The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-09-12
THE HEIRS FOUND,
How tho bean Millions VIII be Diyided-A
~ Celebrnlsl Cnae.

WASHINGTON, D. O., Sept. ll.-Newe
paper readers will recall the publication
some three years ago, OF the statemen
that Thomas Bean had died in Texas
leaving an estate supposed to DO wortl
something like Sl0OO0,OOO, the only heir
thereto being some distant relatives
thought to be living in Washington ant
vicinity.
Alter three years OF diligent aearchinp
the heirs have been found in Washington
and Virginia, and half OF the princely
estate OF 500 acres OF tho finest cotton
lands In the counties CT Grayson, Finnin
and vicinity, in Eastern Texas, Is to be
divided among twenty.onc prominent
Washingtonians, the other half 10 70 to
the Virginia branch OF tho family.
Mrs. Sallie Dave, OF this city, will in.
herit one.eighth Of the estate, or one.
fourth Of the Washington heirs half:
Mrs. wilkins, wife OF Col. John D. vii.
kins, Of the United States Army, now re-.
siding here; Miss Z. Middleton, Mrs.
VIM. 4. Howard, Mrs. Samuel Bacon
and sixteen members OF the Bean fam.
lily, all in Washington, more or less dis.
family related to the diseased Texan, will
divide the remainder among themselves,
The other half goes to the Virginia heirs,
The land is worth from SIG to 500 per
acre, Home In the suburbs OF the town OF
Bonham being more valuable.
The story is q romantic one, the first
chapter being laid in the year 1872,
when Col. Collamore Bean. OF Washing.
ton, eloped with Miss Winlred Murray,
the daughter Of an old Virginia family,
The parents Of the young lady had dis.
countenanced the young mans atten.
tions to the daughter, 80 he Loldly car.
lied her away from the Old Dominion
homestead, and, pushing post haste for
Warrington, married her in Christ
Episcopal Church, which stands on
Capitol Hill. The young couple never
obtained the parental forgiveness, so
they settled down here and lived a
peaceful life. The result OF that union
was four children, one OF them being
Thomas Bean. When this child attain.
ed bis manhood be grew restless under
he cramped surroundings Of Washing
.on, and pushed out boldly for the West.
For many years he was lost sight OF, al.
.hough he is now to memory dear in the
hearts OF his hopeful heirs.
About three years ago local paper |
printed telegram from Bonham, re-
ating TO the demise OF Thomas b an and
he rumor that his only supposed heirs
ived in Washington. The supposed
leirs, relatives Of the missing Thomas
5ean, Immediately went to work TO as.
ertain il the Texan was their long.lost |
,insman. They traced Thomas Besn
irst to Virginia, then TO Palmyra, Mo-,
o Fayetville, Ark, and finally to Bon
lam, Texas, where, through the medium
'f his Masonic connections, his identity
vas established with the deceased land
;ing.
1t seems that the young man, after
lrilting to Texas. became surveyor,
md by thrift and speculation amassed
he immense tracts OF land referred to.
Then followed three years OF harrassing
some pretenders OF the legacy,
Beans, in Tennessee, and other places, |
making strong effort to establish their
,laims upon the estate. The Washing.
onians had the lead, however, and after
lighting the case stubbornly through |
several courts, have now by a recent de-
:ision, established their case.
Thomas Bean died without children,
md the Texas law provides that in such |
! case the estate shall revert to the de-
eased's relatives, who are of course the
Beans upon his fathers side and the
,lurrays, OF Virginia, upon his mothers.
he decision rendered in the case by
udge E. L. Agnew, Of Bonham, last
reek, places the estate in the hands OF |
no administrators, DR.. Ii. P. Howard |
nd Joel Hume, who will make the dl.
ision Of the slO,OO0,OOO property within
wear,