Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-12-03


TIE wiIson- 1foen eaas. which has re-
asntly besn on trial at Worcester, Mas
nnchnastts. and which has Fsoetyed .
largs share Of attention from he East
eEn pEess, Il unquesti0nably one Of
ahs moss oxisn1rdinaFy Gases ever
bgoaaht before 3 ooaFs in The United
Biatsa TIE intsnss intfFssl which has
bosn manifested IL the esas win Be
understood when its peeaiiaF Features
are known.
"Dos" Wilson, q citizen Of Prov
dsnes, brougbt suit against p. l.. Moen,
q weAliby AID highly respected eitiEsn
81 Worcester. for e68 l0oo, alleged 70 Be
due o. acsount af q BUSINESS enterprise
IA which ne SEQ men had been ENGAGED
toestheg. Moen contested ths claim and
81 up ne dsfsnss thai Wilson vas 9
hlaeknaiIeg uho Tor sixfess years had
bIcd him most unmefcifulIy.
His siory YES that Wilson had come
70 him aad claimed 70 have knosledRs
Of . mesi dlaRraooful est IN Which q
naomber Of Moen's famiIy bad been i'm.
piieatsd. lie demanded q small amount
or money a. tbs consideration for moi
giving ths sscFsa 70 tbs pabiio. Moer
aysrs that. althoaah be knse tbs infer.
rnsiion that Wilson pFsssnded 10 pos
nsas 10 Be false, b paid him What b
demanded rather than have ths nams
81 Ne family oonnsoled With such Z
soandalous stegy ~ that 81 which WiiaoE
pRofessod 10 have knOulsdge- He thonehi
that this would end the masteE. bat ths
blaakmailer soon returned with . %
inand fer q larger san. This vas giseE
and ths way vas fairly opened for |
system ef exi0rtlon THAI lasted thE0nRl
sixteen years. Moen not only sent vii
son % Europe several times 70 eel him
out Of the Way, but be gave him letter.
% lnlfodoeiion 70 promineut pssPle ID
order that be might have a pleasant
time and b. lnelined 10 make q Ions
say on the other side Of The Atlantic
M0en claims 70 have paid daring thsss
slxtsen years Of exiaFtion no less thar
q quarter Of . million dollars. WhsE
The lasl demand for 96scoo was made
however. be determined 10 reaiss il, and
when Wilson brought sait against hin
10 NE courts be based bis defense en- ths
airoelous way Ii which be had beer
biaokmailed.
The most peculiar feature Of the trial
vas shat. thoaeh Il continued for 4 weei
o. zen days and vas bitterly contested
By ahle lawyers, the mature Of ths secFel
Which Wilson elaimtd 20 possess va
not brought out. Though both The
plaintiff and The defendant were suh
iocted 10 rigorous eross examinations,
no question was asked which bfonghl
feEth IN answer bearing apon vhai
seemed 10 BE- she vital point in The ease,
Il is impossible 70 understand how thiI
determined evasion vas 50 cieysriy
nanagod, hat the long trial dragged
through re course, The eAss vas given
20 the Jury and q verdict vas returned,
without the publis. the iadge. she iary,
and possibly even without he exposing
counsel having ths moel ssmots idea Of
ME nature % the saaFes for The ksspine
ot which Moen had been willing 10 pay
$50 hundred and hfty thoasAnd dollarA
Nov. hswever. Wilson tells she aeofei
which d ls no longer b his interest," "a
ksop. He says thsi be l. Mosn's aon
and vas bern only = fsw meniha After
NE marriage Of bis paFenis. and thai 70
conceal his guilt Mosn made arrange.
ments With . Conneeiieat stage drives
- take TIE child and rear Il ss bic oWn.
Thia vas done. bui she stage driver on
hia dsath-bed hAd inpartsa bic secret
10 Wilson. and the latter has sver since
used u " sxtort from bis father lhs
money 30 which be believed himaclf %
- justly satitlea.
Stories les romantic form The basis II
novels % absorhlug interest Truth d
stranger than Action. seldom does ne
world hear Of = moFs extraordinary oasC
than that Of Wilson usrsas Moea.