BRADBURY

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Saturday, July 12, 2014 at 06:57:26 :

Sausalito News
Saturday, January 11, 1913
Page 8

Death of Wm. B. Bradbury
Wm. B. Bradbury, the eccentric millionaire resident of Corte Madera and a California pioneer, died at his residence at 3 o'clock last Saturday morning. Bradbury was known as a constant litigant, never being happy unless engaged in numerous law suits. When the anti-expectorating ordinance was passed in San Francisco he persisted in violating it and was arrested on a street car there. He fought the case bitterly as usual but was forced to serve 5 days in the county jail. In 1907 he was embroiled in a suit with his housekeeper in Corte Madera and was forced to pay $150 on a charge of simple assault after a highly sensational trial. In June, 1909, he was convicted after a long fight in Marin county and the State courts of perjury, for having sworn that he did not request the Marin County Bank not to loan Jim MeCue money with which to pay off a mortgage due him. McCue, who was frequently engaged in law suits himself, fought the matter through to the end and Bradbury was forced to serve 10 mouths of the year's sentence in San Quentin prison imposed upon him by the court. He made many efforts to obtain clemency on account of ill health while in prison, but without success as he seemed in good health there. He made some effort in a movement toward mitigating prison discipline after his discharge, but seemed to fall back into his old habit of litigation thereafter. He engaged in real estate and financial transactions to a considerable extent in this county. Bradbury was a native of Maine and was 73 years of age at the time of his death. He leaves a wife but no children to mourn his loss.