The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-02-15


March, 1887. Evans took him through
the general Office and into his private
Office and locked the door. Talking Ia
a low tone Of voice, Evans said there
was talk Of settlement Of the will
contest; that the Reddick heirs want
ed $4,000, while the Library Board
and Armstrong had offered but 81 900.
Evans then advised me TO put up
81 800 to make up the difference. He
explained that the expenses OF an
other trial would amount to that
much, and that he thought $500
would be enough, which with $500
that might be gotten from the county,
would make $4,000 in all, which, he
thought, would do. After learning
his reasons | put up the money. lie
said it was necessary to keep the mat
ter secret, for if the attorneys on the
other side got hold Of it they might
interfere with the settlement; and he
was also not to mention it to Arm
strong, because he sometimes talked
more than was prudent. And Arm
strong in the audience smiled audibly.l
| He said Jack Reddick had power of
attorney from the Reddick heirs and
at liberty to act for that side, and that
both he and Duncan had to be recon-
cled to the Settement-they were the
ones that had to be seen aid settled
with. He Evans was to meet them
that evening, and he said should call
the next day and hear the result. On
the next day Funk said he saw Evans,
| in his private Office, with door locked:
that Evans seemed agitated, spoke in
a low tone and confidential manner;
said he had seen the parties in refer
ence to the settlement: that the cOun-
ty could not be counted on to contrib
ute as the publicity necessary to get
such contribution at that time would
arrest a settlement which had to be
effected in IA secret and confidential
manner. For this reason it would be
necessary for him Funk to contribute
more money. and advised me that |
| had better leave $500 with him, and
| in case it was necessary to use only
| 81 800, he would return to me the
other 81 900. He said the parties were
to have another meeting on the 10th
of March and advised me to leave the
So. 500 with him on that day and he
would use his best efforts to bring
about a settlement. He also said that
in case the Library Board made de-
mand on me for contribution to the
81, 900 fund that | was to say (he form
ulated the speech for mel, THAT it was
| the executors business TO carry on
that suit; that Elzabeth's allowance
was specific, and that neither she nor
| were compelled to contribute to
that sum.
On the 10th he got into town on Il
| freight from StreatOr before noon and
went straight to Evans private office
and was alone with him. | told him
had got the money and presented the
draft for it. He looked at it and sort
of hesitated and said he wished l had
brought currency, but finally said he
guessed he could use it. | endorsed
| it. When he took it | started to go
away, but he said, hold on, l will
give you receipt. He wrote it,
started to hand it to me, then took it
btck, hummcd and muttcred to HIM
self. made an addition to it, saying,
this will serve as sort of blind, about
professional service, and handed it to
me. put it into my pocket and went
away. The receipt, dated March 10,
recited that the money was 81, 800 used
in connection with the settlement of
ii NJ i,sm fi i,,:.e:s 49, sSs
seen in the papers that the settlement
had been made for $1,000, and | could
not account for the fact that my money
| had not been mentioned. He said it
was policy to keep that matter entirely
scored. got indignant and said |
thought that after the settlement it
was not necessary to keep it secret any
longer. said didn't like it: that had
never before been a party to such a
matter and that | would not have
gone into it if had expected to keep
silent after it was over. lie said 1t
was policy to do so. | then asked him
| if it had taken all the $500, and he
said it had.
| The receipt of June Is from Evans
| fin final settlement between Fun k and
Evans, so called to Funk, the latter
SAID was written by Evans, G. w.
Armstrong furnishing the blank. 1t
relates to SERVES rendered Elizabeth.
On March II Evans went on to state
that he had acted as her attorney and
that she had made extravaganza offers
to him if he would effect settlement
for her, and he said he ought to have
$500 for the services rendered for her:
that she had given him $25 and still
owed him $475. and he referred me to
Mrs. Shaw, who knew all about it. |
said | never had heard Of his being EN-
ployed by Elizabeth; that Mayo &
Widmer were assigned as her attor-
neys, and that, though she had i'm
plicit confidence in me, yet had
never heard her speak of him, except
as friend. Afterwards on several OC-
casiOns he wrote notes to me about
| this, and | went to see him in answer
to the second note. In May or June,
when was at work on my building
1.-THE Reddick barnl, he came to see me,
and took pe aside to talk of it. told
him to put in his claim against Eliza
beth's estate like any other claimant.
Armstrong then came to see me about
| the claim. We then made bargain,
and Evans was called in, and agreed
to take the mirror at its appraised
value of 800. He took it away the
same afternoon and helped to load it.
He gave me the receipt for 800, as in
full of all demands of whatsoever kind
against the estate of Elizabeth Red
dick, as well as of myself Funk.
The cross-eXamination was con-
Quoted by Mr.. MAYO with his char