Cormac

This is an appeal by plaintiffs from a judgment rendered in favor of the defendant in an action brought to recover the sum of five hundred dollars alleged to be due plaintiffs for legal services rendered by them in connection with the settlement of the estate of the deceased son of defendant.

On September 10, 1920, plaintiffs, who are practicing attorneys at law, with offices located in San Francisco, received a letter dated August 19, 1920, from Patrick O’Leary, a solicitor residing at Bantry, county of Cork, Ireland, concerning the estate of Jeremiah J. Murphy, deceased, which estate was then pending probate in the superior court of the city and county of San Francisco. In that letter it was, among other things, stated that Murphy died in San Francisco, leaving an estate, consisting of money and shares of stock of undetermined value; that Murphy was survived by a mother and brother residing in Ireland, for whom O’Leary was acting, and a sister residing in the United States; that the public administrator had taken charge of the assets of said estate. Continuing the letter said: “What the money and shares amount to I do not know, but I want you to make inquiries and let me know,…