The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-03-29
.THEBEANCASE
More Mysterious Than Ever-The
Case Up on Trial For
Administration.
A New Set of ClaimantS-Thi
Time From Far Off New
Jersey.


Special Telegram to the Statesman.
BoNHANI, March 26.-The much talked
Of, notorious Tom Bean case was called in
the district court to-day. Lawyers, witnesses
. and claimants from all parts of the United
States were present. The case was On
trial for administratOrship, on appeal
from the last term of court, booked W.
W. Russell vs. p. Howard. In the county
court trial Howard was granted letters of
administration On evidence of relation TO
the deceased millionaire. In this trial
Howard was opposed by W. w. Russell
. merchant of this place, who based his
claims to administer estate upon
the fact OF icing reputable
citizen and disinterosted party,
and being urged to contest Towards
rights by another set of claimants. By
agreement, the appeal was continued to
next August term of the district court, on
the grounds that plaintiff want d a JUICY
trial, which could not be granted without
great loss of time i'll securing qualified
men for that position. No case in the
. state has ever attracted SO much attention,
owing to pecularities and complications
before and after the death of Colonel
Bean, which occurred in this city last
July. Deceased was by long odds the
wealthiest man in north Texas, his estate
being valued at $3,000,000. He came to this
country at an early day, and by acting in
the capacity of Il surveyor, he managed
to accumulate several thousand acres of
land, which have increased in value with
the progress of the country, until the es-
tate is now one of the most valuable in
the state. Bean was ostenslby a batch |
elOr, and spent the greater part of his
life in a small one-rOom cabin near the |
public square, where, with the exception |
of three or four colored servants, former
slaves, he lived i'll utter seclusion. Very
few persons can claim the distinction of
having gained the confidence of the &C.
centric bachelor; consequently little or
nothing was known of his antecedents.
At the time of his death no
one could be found who knew,
/ and therefore speculation ran high
as to what disposition would be- made of
the property, 1t was only a short time
before claimants from every state in the
union, who mad learned the history of his
death through specials and associated
press, began coming in. One of those
claimants, who was thought to have a
pretty strong case, is j. W. Saunders, or
Oxford, Miss, whose story created quite
sensation. Saunders claims that Tom
Bean was his own brother; that the name
Bean was assumed about forty years ago
to conceal his identity, as he had com
mitted murder in Mississippi; that this
explained the retiring disposition of Bean
during his long residence at this place.
Ii. z. Howard, postmaster of San Anto-
MO, claims to be a cousin of the deceased
and Jointly with Mrs. Sarah A. Dove, of
Washington, ID. c., sues, as next of claim,
for the admini5rat of the estate. s.
j. Galbrath, who was probably the most
intimate friend deceased ever had, at this
Z place a short time ago, I'D an applioa
tion to probate supposed last will of
dece0 sed in which the estate was be-
queathed t. GalbTaith, Kate KING Int Ed
wards and Belle ShOrtridge, of Kaufman
county, Texas; Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Cruz,
OF California, ard the colored servants
respectively. 1t was thought that no
more claims of impC rtance would be pre-
scented until it became generally known
to- day that an attorney named HayemaneT,
/, of Princeton, N. j., was in town, who
Represented claimants of quite a different
character from any heretofore brought
forward. his b bIy L. IhdI p man huIuSu
Tom Saunders married in New Jersey in
1887. separated from his wife and left
there about 1912. Two daughters were
born of this marriage with whom their
father kept up correspondence after
leaving New Jersey. These letters re-
ceived from their father, were all written
from Texas, some of them signed Saun-
= ders and others Bean and Oliver. The
wife and daughters were convinced that
Il mystery was connected with the life of
the husband and father, but exactly what
they never discovered. The last letter
received from bin was dated Mashall,
Texas. and signed Tom Bean. A post
script was added. III which Bean stated
he was going to BOnham, Texas,
which was then village OF
200 or 800 people. Attorney Hayemaner
broug Int these letters with him; also,
photograph tf the man supposed TO be
Bean. The handwriting of the letters is
similar to that of deceased, but there Is
little resemblance in the picture. Mr..
Hayemaner stated to your reporter that
he was here only fer investigation at pres
ent; that if the man j.. W. Saunders, who
claims to be the brother of deceased, was
likely to make anything of a case he
would present the claims OF
= his clients, as the cases are al
most parallel. He says his clients are
certain that Millionaire Tom Bean was
their father and husband, and yet, I'M
less they are sure of success, will not push
their claim, as they are not able to fur
nish funds for continued suits. The
citizens of this part Of the
state would be glad for litiga-
lion in the case to cease and some
disposition be made of the property, for,
as it is the growth of paris of the county
and town is retarded by vacant blocks
and tracts Of land which can't be settled
while the case is in contest.