Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-01-12
BEREFT OF HIS FORTUNE.
John LAWNS Suit to Recover a Deposit III
New York Bank, Drawn by His
Relatives, Who Believed


John LAWNS Suit to Recover Deposit III u
New York Bank. Drawn by His
Relatives, Who Believed
On the morning OF the 26th of June, 1879,
John NJ. Brennan, esq, of Providence,
r. l.. while walking along Smith street,
suddenly detected the clicking OF a pistol.
and turning about espied rough-looking
stranger. who aimed the weapon at his
head. and shouting. "Give me my money
or III kill you." fired a shot past his
head. Mr.. Brennan struggled with his
assailant, and with the assistance OF
some bystanders, the stranger was dis
armed and taken to the Central station by
the police. He gave the name OF John
LAWN when committed, and was subse-
quently arraigned for an assault with in
tend to kill. The prisoner was interviewed
by Providence Journal representative,
whom he informed that he had recently
returned from California, after an absence
of eleven years from his native town OF
Cranston. Prior to his departure for Cali
fornia, in the year 1866, he deposited $500
IN New York, having earned that amount
while in the government employ at Hilton
Head, in the previous year. Cpon his ap-
| plicatiOn at the bank for his deposit
with the interest, he was notified
that Mr.. Brennan had drawn the amount
under the authority of administrator con-
ferred at the request of Thomas LAWN,
his brother, Lawyer Brennan acting under
the law Of Rhode Island, which permits
the nearest relative to administer upon the
estate after a three years absence from
the state, should no tidings be received
from the absent one. The prisoner came
to Providence in March, and met Brennan
several times, who informed him that he
could not recover his money and that
he Brennan) had acted i'll conformity
with the law. After LAWN had employed
counsel, and found that Brennan had been
legally appointed, he became exceedingly
disturbed, and purchased the fivc-shooter
not with any intention of shooting the law
yer, but of soaring him into returning the
money. Mr. Brennan stated to a reporter,
about the same time, that Thomas LAWN
brother of John, applied to him in 1877 to
take out letters of administration, and the
authority was granted and the recort
placed on file at the town clerk S Office il
CranstOn. After receiving the money
made over to him by Brennan, Thomas
LAWN disappeared from the city, leaving
his family behind, and has never returned
John remembered that he had a brother
Thomas, but had not seen him for scvera
years. The deposit, with accrued interest
amounted to $7S4 or thcrcabouts, whcl
drawn by Mr.. Brennan.
At the September term of the common
pleas court, LAWN was indicted by th'
grand jury and held for trial in the sum o
$1,000. He retracted his plea previous t.
the day assigned for trial, and the indict
ment having been changed from "assaul
with intent to kilf' to assault with ;
dangerous weapon" Judge Burgess i'm
posed a sentence OF twelve months i'm
prisonment in the county Jail. LAWN serv
ed out nearly the whole term, and tlel
took his departure from the city. Recent
ly LAWN appeared in New York and com
menced a suit against the bank to recove
his deposit and accumulated interests il
United States circuit court, before Judg
Choatc. Lawyer Brennan appeared at tin
same time with papers of administration
granted by the authorities Of Rhode lslant
and New York. and accounted to Thomas
LAWN, the brother for the property dis
posed of. Judge Chcate reserved his dc
cision.