The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-01-28
\ CHICAGO CLAIMANT.
HE THREATENS TO NULLlFY SOME
MUNlFlCENT BEQUESTS.
An Heir to the Peck Estate Puts in an
Appearance and Il Claim That
May Disarrange Some
Wei Laid llans.

CHICAGO, Jan. IS Recent legal investi-
CATION into the antece1eitts Of young man
about 81 years living in the vicinity Of State
and Thirty third streets have, it is said, de.
veloped a possibility that some of the
munificeht bequests to charities con
tainei in the Will of the late Clarissa
C. Peck may he diverted from their
intended purpose. This young
man, who goes by the name of George Peck,
claims to be the sole heir to the inheritance
of his father, George f. Peck, who, of the
children of Philander and Clarissa Peck,
was the only one who died leaving ISSUE
| He claims to be a legitimate son of George
E. Peck, grandson of Clarissa c. Peck, and
consequently, legal heir to the Peck es-
| tate. According to the story, Henry, B.
| Peck died i'll 1864, unmarried, having
| devised his interest in the estate to his
mother Clarissa c. Peck, for life, the
same to 60 after her death, to his brother
| George. In 1861 George Peck became infatu-
ated with an Irish girl named Maggie
| Campon, with whom he lived up to the
time of his DEATH which occurred in 1865.
In Il bill which she subsequently, filed in
| chancery to secure her husbands share in
the Peck estate, Maggie claimed to have
been his lawful wife Neither by Mrs
ClariSsa Peck nor her executors was
She eyer recognized as such. Owing
to George T.. Peck's habits
Of extravaganre AMI intemperance, his
mother prevailed upon him in 1863 TO sign
an instrument conveying to her all his rights
in connection with his fathers property in
consideration OF an annuity Of 81 200 during
his lifetime This instrument still ex-
lists, and Should tie present claimant
prove to he a legitimate heir to the
Peck estate, will he q serious barrier
between him and his fathers original
heritage In her bill to recover the
property Maggie Peek alleged that this deed
Of REIMBURSEMENT was obtained by deceit
and fraud Its aunuilmeut was prayed for
anu q decree in favor Of Il g complainant,
| Margaret Peek, rs heH-at-law of George +.
| Peck her husband In her answer to this
bill, which was f;lei in 1859, Mrs, CIarriSsa
C Peck denied that the instrument had
| been secured by fraud, hut was freely
given by her son. who recognized
his own incapacity to arrange hi:
property She admitted that George had
tolI her he was married to Maggie, but as tC
the fact she did not know The case did no
come to trial, hut a compromise was effected
| whereby Maggie G1t O10 and forty acre
of lana. The present claimant says thai
+ his mother, On her death bed, wher
he was II years of age, charged hin
to seek certain persons who woul,
aid him 10 get justice, He claims t.
have satisfied himself that he is the legiti
mate son of George E. Peck, and to be sup
ported 10y citizans of influence in prosecutin:
his claims The action contemplated III hi
behalf will attempt to demonstrate that th
instrument Of release given by George {
Peck to his mother was invalid, and that tn
subsequent compromise could not affect hi
interests as he was n minor.
Mrs Peck's will gave half of an estate c
| $Sl0. eco to charitable purposes