The Benton weekly record., 1882-12-14
TN PURSUIT OF A FORrUNE E.
Tse Story Of an Odd Bequest and
q Missing Executor-Mys ysteri-
ous Letters and Advertise
mentS.


great legacies, missing wills and absentee
executors which so frequently find their
WAY into the pages Of romance, and which
have parallels in real life more frequently
than is generally imagined. The adVer-
tjsement in question was rs follows:
5000 OFFERED for recovery Of will Ct
William Brown, Jr., and address Of Al
fred willard Williams, and William
Brown. who resided at Dio Lewis house,
Boston. 1873. Address II. NJ. Walker,
box 1923, New York, America.
The muniicent offer Of $25, 600 is for the
rocoyeryof the papers ola bequest Of $2,-
100000, and, from whata Herald reporter
was able to ascertain yesterday, the nara
tive Of the case takes this shape In 1873
there resided in Boston with her husband,
who is now prominent physician i'll this
city. a lady OF engaging smanners and
pleasant disposition who was q great ia
vOrite among her acqnalntanccs. The
couple stopped at Die Lewis Bellevue
Hotel at No. II Beacon street, and there
they formed the acquaintance Of two gen
t1emcu from abroad One was al English
man. william Brown by name. He was
a man Of large means, who had travelled
much, and who occupied his leisure i'll
ou.pt tpDjovment@or in fishing and hunting
excursions. In most Of these he was ac-
companied by friend and constant asso
cia+p Of his named Alfred Willard Will
liams. The latter, although in tastes and
education a great deal like his friend, ap
peare1 to nave been born on the continent,
and was probably of Scandinavian de-
scent. During their stay in Boston they
were inseparable, and their relations
seemed to be Of the friendiest character.
For the physician and his wife Mr.. Brown
professed the kindliest interest, and the
kindly disposition of the lady elected from
him expressions of profound apprecia-
ton. Whiic the roaming Englishman re-
maiDcd in Boston ha was almost constant
lv in the company of his American friends,
and the attachment he formed fer them
was 50 great that he expressed the deepest
regret when circumstances called him
away. He had spoken much Of his own
isolation to the lady and her husband. He
had not relative in the world, he said,
and although his means were ample, his
tastes were not o. 4 nature to call for any
prodigal expenditure. He often intimated
that he would make the lady his sole
! I,o,, +n 81
which he believed amounted to $500, 900.
When he left Boston to sail Tor England
he parted from his friends with assurances
of the sincerity of his purpose. They
never saw him again. Nearly four years
passed, and for long time the physician
and his wife had heard nothing OF their
English friend, when there came in
Quest Of them to Boston his intimate friend
and companion Alfred Willard Williams
William Brown had died he said, and
true TO the promise, he had made the
American lady his sole legatce to proper
ty0f$2, 900 600. One clause in the will
which he submitted for examination, III
vested him with the functions Of executor,
and provided that he should be paid S., 900
outof the estate for his services as such.
Mr.. Williams said his mission to America
was undertaken for the purpose OF secur-
ing from the legatee the power OF attorney
and procuring her signature to documents
ncedful to obtain letters Of administration
and have the will proven. Williams was
furnished with the proper authority toaet
OF behalf of the lady. She freely affixed
her signature to the papers he submitted.
Then ne prepared to take his departure
for England, as he professed q desire to
finish up the business as speedily as pos
sibc He left her his address ut one OF the
London clubs and went away to take pas
sage on a steamer which sailed Oh the toI-
lowing Saturday. No word Of sailing
reached The legatee, no word OF his reach
ing England ever came, and Alfred VIII
lard Williams has not been seen by the
b:notiriary by William Browns bequest
from chat day to this. She made inquiries
about the missing executor for . while,
wrote to the London address he had LETT
keIe, bat never learned what had become
Of him.
On December 20, 1880, there hurried
into the Herald Office q man whose looks
and apparel indicated him TO be engaged
on a railroad in some capacity, but seem
ingly conductor. He had a sealed en-
Tel0pe in his hand, which he left at the ad-
Vertising window, and hastened away
again. 1t contained several dollars IL eA-
cess of the price Of inserting The following,
which was written on a sheet Of foolseap,
seemingly in constrained hand:
Important-$2 900 000-Will Mrs. -
send her address to A. Willard Williams,
executor of The estate of William Brown,
England. This will, which was contested
since 1876, is now settled in behalf of the
above named party.
A. WILLARD WILLIAMS.
The advertisement appeared IN the issue
OF the following day, and the wife Of the
Boston physician who had meantime come
to New York, answered il. She was puz-
zled at the publication, as she knew that
Williams was familiar with her address
and Wss acquainted with numbers other