Worcester daily spy., 1872-06-10
A Western Tichhnrne.

From the Kansas City Times.
General interest has been created in Kansas
City by the approaching trial of the suit of
Beverly jackson and wife against Mr.. Hezekiah
II. King. a wealthy and prominent citizen of this
city. The case was called up for trial yesterday
before the circuit court of Jackson county,
Judge s. L. Sawyer presiding A large number
of spectators were on hand, and appeared to be
deeply interested in the suit.
The case was tried one year ago in this city,
when the jury failed to agree upon verdict,
nine rendering for the plaintiff and three for
the defendant. AT that time, as now, the liyeli-
est interest was manifested in the suit but from
some reason no report was published in the city
papers. A brief synopsis of the case is pre-
sented this morning to our readers.
In 1865, Mr.. H. Fl. King, the defendant in the
case, met, al noted pleasure resort in the east,
| with a brilliant and beautiful lady, daughter
| OF one of the first families of the Bluegrass re-
| gions. Handsome, fair and highly accomplish.
| ed, this young lady won the heart and affections
| of Nr. King, aud IN due time became his wife.
| The newly-wedded pair removed to Kansas CITY
| where Mr.. King owned some landed estate
They resided in this city about two years, and
as far as the outside world is concerned, their
honeymoon may be said TO have passed quite
happily. During the month of March, 1867,
or about two years after marriage, Mrs. King
suddenly and secretly packed up her clothing
and effects, and, accompanied by her colored
maid, Mary Banks, lett her husband and went
to st. Louis, where shortly afterwards, accord
ing to the statements sworn to by her waiting
maid, she gave birth to son. This child, it is
claimed, was sent out to nurse and placed in the
care OF the wife of the plaintiff Beverly jack
son, as wet purse. 1t is here where the mystery
and interest in the case cenlers.
The plaintiff produces positive evidence that
Mrs. King brought the child 10 his house TO
board, and that she worked hard day and night
wrote for the st. Louis Times and other papers
for the means TO maintain the child. Mr.. King
refused TO have anything TO do with his wife
while she owned and supported child which
he claimed was not his But this did not deter
Mrs. King from supporting it and working hard
for its living. She finally moved to New York,
and while there wrote a number of letters,
which were produced in court, remitting money
to her child. These letters contain the most en-
dearng expressions when referring to the child
Suddenly, and without explanation, the letters
and money remittances ceased to arrive The
child was kindly cared for and raised. Mrs.
King, Tor some reason, gave up the child, dis
owned il, and became reconced to her hus-
band, and lives now surrounded by all that
wealth, station and influence can secure at such
fashionable resorts as Saratoga or Long Branch
The suit is brought for expenses sustained by
Jackson in taking care OF the child since 1867, a
period of ive years. The child is pr sduced in
court, and is a handsome, sad-faced, interesting
hoy, with fiaXen hair, blue eyes, clear skim and
is said to wear the family marks and features OF
the defendant, who left him in March, 1867
When she left her husband she was supposed
by her husband and her physician (Dr. Mill
gam TO be near her full time in pregnancy. The
girl, Mary Banks, who accompanied her to St
Louis, is positive that her mistress gave birth
TO the child.
The defence is based upon the assumption
that Mrs. King had no child and that the one
produced in court by the nurse jackson, is Il
fraud; is child taken from hospital in ST
Louis for the purpose of blackmailing the de
iendant and obtaining money or fostering upon
him spurious heir TO the King name and es
tate.
The defence produces witnesses, one of them
an attendant ut the hospital and the other q
nurse, who each swear that the child was Q
foundling at the hospital, and is not what the
plaintiffs claim it to be.
The child seems to have received every atten.
ton at the hands of the colored people. If any
fraud has been practiced 1t was done by til,
nurse herself The plaintiff, Beverley Jackson
was raised in the Blair and Brown family in
Kentucky Gen. Frank Blair and Gov. Brown
are interested in seeing their old servant recev
justice. Jackson is at present employed as jan
itOr in the st. Louis custom house, and has min,
| children OF his own.
The testimony, or large portion of it, wa
taken last summer, in Louis. The examination
| of witnesses took place yesterday. To-day ant
| tomorrow the case will be argued in court Tn
| interest manifested in the case will no doub
| draw large crowd to hear the argument on eacl
| side. The suit is one of the strangest and mos
| interesting suits ever tried in this county
| the child is King, the conduct of the parents /
| inexplicable, and cannot be too severely cen
sured. II, on the other hand, the child is a fraud
| and tho suit a conspiracy ON the part OF tn
plaintiff and wife, it is one of the best laid plot
| ever brought into modern courts, surpassed onl
| by the great Tichborne case, in London.