duly recognized by the U.S. government. As our late client leaves the valuable family estate in Lancashire to his elder son and divides the remainder equally between his two sons, you will readily see why we invoke your a.s.sistance in discovering the present domicile of the late baronet's elder son, or in default thereof, in placing in our hands such proof of his death as may be necessary to establish that lamentable fact in our probate court.

We have the honour to remain, as ever, your most humble and obedient servants,

THROSTLETHWAITE, THROSTLETHWAITE & d.i.c.k.

P.S. Our late client's grandson, Mr. William Beauvoir, the only child of Oliver Beauvoir, Esq., is now in the States, in Chicago or Nebraska or somewhere in the West. We shall be pleased if you can keep him informed as to the progress of your investigations. Our Mr. d.i.c.k has requested Mr. Oliver Beauvoir to give his son your address, and to suggest his calling on you as he pa.s.ses through New York on his way home.

T.T.& D.

DOc.u.mENT NO. 17.

_Letter from Messrs. Hitchc.o.c.k and Van Rensselaer, New York, to Messrs.

Pixley and Sutton, Attorneys and Counsellors at Law, 98 California Street, San Francisco, California._

Law Offices of Hitchc.o.c.k & Van Rensselaer, 70 Broadway, New York, P.O. Box 4078.

Jan. 22, 1879.

Messrs. PIXLEY AND SUTTON:

GENTLEMEN: We have just received from our London correspondents, Messrs. Throstlethwaite, Throstlethwaite and d.i.c.k, of Lincoln's Inn, London, the letter, a copy of which is herewith enclosed, to which we invite your attention. We request that you will do all in your power to aid us in the search for the missing Englishman. From the letter of Messrs. Throstlethwaite, Throstlethwaite and d.i.c.k, it seems extremely probable, not to say certain, that Mr. Beauvoir arrived in your city about 1849, in company with a distinguished English scientist, Professor t.i.tus Peebles, whose professional attainments were such that he is probably well known, if not in California, at least in some other of the mining States. The first thing to be done, therefore, it seems to us, is to ascertain the whereabouts of the professor, and to interview him at once. It may be that he has no knowledge of the present domicile of Mr. William Beauvoir--in which case we shall rely on you to take such steps as, in your judgment, will best conduce to a satisfactory solution of the mystery. In any event, please look up Professor Peebles, and interview him at once.

Pray keep us fully informed by telegraph of your movements. Yr obt serv'ts,

HITCHc.o.c.k & VAN RENSSELAER.

DOc.u.mENT NO. 18.

_Telegram from Messrs. Pixley and Sutton, Attorneys and Counsellors at Law, 98 California Street, San Francisco, California, to Messrs.

Hitchc.o.c.k and Van Rensselaer, Attorneys and Counsellors at Law, 76 Broadway, New York._

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

Jan. 30.

t.i.te Peebles well known frisco not professor keeps faro bank.

PIXLEY & SUTTON.

(D.H. 919.)

DOc.u.mENT NO. 19.

_Telegram from Messrs. Hitchc.o.c.k and Van Rensselaer to Messrs. Pixley and Sutton, in answer to the preceding._

NEW YORK, Jan. 30.

Must be mistake t.i.tus Peebles distinguished scientist.

HITCHc.o.c.k & VAN RENSSELAER.

(Free. Answer to D.H.)

DOc.u.mENT NO. 20.

_Telegram from Messrs. Pixley and Sutton to Messrs. Hitchc.o.c.k and Van Rensselaer. in reply to the preceding._

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., Jan. 30.

No mistake distinguished faro banker suspected skin game shall we interview

PIXLEY & SUTTON.

(D.H. 919.)

DOc.u.mENT NO. 21.

_Telegram from Messrs. Hitchc.o.c.k and Van Rensselaer to Messrs. Pixley and Sutton, in reply to the preceding._

NEW YORK, Jan. 30.

Must be mistake interview anyway

HITCHc.o.c.k & VAN RENSSELAER.

(Free. Answer to D.H.)

DOc.u.mENT NO. 22.

_Telegram from Messrs. Pixley and Sutton to Messrs. Hitchc.o.c.k and Van Rensselaer, in reply to the preceding._

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., Jan. 30.

Peebles out of town have written him

PIXLEY & SUTTON. (D.H. 919.)

DOc.u.mENT NO. 23.

_Letter from t.i.te W. Peebles, delegate to the California Const.i.tutional Convention, Sacramento, to Messrs. Pixley and Sutton, 98 California Street, San Francisco, California._

SACRAMENTO, Feb. 2, '79.