ARGUED AND DETEBMINED
us rm:
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diuttrd §¤’tutr¤ Qlucmt mul Qtstmct Gluwctz.
Smnou v. HrLL.
- ( Tireuit Oourt, D. Ualqbrnia. March 3, 1884.)
Eqnm—JunIsnIcrIo¤ T0 Amrcrrmn me Ccnmssron or A Furun-Foncrm
Mknnrkcn Cournkcr. -
Courts of equity may inquire into and annul a forged or fraudulent instru-
ment of writing claimed to he a contract of marriage before it is sought to be
put into effect, in order to disarm the fraudulent beneficiary of a dangerous
power that might hereafter he exerted to the detriment of innocent parties.
i This is a suit in equity to declare null and void, and to cancel, an
instrument claimed to be a contract of marriage, executed under the
laws of the state of California, between William Sharon, of the state
of Nevada, complainant, and Sarah Althea Hill, of the state of Gal-
ifornia, defendant, said contract being claimed to be a forgery. This
contract is in the words and hgures following, to·wit:
" In the city and county of San Francisco, state of California, on the twenty-
fifth day of August, A. 1). 1880, I, Sarah Althea Hill, of the city and county of
San Francisco, state of California, aged 27 years, do here, in the presence of
Almighty God, take Senator William Sharon, of the state of Nevada, to be my
lawful and wedded husband, and do here acknowledge and declare myself to
be the wife of Senator William Sharon, of the state of Nevada.
"SAnAn Aurnna HILL.
"Augu.st 25, 1880, San Francisco, Cal. I
"I agree not to make known the contents of this paper or its existence for
two years, unless Mr. Sharon himself see fit to make it known.
"S. A. HILL.
"In the city and county of San Francisco, state of California, on the twenty-
fifth day of August, A. D. 1880, I, Senator Wm. Sharon, of the state of Ne-
v.20,no.1-1