Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-11-12
A ROMANTIC STORY.
Successful Search for the Heirs of a
Wealthy RanchEzan.

Considerable speculate conversation
has recently been caused IN Norfolk
by the visit to Wells next-the>Sea, in
that country, of an American gentle>
man. He stated that his name was
Jackson, and that he was the senior
partner of a large mining company
near the Nevada mountains; that he
arrived in England last week and at
once went to Wells-next- the Sea. his
mission beng explained IN the follow
ing narrative: 81 have lived in Cali
fornia all my life, and have before
been out of the country. About seven
years ago IN the streets of San Fran
cisco I saw poor, detected, miserable
looking lad lying on a doorstep. l
spoke to him, and his manner and ap-
pearance excited nay interest and Gu
rloslty. [ made inquiries as to his
past history and found that his name
was Ernest Ogerton, that he ran
away from his home in Norfolk; he
had also abandoned the ship in which
he had crossed the Atlantic and was
utterly destitute and wanted work. I
took him with me to work IN Our
mines, and a more quick and INTEL
gent fellow l. never saw. He got on
wonderfully well, and after bit, with
my assistance, he became the pro-
prietor of about 5000 acres of cattle
ranch, and had at least five hundred
head of cattle. He had recently add
ed to his possessions another plot, and
while was gone to the record Office
to record his claim, an alteration
took place between Overton and
some desperate about that very
spot. Overton declared it was his,
while the desperate swore he
had recorded his claim to it some time
since. A severe alteration ensued,
and Overton was badly shot In the
neck. Two days afterward he died.
When dying he earnestly entreated
me to 60 to England and inform his
relatives OF all that had occurred, and
endeavor to get them possession of his
property. All [ could learn was that
they lived near Wells'next~the Sea,
Norfolk, England. promised him [
would do what he asked, and this is
the only object of my present visit TO
England" Mr.. Jackson, on arriving
at Wells, at once made inquiries of
the parish clerk as to Overton's fam
lily. Not being able to obtain any in
formation from the register, he stald
at the Railway hotel one night, and
several persons in the room gave him
such information as they could con-
corning Oyertons at Largeham, Sax
lingham, and villages in the neigh
borhood. Next day he hired a pony
and car to visit the surrounding vii
lagos. He was gore two days, having
called at all the villages en- route to
Holt, and after numerous fruitless in
quiries he succeede in finding a sister
of Ernest Oyerton at Saxthorpe. This
was the only relative who appeared to
be living. He produced photograph
of Overton, which the girl Immediate
ly recognized as that of her brother
Ernest. The girl appeared to be fully
satisfied that the whole affair was
genuine, and returned to Wells with
Jackson. After staying a few hours
at the Railway hotel they proceeded
by train from Wells to Liverpool,
| where they intended to take the next
steamer for America. The conduct of
Jackson was that of gentleman. He
paid everybody well for their trouble,
and from all appearances had really
genuine case.