The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-01-23
KIDNAPPED.

lnSttle Asylum ttS IL Cal pSnteF. Out. DSllE8
very weakly, he was taken sick and re-
tanned at the asylum and cared for at the
expense OF the State for some time. Al
terward it was concluded to send him to
the Almshouse, to be provided for by the
county authorities. Learning of this
abrupt decision on the part OF those in
charge of the affair, Mr.. Waters, q whole
souled Irish gentleman, of this city, had
Mr.. O'Brien carried to his own residence,
where he was assigned the best room and
provided with every comfort. Instead OF
improving, Mr.. O'Brien grew weaker and
more helpless, and soon became as de-
pendent as an infant. Mr.. and Mrs.
Waters, however, were untiring in their
attentions, the patient having to be lifted
from his bed and waited upon as though
he was child. After Mr. O'Brien had
been at Waters house about one month,
he happened to pick up an illustrated
New York paper, in which he saw the
notice of the death of O'Brien, of the
Bonanza Company Of Flood & O'Brien,
California The paper also contained
notice of the viii of Q 'Brien, leaving his
immense fortune, regulated to be S6,0OO,-
600, to his two sisters and their heirs
COMMUNICATING WITH HIS SISTER.
knowing the deceased to be his broth
er, Mr.. ?. S. O'Brien at once wrote to
his sister in California, telling her that
he was alive, knowing that they thought
him dead. The sister, in order to prove
beyond doubt that this was the missing
brother, sent a lawyer TO investigate the
matter. This having been done, and all
the parties satisfied of his identity, she.
knowing by this time his impoverished
condition, physically and financially, sent
him funds through Father White, whom
she had employed as her brother guard
ian, and told him to suffer for nothing
that he desired for comfort and ease;
that she would furnish him funds for all
purposes.
Regular correspondence now having
been opened up between sister and
borther, all the circumstances connected
with his brothers death, fortune, and will
was made known to him but since Mr..
p. S. O'Brien had only one heir, a
daughter, and that she was amply pro-
vided for by one of the sisters, and as
Mr.. O'Brien's wife was dead and he al
most dead with consumption, he cared
| nothing about the immense fortune left
| to his sisters, as he was provided with
everything he desired that money could
procure.
URGED TO BREAK BONANZA 0 BRIESs WILL.
A Mr.. Smith, lawyer of New York.
learning through a California lawyer of
the whereabouts of this missing brother,
wrote him advising him to break the will
and claim his portion-$2, 600, 00o-of
the estate. Mr.. O'Brien at first refused
to do this, but through Smiths contin-
ued solicitation finally consented but
even postponed from time to time the
signing of the necessary documents. On
the 14th of last November Mr.. Smith
paid Mr. O'Brien a brief visit to entreat
him in person to sign the paper breaking
his brothers will, He refused saving 1t
was time enough yet, and that he did
not care to break the will. At this Smith,
it is alleged, became indignant, and, after
staying one day and night with Mr.. o.
Brien, at Mr. Waters residence, left for
New York. Before leaving Raleigh,
| however, Smith had an interview with
Mr.. Waters, telling him that lawyer
from California would be in New York
to meet him in regard to this matter; that
he should have Mr.. O'Brien there by
Dec. Is at all hazards, and asked Mr..
Waters if he would take him there if he
(Smith) would send him palace car and
$500 to defray his expenses there and
back.
,Drrv,r orv TWO y-rcr-S'ss
MIR. Waters consented to do so, expect
ing to hear from Smith by each mail,
but to his establishment instead of the
looked for letter and the 5000, about ten
days after Smiths departure, two ladies
presented themselves at Mr.. Waters door
as Mrs. and Miss O'Brien." Mr.. Wat
ers met them in the hall, and after bid
ding them good morning, the elder one
remarked to him.
''Is this Mr.. O'Brien?"
ono, madam" he replied; 81 wish to
God [ was"
"Oh," said she, '.you look so much
like him thought it must be he.
Mr.. Waters weighs 225 pounds, while
Mr.. O Brien is only the shadow of a
man, Weighing about seventy-fve or
eighty pounds. He invited them in, tell
ing them they could see Mr.. O'Brien in
a short time, whereupon he returned to
the invalid and said to him
''Your wife and daughter are in the
parlor."
Can that be so, said he.
The ladies were then ushered into the
sick mans room, where they took seat,
one on either side of the bed. The one
claiming to be Mrs. O'Brien proceeded
to sean the invalid with her e-gIasses.
1t length she said to him
''Don't YOU know me?"
ono" said he. Can it be that you
are Mary?"
Eyes, she renlied, 81 am Mary, and
this is our daughter Pauline"
Good heavens :" said he, II thought
you were dead years ago; and my daught-
er's name is Mary"
81 know it, said she, "but she was
given second name by our Bishop at
| her baptism"
Turning to Mr. Waters she remarked
you will please keep oEr presence
| here as serret as possible. We DO not
| wish any one to know our business"
| Mr.. O'Brien had been near deaths
door the day before their arrival, but,
under the excitement, had rallied suffi-
/ GENTLY to sit up a few minutes at a time;
and after day or two the attending ply
| sician took the would-be Mrs. O'Brien
aside, and told her that if she had any
| business to transact she had better not
| delay it, for Mr.. O'Brien was liable to
drop off at any time and could not posi-
bly, survive but a few days at most.
On the seventh day of their stay Mr..
Waters brought them letter about 5
O'Clock in the evening, and being familiar
with Smiths handwriting, knew it was
from him, and he knew, too, that they
had anxiously expected this letter. Hand
ing the letter to the women, Waters re-
| marked, Here is letter from LAWYER
Smith. That same night about 9
o'clock Nr. Waters was called into their
room and told by them that they should
leave on the s o'clock train next morning:
that they had received letter stating
that they must be in New York with Mr.
O'Brien by the 18th, and that they had
ordered the carriage to convey them to
the depot Mr.. Waters thinks II was a