The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-16
A DEAD MANS MILLIONS.
Mrs. j. A. Davis, Of Wisconsin, Also
Says That She Has
Will.
She Says the Instrument Leaves
Her the Bulk of the
Property.
Married to Mr.. Davis Forty Yeas Ago. but
Lived With Him Only
Few Weeks

To the complications that already sur
round the celebrated Davis will case. which
has by this time become we'll known all
over the country, there may be added an
other claim to the dead millionaire's
money. County Attorney Nolan received
yesterday in his mail postal card from
Mrs. J. A. Davis, of Kewanee. Wisconsin.
Mrs. Davis writes:
KEwANEE, Wis, Aug. II, 1890.
Dear Sir:-I am the lawfully welded wife
of j. A. Davis, whose will has been offered
for probate there. I was married to Mr..
We lived together but few weeks and then
parted by mutual consent ! agreeing not to
bother him as long as he lived, and he
agreeing to support me as long as l lived.
He faithfully kept his promise and kept
mine. have numerous letters in my pos
session to prove all my statements. l have,
also, a document which I believe to be his
last will. 1t is dated only two years ago.
In it he leaves the bulk of his property to
me. have also my marriage certificate.
Please tell me what should do.
Address: Mrs. J. A. DAVIS,
Kewanee, Wis.
It will be noticed that Mrs. Davis gives
her initials as j. A. Andrew j. Davis was
the name of the Butte millionaire but it is
barely possible that Mrs. Davis may be
mistaken ia the initials and may yet prove
to be the dead mans widow. John A. Da-
Wis, a brother of Andrew j., was some time
ago appointed by the Silver Bow district
court as administrator of his brothers es-
tate after a hard fight and the case was
then appealed to tho supreme courtlby
Henry A. Root. In the brief of the appel
liant in the higher court there is some refer
ence to John A. Davis living at one time in
Wisconsin. In the argument he is described
as being 81 years of age and absolutely
without any means; that he had been living
for four or five years in Beloit, Wisconsin,
and left there for Butte in 1885, having
abandoned his wife and minor children.
Some time after that his wife removed to
Chicago with her children. It is also al
legged that he did not furnish her house
there nor contribute to the support of his
family, and that on his arrival in Butte in
1885, his brother, Andrew J. Davis, started
him IN o,o in business with a loan of
from business and went to work for his
brother, by attending to some building and
some lawsuits in Iowa. In the argument
on the appeal from the order of the lower
court appointing Davis as administrator CT
the estate of the deceased the testimony of
witnesses in the lower court is quoted as to
the appointee's habits of drunkenness. One
of the witnesses testified that "Davis APP
peared pretty drunk most of the time.''
There is nothing in Mrs. Davis COM
munication to indicate whether she has any
children or not. The case will come up
again next October in the supreme court
where Photographic copy of will, said to
have been executed by the deceased in 1865,
was fled day or two before the case was
to be heard last month when it was con-
tinued until October.