The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-04-13

lure of 1916 80, $3.50 Of which was in attor-
neys' fees to Fowler Bros and $26 80 in
court costs. He petitioned for an order for
n final settlement in August Of 1886, and il
was set down for the following November
Before the hearing Mr. Seaman asked that
the order be set aside, as Joseph Neveille, a
distant heir, had been omitted from the list
of legatees through a clerical error The
matter was then allowed to rest until Jan
uary 22d, 1887, when Mr.. Seaman was Or
dered to appear in court and answer to a
petition for n decree Of partition filed by Il
legatee. No definite action was taken on
the matter, however, until January ~ last,
when a citation ordering him to make final
report Of accounts was sued out, and it was
found that he had left the county without
leaving his address. No trace of the money
could be found, and the case was laid before
the grand jury in March, and an Indictment
for ENFORCEMENT returned. Inquiry was at
once set on foot and after weeks of patient
effort Attorney Randall, of Sand wich, gave
the required information, and ON Thursday
of last week Sheriff Morrissey started west
after his man Armed with the necessary
papers he drove out to the Seaman farm,
five miles from Pender, on Monday, where
he found Seaman drawing load of hay from
the stack to his barn. When arrested he
appeared not in the least disturbed, but
willingly accompanied the sheriff to his
house, where he changed his clothing. His
wife was knitting in the next room, but be-
trayed no excitement. II was evident that
they had long anticipated an arrest Sea-
man acted the gentleman from Nebraska to
the Jail, and is spoken kindly of by the
sheriff
WHAT THE EVIDENCE IS.
In addition to the personal connection Of
Mr.. Seaman with the Neveille estate comes
the charge that the bondsmen he gave we're
not during the entire time responsible, mas
much as Bennett died on May 10Th, 1884,
leaving Mr.. Seaman as his executor, and
Coventry died in March, 1888, and Edgar
Pierce and Mr.. Seaman were appointed as
administrators of his estate. The Bennett
estate WAS inventoried at So, 359. 78, and Mr.
Seaman effected conditional final settle
ment in November 1888, just short time
before going to Nebraska. His bondsmen in
this estate we're A. Cottern, of this county,
and Jeremiah Poor, of De Kalb. In the
Coventry estate the bonds were fixed at
81 900, while the estate was valued at
S7,767 .25 in real estate, notes and accounts
II has not yet been settled. Judge Eldredge,
resident attorney for the absent Neveille
heirs, has commenced suit to recover the
So, III 45, due according to Mr.. Seaman 8
last report, and will make every possible at
tempt to give the heirs their due.
WHAT MR.. SEAMAN SAYS.
The FREE TRADER man visited Mr. Sea
man at his cell on the ground floor Of the
county Jail ON Thursday afternoon.
Z" Mr.. Seaman" said he, 9" The FREE
TRADER desires a statement of your side of
this case. You have been indicted for en-
bezzlement. What do you wish to sayY"
Well, he replied, " cannot say very
much. WAS appointed administrator of
the estate of Neveille and was ready at the
end of the two years to make my final set 70
Element. | wished to do as we'll by the
heirs rs | knew how, and invested the money
in booded stock. During those two years |
could have converted the stock into cash at
any time and settled the estate. Delay fol
lowed delay, and thinking the estate was
never going to be settled, | became some
what careless and bought stock too freely.
The price of stock went down. and as a con-
sequence lost great deal Of money and
could not settle until my affairs became in a
better condition. 1t was misfortune in
business, and had | made money instead Of
losing the heirs would doubtless have been
delighted. think could have made final
settlement if they allowed me a chance. |
was contemplating moving out west for three
years and making preparations to that end.
Being ignorant in law affairs | did not know
that my action in removing from the State
would be wrongly interpreted"
Can you settle the estate now"
Il think can if am given an oppor'
tunity. My books are all in Fowler Bros
safe My immediate relatives will not press
me too hard, and, think, with the temper.
airy assistance ofmy friends that | can settle
the matter satisfactorily. | did not intend
to lose anyone's money, but was only unfor-
tunate in business
Mr.. Seaman is pleasant spoken man of
about forty live years, and his appearance is
that Of thorough gentleman. He does not
look nor talk like a deliberate defaulter, and
his past record among his associates and
friends in this county is that of man of
honor, Us far as the FREE TRADER is able to
learn.