The sun., 1873-04-30
A REM MARIANNE HISTORY.
rhe Won Beck Law suit In Ulster County
The Extraordinary Career Of n Gcntlc-
nnn from Gcrmnny-Two Wives and Two
PHmil Fighting Tor the Estate.


Famiii les Fighting Tor the Estate.
RoSDour, n. Y, April cs.-Probabiy the
most important litigation ever known in Uleter
county lie that pending between different men-
bcrs of the wCl.-knu',n Won II n'ck family Of thia
his place.
About the year 1870 q tramp. giving his name
A., Ucur.e Frederick Won Beck, came to Noiiout.
since then hi- remark able history has become
familiar with every intelligent person In the
county.
George Frederick Won II ck was o linrnl
descendant ~ one Of the most ancient famlllce
Il the German nobility. lie received AN cduca-
ton such as the German universities can only
give. lie graduated with high honors at the
University Of Bonn Mt AN early age. lie chose
the profession Of civil engineering lie was one
Of the four persons who resLrveyed the bound
AIRY lines bctwccn Germany and France. liis
-crvicc- on this occasion were recognized by the
tiove-uu, Mt, nd the then reigning King ot
Bavaria presented Won Beck with u gold medal.
sTItASGE CAREER.
After this event he went TO spain. while there
q war broke out against France. lie esP'used
the cause of Spain, and cftercd tie spanish
army Several brave acts brought him Iu.o
@SSS M %4s stan rns the @" rs4 sae he
ceiyed atevel wound. Ineapa9,tated from ser
yiGe he returned to UeirmsFy lie went to l.,
married daughter uf the Mayor OF the city. A
year AFT, rwaTd IA" was elected Mayor of the city.
several Years
In one of the revolutions which ia those DAYS
periodically shook the Gcrman urincipaitiCs.
Won Beck took an active and leatiny part The
result was disastrous To- bis side. lie was forced
his wife and i've children. lie went tn London.
In that city he Kent an inn Failin, to make
living he went to Paris, He entered hto several
business enterprises there, but could not sue
coed lie then embarked for America.
He landed m New York IN June. lS,a, without
"a friend, and scarcely dollar. Ills estate In the
So
Gated hy the King. lie searched some days fnr
empl yfue :, but in vaiu DISCOURAGED and dis
heartcned he then Invested every cent he had In
hand organ. For several months he grouhd
out pitighlc existence At last he became dis.
gueted with this mode of life. lie left New
York and wandered up the Hudson river.
ARRIVAL IN ULSTER COUNTY.
Arriving in lstcr county, lac hired out ~ a
fru hand. While working In that position he
na.te -cl the English language as he had already
the German, spanish, French, and Italian. After
that he taught school for some time. The Della
an established enterprise. Won Beck left his
school and ran a boat ON the canal.
While thus employed an Incident occurred
afiuenrc. break had occurred In the canal.
H. 7; Lord was then the superintendcnt 81 the
,anA. lie proceeded TO the scene Of the acct
dent. He was preparing e. take the measure
mcnt OF the break, In order to have II repaired.
Won Beck changed To he passing at the time
with his boat. lie drew up 10 the spot. Walk
lns ~ t. the break he paced out hase linc
made = trigonomctflcai. and informed MIR. Lord
nf the dimensions OF the break before the latter
had hi, tape-ne uurolled.
The Superintendent was very much surprised
lie AZ once became Interested Ia Won Iiei k and
soon procured him poeitIuu iu the company
employ. Is, degrees ne Wa promoted, until he
aIe - 1" thc rt'l lohsihlo position n way uster.
a sECoSD MARRIAGE
About 'hi- time ho wru,d. "a o.. and welded
Mss IduU bHmluc # EidsNlln. tu THIS county
lie kept OBJ. former marriage profound secrpt.
For several years he remained ln the employ II
the COMPANY. Then very su-prtous irr, "a arr
ties were discovered In his accounts. lie wls
llsHal ia q. 8H b.
hands pnc fortune.
liy llcky speculatlon' Won Rock added to his
wealth. lie idrutihed himself with the state
militia. During the nrst term 4 Gov. seymour
he Wt- made major For hi. services iI i'm
proving the militia he WIS present. a ~ the
Hovetnor with the sword originally belonging to
Healinr from relative that his first wife was
dead. he sent Tor hs children. They came over.
Not wishing his family here to know OF his tor
mer marriage. he introduced his children hy hrs
they MARRIED. aud became alcnntrd T. m the
affections II their father lie reserved all his
affection for the children Il his last marriage.
V6n"hd 81 'iTsp WAas, pFcais Which -Marmed
tu pass an act leglizing his second mari ,ge.
Ihe Legislature passed an act to that eject in
Tur rinsr WIZ ArrEAus.
Ip 10 the sprn: of l-.0Von Rcck lived with
hts second wife. tcciiug SO 'urc. In MAY II thnt
wear 10 town was throw into the greatest ea.
element los the arrival Il MR. Won Beck 80. /.
She Wa not dead after al.
After separation ~ over forty wears from
her husband she met aim again. Slneular to
state, Won Beck left his second - itc At once and
took up hi- abode with ms nr-t wife. Hi. SEQ
ond witc died In a month afterwdrd uf a broken
heart lie cast on her cAldren and again took
his first Childron to his Heart. lie commenced
aSedlns ms prIpertl To- them To the neglect Of
his other children. To ths the latter made
strong objections and commenced proceedings
- ,hpw thu no old man wa- in- me. Pending
this action Won Beck died. The commission
appointed, however decided that the property
should be divided equally among the Two scts
uf heirs, NOTWITHSTANDING the law lceitimaiizlng
The second marriage Of Won Beck had been de-
Clar"d unconstitutional.
Aitcr the decision q the commission Mrs.
uu liefk NJ. ! como NIenDrd proceedings To- re-
cover property decided To different parties hy
her husband. She also sued both her children
a d t'e 'niIdren OF Jano Deming for her
duWrN.
These are tho sH'fs NOW pcndinr In this
county. hti WI u were ryurct,.l To oc,tfuv ti,
tlint oi the Aprl term col court. In-y are pht
on To the ueGt term.