Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-11-05
A ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.
A Long Search for the Heirs of an
American Who Died i'm BuenOs Ayres
with the Aid of Letter-Carriers
They Are Found.
n. Y. Journal.

II. Y. Journal
The state department, writes
Washington correspondent to The
Journal, has just brought to q success
full close an investigation Of real
life history which involves all the
elements of an interesting romance.
In 1863 Franklin Birdsall emigrated
IN great haste from California, while
under Indictment for manslaughter in
Butte county, that state. After devi>
Gus wanderings he settled In Buenos
Ayres and married there. His wife
bore him several children.
For some unknown cause she left
Birdsall and married Samuel Smiler,
who is now dead. In 1880 Franklin
Birdsall died, possessed of a fortune of
about $43 900. The divorced wife,
S Deborah Ann Smiler, and the chill"
dren and one grandchild put Ia their
claim for the vast estate The claim
was referred to the American con-
sui
Mr.. E. I. Baker, who took charge Of
the case, Immediately reported the
facts to the department of state here
He received instructions to proceed
IN his private capacity as an able
lawyer to defend the estate, but at it's
close to report the result to the depart
ment
Mr.. Baker fought the case with
great persistency. He found from
the examination of the papers of Bird
sail that the BuenoS Ayres claimants
, had no right to the estate whatever.
He at length, after nearly five years
litigation, was able to demonstrate
that fact to the satisfaction Of the
Buenos Ayres authorities, and won
the case. 1t was now question to be
settled who the American heirs were.
In his report to the department Mr..
Baker says:
I'm regard to the distribution Of the
proceeds of the estate, I would respect
fully call the attention of the depart
ment of state to ray dispatch OF July
10, 1883. While the actual heirs Of
Franklin Birdsall, deceased, are Sam
uel Smiler Birdsall, his son; Adavetta
q. Petigrew, his granddaugkter
and Deborah Ann, his wife, who
nany years before the death of
Birdsall intermarried with Samuel
Smiler, now also deceased, and yet
there is great reason to believe that
the money which Franklin Birdsall
brought to this country was not his
own, but in reality it belonged to the
estate of his brother, George w. Bird
sail, deceased, of California, of which
Franklin Birdsau appears to have
been executor. 1t was certain that he
was destitute of means when he lived
in the United States and when he left
there not even his own family knew
what became of him. find nothing
among the few papers which he left
which explains his relations to his
brother except book marked &c. w.
Birdsall, with the leaves nearly all
torn out, and one deed of real estate
from A. j. Snyder to George Birdsali.
In regard to himself / also find the
following papers, which likewise
enclose:
/. Copy of an Indictment against him in Suffer
county, California, assault with a deadly weapon,
February, 1855.
2 Copy Of an Indictment against him in Butte
county for manslaughter in April, 1868.
g. A deed from Augustus LOplougion to Frank
lin Birdsall, December, 1855, for property in
4. A torn letter from Samuel W. smiler to
Franklin Birdsall, March 4, 1860, showing that he
was then settling somebody's estate; part of an
unsigned memorandum, probably from his
brother showing what he was expected to do in
the settlement or MS estate.
''The inference is very strong that
he left California while under the
Indictment for manslaughter, and
carried his brothers estate away with
him. Certainly he never made any
money In this country.
Consul Baker also forwarded a
large buhdle of letters to the state de-
partment, which were among the dead
mans effects. They were all evident~
ly from his sisters. They usually be-
gan Dear Fran" or Dear Franks
lin," and were signed Your loving
sister Jane" or "Your sister Mary" or
Lovingly, your sister Sarah," the
surnames never being given.
This report and the documents
were received at the department of
state some months ago. AS soon as
they arrived the department inserted
Ghis advertisement la the newspapers:
: a small fortune is awaiting the heirs of Frank
lin Birdsall, deceased, in BuenoS Ayres. Those
interested will address the departing nt of state
Washington, d. o.
No response was received from this,
after waiting some time longer
short newspaper article was prepared
by the department of state and sent
out by the associated Press, stating
the same facts as the advertiseme
Nothing was eyer heard from this,
and as Mr. Baker had informed the
department. that under the laws of the
Argentine Republic if the estate was
not claimed within two years it would
escheat to the government, the off,
Gals were full of anxiety.
At this stage of the case the sisterly
letters were again taken ont and care
fully studied for seme clew by which
the heirs could be traced. 1t was no
ticed that they were all postmarked
either in Brooklyn or New York City.
a letter stating the facts was according
~ sent to Mr.. Hallworth Howe. the
dispatch agent of the United States
in New York, who was also the pri
vate secretary of Postmaster Pearson
1t was suggested that circular, Civ
ing IN brief the facts according to an
Il