Estate of Howe

There are two applications for letters of administration: one by Mrs. Howe, the mother of deceased; and the other by Luisa, claiming to be the wife of deceased.

*101 FACTS.

The claimant Luisa was Luisa Sanchez; she married one Miramontes, from whom she was afterwards divorced. After the divorce, she became acquainted, in the fall of 1867, with George L. Howe, then single. They frequently met for illicit purposes, at houses of ill-fame, and after a time he hired a room in a building at the corner of Montgomery and California streets, in this city, and they occupied it together as a lodging; they retained that room for some time, then removed to another, and so made various changes, continuing to rent rooms until his death in January, 1876. There was no ceremony of marriage between them, nor did he ever promise to marry her.

He had a mother, brothers and sister residing in this city • and county, and prior to the commencement of his relations with Luisa he had resided with his mother, boarding and lodging at her house. After the commencement of his relations with Luisa he continued to board and lodge at his mother’s house, but not regularly as before—he became quite irregular in…