The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-12-11
FRAUD OF LONG AGO
Deeds of the Astor5 and Van
derbilts TO be Contested.
INVALID TITLES.
The Heirs Of Governor Dongau Will Sue
for Millions of Dollars in R9al Estate.

Dongnn was Governor OF the Colony Of
New York in 1000, and It is Claimed
that he Was Denaudod Out of Proper
~ by the Makers of the Famous "Shoo
Makers " Deed-Fortunes for the LIgI-
giants of the Suit is successful.
New YoRK, Dec. 11.-Tho heirs OF
Thomas Dongan, Governor Of the col
ony of New York in 1880, are preparing
to bring a sensational suit to test the
title to millions of dollars worth of real
estate located in this city and now in
the possession of some of the wealthiest
and most influential men in the city.
The property involved includes many
lots in the lower part of the city, be-
tween Whitehall street and the City
Hall, and the majority OF the lots touch
Broadway, making them the most valu-
able pieces of real estate in the city.
Thomas Dongan was a confirmed
bachelor when he received his appoint
ment as Governor of the colony OF New
York, aud he remained bachelor until
the day of his death in 1915. He had
relatives in England, but none OF them
seems to have followed his fortunes in
America, nor to have known whether he
had amassed a fortune or not at the
time of his death.
Years after the death of Cove rnor
Thomas Dongan many of the descend.
ants of his relatives left England and
came to America in the hopes of better
ing their fortunes.
The descendants of these, in turn,
have scattered all over the country, and
can be found in various States from New
York to California. In this section of
the country, however, the majority of
them are located, and some 30 of the
heirs in this city and Brooklyn have
combined together to contest the dis
puted titles. Many lawyers regard their
chances as very slim.
Prominent among those who claim to
be the heirs of Thomas DonRan are
George H. Jackson, Atwood b. Jack son,
Charles b. jackson, Henry 2. Toombs,
Gilbert n Stevenson, William h.
Toombs AZ N~ltsr Dongau OF Brook
lyn.
The prop" @nw IN the possession
of thr toe'-u..r ., s.l estate, James Cor =
don .eud.st, - Astors and others
The deed ,,I a., VIII, the present pos
SCISSORS ca. 81 t.,is O., a deed kp as
the "Shoemakcls' Deed. " IL has often
bSch ItleIIsu w III HlsJpTlChl bhblGub9,
and gained its name from the fact
that the majority of the men who sign
ed it were shoemakers. The signers of
this deed were four men and one woman.
ALI the signers owned property ad-
joining that claimed as the Dongan
property. The Dongan heirs now claim
that in executing that deed those who
were parties to it conspired together to
| commit gross fraud upon the rights of
Governor Dougan and those who might
be entitled to inherit his property.
The alleged heirs will attempt to prove
! that the signers of the deed waited un e
| til 1915 to record it, although it was
! drawn up in 1896, in order to divide up
Dongan's laud among themselves Dom
| gan died in 1915, and the deed was re-
corded shortly afterward.
! 1t is alleged that the conspiracy sue
ceeded SO well that for nearly 2JO years
the titles have remained undisputed.
! Now for the first time, it is claimed,
has the fraud uleut conspiracy been un-
| earthed.