Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-10-21
Helena, Montana, Thursday, October II, 1876

pointed out, and even some of these may
perhaps have been overlooked. The most
important celestial phenomena, however, and
especially such as may be observed in our
own country, have been briefly designated.
--4<~D>~--
FACT STRANGER THAN FICTION.
Eleven Millions In Chancery-A Big Suit
Against the United dStates-A South
Carolina Lady one Of the Plaintiffs.
[From the Augusta {Ga.) Chronicle and Sentinel
Little more than century ago there lived
in the quaint old town Of Flemburg, Holland,
rich burgher named A. Damn. His gold
was counted by hundreds of thousands, and
he owned large portion OF the real estate in
his native town. But as even the possession
of enormous wealth does not frighten away
death, the rich Flemburger had to die. So
one fine day in the year 1874 he passed away,
and was gathered to his fathers in the family
vault The funeral over, the phlegmatic
burghers, reused for the nonce from their
customary state Of quiet, were on the qui
vive to find out to whom all the gold and all
the land which the dead man had clung to so
tenaciously, had been left Desk and bureau,
every nook and Granny in the old mansion in
which he had lived so many years, was ran
sacked for the all-important document. But
none could be found. The housekeeper,
withered and dry, knew nothing OF such
paper, and never heard her master speak of
it. So at last the searchers reluctantly con-
cluded that there was no will in existence.
An effort was then made to find the heirs, but
equally unsuccessful was the search. The
government then finally, quietly took charge
of the property and held it to await the ap-
pearance and Identification of the legal heirs.
For a hundred years it has lain dormant, so
to speak, but gathering moss in the shape of
interest during the century until now the
whole sum amounts to over $11, ,OO0, 900, a
snug nest-egg in even government treasury.
Latterly, claimant, who desired to obtain
the whole amount, destroyed the record of
births and deaths in the church at Flemburg,
SO as to make the proof of relationship diff
cult on the part of any other claimants. The
prospect Of obtaining SO much money, how
ever, turned his brain; he became insane and
was placed in lunatic asylum.
few days since George Damn, of Ham,
burg, South Carolina, the village across the
river from Augusta, received German paper
published IN Cincinnati, containing an adver-
tisement calling upon the heirs Of A. Damn
estate of the latter. This was the first inklng
that MIR. Damn had of the matter. AS he is
undoubtedly one of the heirs to this magnifi-
cent estate, he will sail for Europe in short
time with view to establish his claim. He
expects to experience some difficulty in prov
ing his relationship on account of the destruc-
ton Of the records in the church at Flemburg,
but has no doubt he will eventually succeed
il establishing his right as one of the heirs
of A. Damn. So far only seven claimants
have put in an appearance. If no more should
come forward and all these establish their
| right to share in the estate, each will have a
large fortune. We wish Mr.. Damn the full
est success He has long been a citizen of
Hamburg.
In the days when the vast tract of country
known as Louisiana, embracing the present
States of Louisiana, Arkansas, Iowa and
Missouri, was Spanish colony, the Cover
nor, in the name of his master, the King of
Of country, commencing at the mouth of
White river, $50 miles long and 80 miles
| WIDE The grant was made in 1893. The
colony afterward came into the possession of
France, and was by Napoleon ceded in 1903
| to the United States. No attention was paid
| by the Federal Government to the grant or to
the rights Of Valliere under it. Now, after
the lapse of nearly three-quarters of Gen.
tury, the heirs and grantees of Valliere are
making an effort to secure the benefits of the
grant from the King of Spain, with every
prospect Of success. A suit has been filed in
| the District Court of the United States for the
| Western District of Missouri, by Benz. H.
Scull ct al, heirs of Dan Joseph Valliere,
| VIM. H. Duryea ct al, grantees OF the heirs
of Valliere and John Wilson VS.. the United
States, for the recovery of an area equivalent
to that granted to Valliere. They do not ask
for return to them of the specific tract
originally granted, the greater portion OF that
having long ago. been transferred to other
| parties and is now occupied by these parties,
| their heirs or assigns. They pray the court
to decree that portion of the public domain
equal to the original tract be turned over to
| them The United States as defendants ad-
nit all the facts stated in the plaintiffs bill,
but have filed demurrer to the proceedings.
Able counsel are employed on both sides.
One Of the parties plaintiff is Mrs. NJ O.
| Glover, Of Edgefeld county, South Carolina.
| She is represented before the United States
Court by Major w. 7. Gary, of this city. IT
the plaintiffs are successful in their suit, each
of them will receive large body Of land.
Generosity Rewarded.
The French papers tell good story of