William H. Kohl was a shipbuilder who also commanded his own vessel. He made an immense fortune in the Alaskan fur seal trade. The grand mausoleum constructed in was the first at Cypress Lawn.
Kohl hired prominent stained-glass artist Louis Comfort Tiffany to create a large window in his memorial, which can be viewed by looking through the door. And notice that magnificent portal. Like all private mausoleum doors at Cypress Lawn, it is a cast bronze one-of-a-kind piece. The fate of that notable mansion is a circuitous and bizarre tale.
Bad blood soon developed between the French employee and Frederick. When he had Adele arrested for erratic and threatening behavior, she sued him. Leaving a San Francisco court after losing her case, Adele shot Frederick as he emerged from the elevator. The bullet lodged in his chest, too close to his heart to risk surgery. He recovered, but the wound caused great physical and mental suffering for the rest of his life.
Frederick was forever haunted by the fear that an unhinged Adele would return and hunt him down. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. Then came rumors that Adele had been released from a French asylum. It was there where his convalescence seemed to be going well. Yet, a scant one month later, Frederick shot himself to death. The mistress inherited the mansion but had no interest in living there. She quickly sold it in to the Sisters of Mercy, who used the facility as a convent for 10 years and later converted it to the present-day Mercy High School.
Since , the school has opened the grounds and parts of the mansion to the public, offering rental accommodations for parties, weddings, and celebrations. Click here to view an interactive map of our Memorial Park. Skip to content. Private Tours. Meet Our Arboretum Director. Arboretum Video Gallery. Virtual Tree Tour. Notable Residents. Stained Glass. Dancing on the Brink of the World. Board of Directors.
