Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-20
AN ALLEGED HEIR.

Claim Of the Foreman OF a Soap Fac
tory at Milwaukee, Wis, to q Por-
ton Of 81 Estate Valued at $4,000
600.
MILWAUKEE, February Mayor
Stowell received a letter this morning
from a lady In County Monagan, Ire.
land, named Margaret Irwin, asking
for information regarding q man
named John Clements Ralston, who,
she claimed, was her Oldest brothers
child, and who had, according to his
Own statements given in letters to her
fallen heir to q fortune of about three
millions. She said he failed to com.
municate from whence the property
came, but asked her many questions
about the family relations, which she
oheerfully gave, after which he
dropped the correspondence. She
offers a reward for any information
regarding the legacy, and asked the
mayor to write her whether any
estate vas left to a man by that name
In Milwaukee, or whether such q man
lived here. She said that she had
been informed that Ralston came 10
Milwaukee about three years ago. An
investigation was at once made. The
directory was consulted and the name
Of John O. Ralston was found. He Is
foreman OF B. j. Johpson's soap and
candle works ON West Water street,
and the reporter found him at work
there shortly before noon to-day. HI
ID q ~gentlemanly and intelligent ap
pearing man, about 45 years of age,
The reporter told him about the letter
received by the mayor from Mrs
Irwin, and he at once admitted that
he was the party referred to In the
letter. In answer to questions he
said 1t was true that he expected tc
become, In company with the aunt
who had written to the mayor,
the happy possessor Of the
fortune of his supposed relative,
valued at about SO, 200, 900, He said
he had just written to his aunt, and
that she need have no fears about his
running away with the proceeds Of the
estate. He came from Buffalo abou.
two years ago, and has a family to
support. He heard OF the death Of
this relative, Suas Ralston, by the
merest accident a few years ago--a
Glasgow, Scotland, paper having adj
vertised for the heirs, and one of the
papers CHANGED to come into hie pos
session. Knowing that some of his
grandfather's relatives went to Scot
land a great many years ago, from the
North Of Ireland, where his people
lived, he was struck with the idea that
they must be related to his family, as
no other Ralstons lived in Scotland.
He therefore communicated the fact
to his uncle, James Ralston, of Petra.
lia, Canada, who ut once began to In.
vestigate, sending a man to Scotland
and Ireland to look the matter up. He
says he ID positive that the deceased
millionnaire's father was his great.
grandfather and that In due
course of time the family rels.
tionship will be fully established and
the property fall Into his own and hi.
aunt's hands. He denies the state.
ment made by his aunt that he did
not inform her from whence the legacy
was coming or who left 1t. Mr.. Raj
ston said he was born In Newry, Ire.
land, and came to this country about
fifteen years ago. He married ano
lived at various places, wherever for
tune took him, and finally came her,
from Buffalo. The eatate has been ir
the courts of Glasgow for ten years
or ever since the relative died. Tn,
estate, he says, has constantly In
creased In value. His aunt is well.to
do, having an estate valued at abou
$40, 900, which Is considered a hand
some competency by people living Il
that country. He says he wrote T.
her Esix weeks ago, which letter sh
has not received or had not when ali,
wrote to the mayor. The legacy Is al
real estate located in the city of elias
Cow.
When asked what relation he wa
to the California II aston; who com
mitted suicide five years ago, having
got into some trouble with the dirct
tors Of the California bank o, Ssl
Francisco, of which he was cashier
he said he was related In a distan
way, but just how nearly he had neve
taken the trouble to look up. III
knew, however, that the California;
was one of his family. He expects I
hear In q short time from the partie
In Scotland, when, If everything |
favorable, he will, In company wit
his family, set sail for that country.
. D $780, GI-I-