The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-10-08
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 10 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 $4,000, 000 and the bulk of it was
left to the wife and children of the sec
ond marriage, the children on 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-manufacturing
concerns of manufactured, owned
the entire town-and was a 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,
III marine interests, in lumber, docks,
plank-roads, railroads, and real estate.
OF the latter, he held $50, 900 in Chicago;
1872, 800 in Detroit 1870, 953. go in
Michigan lands 1870, $500 in Ohio /;
S64 1888. 80 in Wisconsin 1877, 3S7 Ga in
Missouri, and some $20, 900 in Iowa. He
owned the Detroit Daily Post jointly
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 conspicuous place III 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 APP
pear that Mr. Wade selected his Cabinet,
and Capt. L. 3. Ward was offered by
him the portfolio of the Treasury Capt
Ward, it was understood, accepted the
pcoltlOu, ullu lJIOCtttlcu W uNJluSl Ills
personal Affairs in Michigan with 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 be secured.
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 Oh both sides. The trial has al
ready induced many startling incidents,
and will undoubtedly furnish iurists
with precedents as well as journalism
with sensations. One extremely inter
esting chapter is already begun-the
legal standing of Spiritualism. Capt.
Ward was believer of It's creed and
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 a
religious belief or a lunacy. Chicago
Journal.