, 1872-12-28
Almost 1neredclous Statements as to the
Fraudulent Uses Of Papers Found
on a Dead Han.
Leading Citizens Curiously Mixed
Up With This New
Mystery

Il, Township 49, valued at @700, 900, and the
west half Of the southwest quarter Of Section 8,
same township. valued at 81 ,250, 900. The MT
terial On which the bills were founded have been
some months in gathering, and it is q melan-
choiy reflection that, IN using them, 1t
has not been possible to separate the
facts relating to the legal aspects Of the claim
from graye personal charges affecting the honor
and integrity OF highly respected citizens. The
TRIBUNE warns the reader tLat the story here
told is wholly onc-sided, and will doubtless be
met with ready answer by the defendants,
which answer may, it is earnestly to bo hoped,
clear away much OF the painful mystery which
now surrounds the death-bed Of John Bostwick
and endange-s the title OF hundred or moro
persons who have held the valuable lands in
question without doubt as to their absolute Sc
curity.
TEE TWO BILLS
are identical in the first part which relates to
the general facts, and is substantially as fol-
lows:
To the Honorable the Judges Of the Superior
Court Of Cook County, in Chnncery sitting,
plaintiffs: Mary II. Bostwick, Sophia 4. Bostwick,
John H. Bostwick, susotta B: ferkes, Titus P,
Yerkes, Charles D. Bostwick, Dora II. spalding,
Thomas B. Spalding, Mary A. Dunn, md Valera
3: Dunn, that heretofore, to-wit., Oct. !, A. D.
1889, the United States conveyed by patent to
Peter Pruyne the southwest quarter Of section
fourteen O4), in township thirty-e,ght [33)
north, in range fourteen Q4), east OF the third
principal meridian, and situated in the
County Of Cook and 6tnie Of Illinois. That af-
terwards the title to said land, thro1SL and by
virtue Of divers conveyances, became vested in
one Mark Skinner, and afterwards, to-vit, on
the first day Of May, L.. D. 1855. he, said Mark
Skinner, and Elizabeth, his wife, by deed, exc
to1 @r,1n }1,or oo1a md 1t11r
knowledged and delivered, for the consideration
Of nineteen thousand dollars. therein acknowi~
edged to have been received, granted, bargained,
and sold the said land to John RostvicS, OF Up
per Alton, Aadiaon County, Illinois, aud IN and
BY said deed the said Mark SKINNER warranted
the title go conveyed against all persons claim
ing ruder the said grartor.
JOHN -EosTW1CK
gear 1882, and from thence to his death
li1taea ton in IN the a0 county aS@ of Maalsen. o1
The said John Bostwick was for many years. to-
@it from the year 1884 till his death, large
operator in lands in many counties Of this State.
and widely known and influential. In Or prior to
The -e1r 1895. the said John Bos.wick erected in
said .own Of Upper Alton one Of the finest resi-
deuces in tie State Of Illinois, and embellshed,
improved. and adorned the SANG and the
grounds appurtcnant thereto Which consisted Of
owe: six acres OF land in said village, with every
manner OF improvement and adornn1ent adapted
to make the same complete as q mcssuAge and
1nausion-house for his family residence. And
be- the said John Bostwick, did. with his family,
thenceforth till his death, reside in said man
sicr-horse. Said John Bostwick also establish
I'd at his said residence private seminary for
the education OF his children and those Of his
his neigbbors, and employed and maintained
teachers for that purpose. and BY reason
Of his public spirit and enterprise, his
interest and efforts to promote education, his
large business and connections, his hospitalities
Va rn;l a71 f1,a hoa ,fy md
nitcence Of his said residence, he, the said John
Bostwick, and his family and residence at Upper
Alton, as aforesaid, we're for many years widely
known throughout this and other States. In
wick, visited the City Of Chicago from time to
time, aud purchased divers lands and interests
in lands in the County Of Cook. in said state Of
Illinois: While in said County Of cooi, he,
snid John Bostvick, boarded ut divers places,
and in August, 1855, went to the house OF one
BENJAMIN F. DOWNING,
q man protesting honesty and piety, and q
Methodist class-leader, aud said John Bostwick
eaid Downing. Said John Bostwick was at the
time Of his coming to Chicago e man OF
powerful frame, sound heath, and i'm
posing presence, but afterwards he fell through
the hatch Of q steamboat, and from thence LIS
health declined In the month OF August, A.D
1855, his wife, the plaintiff, Mary II. Bostwick
who YVES then at home in Upper Alton, WAS seui
for By said Downing, on account OF the illness o1
her said husband, and arrived at the house o1
said Downing, in Chicago. on or about the goth
day Of August, a. D. 1855, aud then and there
found her husband the eaid John Rostwick
greatly para1yzed, aud thereafter till his dentl
he continued to grow wo,ee with said paralysis
He, said John Bostwick, SO long as he retained
matters upon his mind which he wished to com
1nunicate to his said wife, md tried at DIVER
times to state them but owing to tho OBJECT o1
the disease and the difficulty Of apeaking Wa:
vanf Ia 10 He In at tcfr t1Tn
thing about papers, and seemed to try to tel
where they wele, and appeared sad and disap
pointed that ho could not. Said John Bostwicl
died at the house OF said Downing Sept. Il, d
1855.
ONE PAUL CORNELL
had been interested with said John Dos}wick in
business. and. as plaintiffs believe from moneys
OF said John Bostwick, in his hands, furnished
the funds necessary to purchase coffin and car
r. his widow and corpse to his home at Upper
Alton, aud his said widow went with his said re-
mains from the house OF said Downing to the
said home OF him, said John Bostwick, Mt Upper
Alton, in said county OF Madison, and there sale
remains were buried. Said home was at the time
OF his death, and for more than fifteen 5earE
prior thereto had been, the only manslon-house
Of him, said John Bostwick, and the only resi-
dence Of him and his family, and was the dwell
ing measuage and appurtenances at Uppof A.
ton, in tue County Of Madison and State Of Iii
nois. hereinabove described.
Said John Dostwick
DIED INTERSTATE,
leaving him surviving, his widow, Mary n. Boat.
wick. one Of the plaintiffs in this suit, who was
born May 80, A. d. 1920, and the following named
children: (de.e follow the names). And all OF
said infants resided at the timeof their ead faith
ers death st hi: principal and only mansion house
being the above described in tho said village o1
Upper Alton, in tue County OF Madison, in the
State OF Illinois. On or about the 2S3 day Of
August. A. D. 1856, John Highan, the father oi
laid Mary u. BostUick, came also to the house
Of said Downing to assist in the care Of said
John Bostwick, and there remained until the
death Of said Dostwick, when he departed Will
the widow and the remains of him the said John
Dostwick to the mansion house and home Of said
Bostwick above mentioned, in Upper Alton, In