The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-02-12

the Pittsburgh Dispateh recently paid visi
to Ebensburg for the purpose Of looking a
the condition OF estates Ieft in tangle B.
the fiood, and has been able TO contribute t
his paper very interesting article, from
which we take the information given below
On the morning Of June l2ih a team dres
up at the Cambria County Court House, u
Ebensburg. from Johnsiown !. brorgh
Mr. D. d. MorreIl, Of Henrietta, Blair Coun
ty, who at once applied for letters Of admin
istration on the estate OF Mrs. Mary l. Diller
his daughter She was the wife Of Rev. A
P. Diller, Of Johnstown. Both were drown
ed in the food. The value Of Mrs Diller,
personal property that was saved was ss,I75
This was Twelve days ater the food, anc
was the very first application to the Orphan
Court tc settle an estate where the will had
been destroyed.
Ter Of the First National Bank. who was
drowned, the letters were taken out by hi'
son, Dwight Roberts. and an sppraisemeni
showed the value Of $50, 4e0 Separate en-
tries we're made in the estates Of Mr.. Rob
erts' wife and son, Otis. who perished also
An spprsisement of the estate Of Sherif
Ryan showed S26,l ,lC0 He, with his wife,
mother, and several children were al drown.
ed. William F. Diller appears as the admin
istrafor OF Rev A p OILERS estate. but an
appraisement only shows $50 ofs value.
Alex. Reckless estate is estimated at s7.l57.
Martha Dibert appears as the executrix OF
John Dibert. the banker, who lost his life,
His personal estate is put down at s03,l75.
Matilda Benshoffs name was found as sp-
plying for papers on Arthur NJ. Benshoff S
estate. Arthur was her son. He was lost in
tie food. On the next page she also asked
for letters on the property of J. O. A. Ben
shoff. her husband. He died in one Of the
improvised hospitals three days after the
black Friday.
Captain o'Connells heirs appraised what
property remains at 1850
Christ Fitzharris was q we'll known hotel
keeper on Franklin street, who was drown
ed. and in settling up his affairs all he left
was found to be worth only s46s.
James P. McConaughy was another pop
uIar resident. His heirs applied for letters,
without will, of course, and an appraise-
ment showed S5,7sI, exclusive of real estate.
Justice of-lae Peace John Brady left prop
eriy worth s6.422.
In double frame house in Woodvale
there resided W E Hopes and family and
II. W Smith and family. The great crest Of
water from South Fork lifted the building
high in the air and then smashed it into
kindling wood. Mr. Hoopes, his wiff, and
both their children were all drowned within
a few minutes. Mr. Smith lost all his fami-
ly. and his baby girl was killed by crashing
timbers while he held her in one arm. His
other arm thrown around tree barely say
ed his own life.
There was absolutely nothing left of Mr.
Hoopes' possessions. aud the history Of the
family and home wonld have been ended as
extinct. but for the fact that an agent Of a
Baltimore beneficial society advertised that
W F. Hoopes had his life insured with
them for 5000. and they were ready TO pay
il a. sooD as they knew who il should go 10.
Mrs. Comman, a sister Of Mr. Hopes, took
out letters Of administration through her
attorney, r. S. Murphy, Esq. OF Johnstown.
A Mr.. Rogers, brother of Mr. HOPES wife,
has also made application for administration
letters, basing the claim through the chill
dren of his sister; that they being dead he
is the next oil kin.
In other words, Rogers means that Mr..
Hopes died first; that the life insurance
would then have been paid to Mrs HOPES.
but she dying too, the children were entitled
to IT, and they having also perished, the
money is now legally due Ms, Hopes i'm
mediate relatives. Where wills do not exist
after deaths estates always have 10 pass. ac-
cording to law, from husband to wife, from
wife 10 children. etc. or course no viii re-
manned in the HOPES case, as everything was
swept away.
The case of the Parke heirs follows: The
rights Of the son-in-law a, against those Of
the son depend upon the question Of the
survival of the daughter. But as all attempts |
TO prove anything we're futile. an amicable |
arrangement was effected between the broth /
ers-in law. In this way quite a number Of
disputes we're settled where trouble had been /
expected. and would have resulted, had the
cases been allowed TO go into litigation, be-
cause this poin; Of priority Of death would !
give both sides of contest about equal
chance.
In many entries on the docket are ciphers
like these ZOO co. opposite the words
general appraisement." That means that
there was not cents worth Of personal prop
~ left by the food. Such a case Is that Of
John W. Stuff, of WoOdvale. He peri.hed,
with all his family, and his pretty house
went 10 pieces. only the arid ground. 6oTlo0
feet, remains, and to claim that his brother
in-law John c. L7rdiu. of New Florence, has
taken out letters of administration. Close
by this spos stood another house, that of J.
W rross. He had q large family, but they
all went down 10 death together in the ruins
of their home The sole survivor of the
family 10 any of It's branches is brother,
John Tfoss, and be has taken out letters OF
admins trsiion on the bare lot Of ground.