The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-09-27
1ht 9t,p 8orth-#est.
Saturday, September ~, 1873,

4 sui ron FORTY nllllens.
A Case In which Some Of the Host Preml.
aest Men Ii PesnsyivasIa are Interested.
Ehs VeaAeeAbl AAvoatuseo e Q olaimant
s>1eAeessa'
There 10 now pending In the State Courts
Of Pennsylvania one Of the most important
lawsuits on record. It wss instituted by o.
H. Wheeler, . lawyer Of Msuch Chunk, Pc.
Il 10 for the recovery Of 1000 acres Of vslu.
able coal lands In Luzerne county, Peunsyl>
vanis, ss,d 70 be worth 90, 0oo. 900. The
history Of the proprictorship Of the land 10
full of romance.
Some forty years ago there died In hos
pitsl 10 Philadelphia . man named james
Turnbull. lie had been man Of means,
and was one Of the first TO invest in land 10
this region when the discovery of anthracite
coal was tardily followed by mine Develop
mcnts. He purchased the tract of 1000
acres in Luzerne county. Bad spcculations
subsequently led him into dissipation, and
hs died - stated, declaring that he still bad
title 10 the coal land In Lusernc, although
others claimed It by virtue Of tax purchase.
A DIVORCE.
A short time before bis death his wife
was divorced from him, and gwen charge
of their only child, sson, also named James.
He lived with his mother in Philadelphia
about ten years after his fathers death,
then, At the age Of sixteen, went 10 sea-
In 1862 the divorced widow, being in dos.
,itutc circumstances, and believing that her
son. II living-for she had not heard OF him
for ycars-was the real owner OF the coal
lands 10 Luzerue county which her lats hus'
band had neglected. came 70 Msuch Chunk
and called on o. II. Wheeler. He had for
mcrly been friend of her husbands, the
two having had, years before, real estate
transactions together. To him she stated
tho case IT the ownership Of the land, and
exhibited certain papers in her possession
ths. once belonged 10 Turnbull.
Wheeler examined the papers and search
cd the records. The result c. nvinced him
that young Turnbull had, through his
fssher, perfect title Of tho property. He
st once oct about to find, If possible, the
whereabouts OF the wandering heir. Ad.
vcrtisemcnts were inserted In the journals
Of oil countries and IN al languages. Let.
ters were written to every point where ii
Wa at oil probable that James might bc,
but without avail. Not = word could be
obtained that gave any clue u his whereas
bouts. The land meanwhile had fallen into
tho hands of Asa Packer, the Pasdees, and
other famous and powerful cspital'sts, who
still hold them.
TIE SON HEARD FROM.
One day, In the Fall of 1871, James Turn.
bulls mother received letter posted in The
city of Mexico. Il proved to be from her
con. He wss living In Mazatlsp. on the
western coast OF Mexico, and would, In oil
probability, be home 10 another year. Thus,
after ccsseless effort of twenty years, the
lawyer and the mother were o. last reward.
ed with news of the lost son. 90.
Mr.. Wheeler employed = msn 70 80 70
Nasallan and bring James 70 Pennsylvania.
This was done, and about year ago Turn.
bull landed In Philadelphia. H.....
.. A rERIL0Us CARRIER. ...
His career had been one Of peril, hardship
and adventure, The vessel he left Phlla-
delphis in was shipwrccked. and he and
eight others Of the crew were the only ones
saved. When the boat which they suc>
ceeded In launching wss picked Up near the
Island Of St. Thomas, after floating nine
days on the ocean, Turnbull was the only
living occupant He Was laid up three
months in St. Thomas before he recovered
from the effects of the fearful voyage after
the wreck, and then embarked on British
trader. Subsequently be went - Central
America. He worked on The Isthmus Of
Panama until the stories Of the discovery Of
gold in California reached that section,
when, with bundreds of other, he hsstsned
70 the spot. '.'i
He was Forty>uiner, and made several
fortunes, which 10 turn he lost ct the gam.
ing table. He tired Of the reckless, lawlesa
life Of the mines In two years, and went "a
Mexico, and subsequently, 70 Texas, WHERE
be made money In capturing cattle for spec
ulasors In New York and Philadelphia
The natives becoming too hostile, he had Il
de- the Plains. He started TO return L
Mexico On lhs way 70 Nszatlan he was
BLOWN UP
By the explosion of the steamer be wss on
Hundreds persisted, but he was again prov
ideutially saved. He finally reached Mssat
Ian, where no went to work on canal the
was beng dug. He was placed over = gam
Of natives. and kept ranch where they Oh
tanned their supplies. This was broken opel
several times and robbed. One night b.
vas attacked by party of Mexican soldier
and left for dead with twelve dagger wound
10 his person. Recovering from these, b
again became wsndercr. He spent . yea
among the silver mines Of Peru, gcttinl
possession Of . piece Of land said 10 contain
silver deposiia Failing to 6nd them, b
disposed Of the property for song. In les
than . month . rich vein Of silver Va
opened upon II.
10 then went 10 Chls sud worked usde
Harry Nssggs, the great South America
railroad prince. BY sub.contfact undt
Nsiggs be maes, several thousand dollar
and had be possessed lsss rowing dispos
sion could have remained in Chue and sccs
mulated handsome fortune. Completin
his contract, he went 10 Brasil and sndea'
ered to gss himself appointed - N OVERSEE
In The diamond mines end failed. Az
rowing through South Amsrica for seves'
ysa,s, lssdisg . NE Of the widest adves
turs, he agaia visited he western shors {
Mexico, and hen deaesuised - setui
home. He wrote his mother. not known
whether che IVES dead or alive.
When The agent arrived from Amesi'
Tursbull had changed he mind - y q
turning hons. and would soon have -
on bic way 70 the diamond hslds Of 6ou
Africa
70 cap the climax Of his sveotiul III