Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-27
TOM BEAMS MONEY.
The Case fer AdmlniBtrsiership Of the
Dead MIIlIenaire's Estate Has
Been Called.
A New Set Of Claimants Pep Up--A Pretty
Strong Oase-C1tiEens Of Borham
want q Dseiaion.

spceiaI to the Gazette.
BoNHAM, TEX, March 26.-The much
talked of, notorious Tom Bean case wss
called in the District court to-day.
Lawyers, wi nesses and claimants from
all parts of the United States were pres
emit. The case WAS trial for sdministra-
torship on appeal from the last term Of
the County court, booked W. W. Russell
VS.. q. P. Howard. In the County court
trial Howard was granted letters of ed
ministrstion on evidence Of relationship
to the deceased millionaire. In this trial
Howard was opposed by W. W. Russell,
merchant Of this place, who
based his claims to administer
the estate upon the fact of
being reputable citizen and q disin-
terested party, being urged to contest
Towards rights By another set of
claimants. By agreement the appeal was
continued till the next August term Of the
District court on the grounds that the
plaintiff wanted a jury trial which could
not be granted without great loss Of time
in securing qualified men for that
position. No case In the state
has ever attracted so much
attention owing to peculiarities and COM
plications before and after the death of
Colonel Bean, which occurred in this city
last July. The deceased was by long
odds the wealthiest man in North Texas,
his estate being valued at $4,000, 900. He
came to this county st an early day. By
acting in the capacity OF surveyor he man.
aged to accumulate several thousand
acres Of land, which has increased in
value with the progress of the
country, until the estate is now one
Of the most valuable in state. Bean wss
ostensibly 8 bachelor, and spent the
greater part Of his life in small one
room cabin near the public square, where,
with the exception of three or four color
ed servants, former slaves. he lived in
utter seclusion. Very few persons
can claim distinction OF having
gained the confidence of the
eccentric bachelor, consequently
little or nothing was known OF his ante
cedents. At his death no relative could
be found. Speculation ran high as to
what disposition would be made of the
property. Il was only 8 short time be-
fore claimants from every state in the
Union, who had learned
THH HISTORY OF BIS DEATH
through specials and the Associated Press,
began coming in. One of these claimants,
who was thought to have pretty strong
case, is J. W. Saunders Of Oxford, Miss,
whose story created quite sensation.
Saunders claims that Tom Bean was his
own brother, that the name Bean was az
sumed about forty years ago to conceal
his identity, as he had committed muir
der in Mississippi, and thstthis explained
the retiring disposition Of Bean during
his long residence at this place. q. P.
Howard, postmaster Of San Antonio,
claims to be . cousin to the
deceased, and Jointly with Mrs.
Sarah A. Dove Of Washington, D. c.,
sues as next Of claim for administration Of
the estate. s. J. Galbrsitb, who was
probably the most intimate friend the de-
ceased ever had at this place, short
time ago filed application to probate the
supposed lost will Of the deceased, in
which the estate WAS beQueathed to Gsl-
oraith, Kate Knight, Edward and Belle
Shortridge, ofKGuffmRn county, Texas,
Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Crews, Of Califor-
mia, and the colored servants respective
ly. Ii was thought that no
more claims of importance
would be presented until 1t became gen.
orally known to-day that an attorney
named HSgeman OF Princeton, d. j., Was
in town, who represented claimants Of
quite different character from any here
tofore brought forward. His story is that
. man named Tom Saunders married In
New Jersey in 1889, separated from
his wife aA1 left there about 1912. Two
daughters we're born OF this marriage,
whom their father kept up correspond
ence with after leaving New Jersey.
These letters received from their father
were all written from Texas, some Of Them
; signed Saunders and others Bean and
Oliver. The wife and daughters were
convinced that
. SOME MYSTERY
WAS connected with the life of her hus-
Dand and their father, exactly Whist they
! never discovered. The LAST letter re-
ceiVed from him was dated Marshall,
Tex, signed Tom Bean. A postscript
wss added in which Bean stated th2i he
!, WAS going to Bonham, Tex, which was
then Village of 200 or 500 people. At
torney HagemGn brought these letters
, with him; also photograph of the msD
supposed to be Bean. The handwriting
, of the letter. is similar to that OF the
deceased, but there is little resemblance
in the picture.
Mr.. Hagemsu stated to q reporter he
wss here only for investigation at present;
that II the man J. W. Saunders who
claims to be brother to the deceased
was likely to make snything Of the case
he would present the claims of his
clients, as the cases are almost parallel.
He says his clients are certain that the
millionaire Tom Bean was their father,
yet un.ess they are sure CT
success will net rush their
claim IS they are not allie
to furnish funds for continued suits. The
citiZ sns Of this part of the state would
be glad for litigation in the csse to cease
and some disposition made Of the prop
erty. AS it is the growth of parts of the
county and town is retarded by vacant
hlnnks and tracts Of Land which nannnt