The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-10-14
The Ward Will Case.

The Ward will case, now on trial in
Detroit, is certain to become one of the
historic causes of American jurispru-
dence. While the trial proceeds, it is
interesting to note some of its exterior
features, the discussion of which can
not prejudice the claims of either party
to the suit. The amount involved is
nearly Sc, 900, 600, and the bulk of it was
left to the wife and children of the sec
ond marriage, the children of the first
marriage receiving an allowance of 5000
month during life. These children
bring action to have the will set aside.
Capt. Ward was the leading manu-
facturer and capitalist of Michigan, and
the field of his operations included
the whole Northwest. He owned mill
ions of real estate in seven States, and
held large investments in Arizona,
Utah, and Ontario. He was especially
interested in the development of the
mineral wealth of the North, and
owned the great metal-manufactrlring
concerns of Wyandotte owned
the entire town-and was proprietor of
the North Chicago Rolling Mills, of the
Milwaukee Iron Company, of several
silver, copper, lead, and steel companies;
while he was engaged, at the same time,
in marine interests, in lumber, docks,
plank-roads, railroads, and real estate.
Of the latter, he held $63, 900 in Chicago;
$182, 300 in Detroit; 1870, $500 in
Michigan lands $37O, 953. 60 in Ohio !;
$64, 1888. 35 in Wisconsin; $37, ,387. GA in
Missouri, aud some 500, 600 in Iowa. He
ntrna1 tho natroff n1iI1s Doof In1ntlxy
with Senator Chandler, and sold his in
terest to him before the rupture which
made them political enemies. In the
handling of his vast concerns he ex-
hibited wonderful sagacity, and his
financial instincts were unusually keen.
1t is not generally known how slender
a chance stopped Capt Ward from as
cending to a conspicuous place in ma
! tional politics. When the House i'm
peached President Johnson, in 1868, Ben
! Wade was President of the Senate, and
! if that body convicted Mr.. johnson, Mr..
Wade became President of the United
States. So certain did conviction ap-
pear that Mr.. Wade selected his Cabinet,
and Capt. E. B. Ward was offered by
him the portfolio of the Treasury. Capt.
] hdIu, IL Hdo li1iuCloIOOu, dCCCpVCu Ius
position, and proceeded to adjust his
| personal affairs in Michigan with a view
to his permanent transfer to Washington.
Thirty-six votes, it will be remembered,
were necessary to convict Mr.. johnson,
and thirty-fve were known to besecured.
! The doubtful man was Senator Ross, OF
Kansas, and at the final moment he voted
with the six other Republicans-Mr
johnson was acquitted, Mr.. Wade was
not inaugurated President of the United
States, and Capt. Ward failed to become
Secretary of the Treasury.
A formidable array of counsel is en-
gagged on both sides. The trial has al.
ready induced many startling incidents,
and will undoubtedly furnish jurists
with precedents as we'll as journalism
with sensations. One extremely inter.
esting chapter is already begun-the
Legal standing of Spiritualism. Capt.
Ward was believer of its creed and a
patron of its practices, and the plaintiffs
propose to show that the will was made
in accordance with the dictates of me-
diums and tricksters, and, therefore,
void. In other words, the court will
have to decide whether Spiritualism is 0
religious belief or lunacy. Chicago
/ Journal