Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-11-04
PLOT IS DEEP LAID
SONS PARfSTAGE DENIED
By Hls s6oshev. innuencei to DO % ~
an Adopted Ds.shsers schem-
kng Husband


AZ this months term Of court In Carroll
county. This disposition Of 10000
estate and the parentags oi loyear-old
boy are 20 be settled under most extraor-
dinsIy circumstances and what prora-
ises TO be decidedly conflicting evidence.
An adopted daughter and her husband
viii also figure in tho casse. badly
ratified administrators will be feature
and an outsider who claims that he is
trying 10 right wrong will add to the
confusion.
The estate involved. according 10 the
story. is one left by Samuel Bohn,
wealthy Carroll county farmer. who
died in 1891. Ii is valued at something
over 100000 and for soue time after
his death it looked ~ II II would be
settled in the usual way and without
any conflict In the courts Lucinda
Bolhn. the widow. applied for the letters
q administration on the estate. supple
menting the application with an afh-
davit to the effect that Samuel Bohn
left surviving him, In addition TO the
widow. an adopted daughter, Leonetta
Bohn, now married To Samuel Matheney.
No mention Was made OF young son.
and there was no suspicion that thcre
was one in existence Letters were is-
sued 10 Conrad Lamp. and he proceeded
with the work OF settling up the estate
with q view OF turning all except the
widows share over 10 tho adopted
daughter
Son Turned Up.
Then the sensation came. Edward
Giatfelty Of Lanark. Illinois, il is
-. A -. -
heir. and he began an investigation. the
results Of which are said 10 have been
startling. He found boy. said TO be
Lucinda Bohn, who was born February
%. 1851 lie put the boys case in the
hands Of law firm. proceedings were
quietly begun to secure for the boy bis
alleged rights. and the complications
began To enter into the case.
Among the fret was the absolute denial
by Mrs. Bohn that she Is the child's
mother, coupled with the assertion that
the boy is OF illegitimate parentage. She
has prepared an affidavit, il is claimed.
that allegesth the boy is a child OF a
Mrs Woodby. former domestic at the
BohnS, but who is now dead. This was
brought out briefly at preliminary
hearing before a master in chancery.
But the boy q champions still uphold his
right To share in the estate, and 10 break
down Mrs. Bohn's story they have Sc
cured the certificate OF birth, dated
February "A. 1883. and signed by DIR. K
p. Wales, which shows the boy 10 be the
son Of Mr. and Mrs Bohn. Yet
even in the face OF this il is claimed
that Mrs Bohn will still deny that the
boy is her son and will twear that DIR.
| Wales was not present at the birth and
had no means Of knowing who the
mother was.
How an Eiopement Figures.
The further allegations that are made
bring in Samuel Matheney and his wife.
add an elopement TO the story and in
other ways heighten the interest and
add to the sensationalism. IL is boldly
charged that Matheney's influence over
Mrs. Bohn is responsible for her denial
of the maternity of the child, and that
1 he is actuated solely by a desire 10
secure. through his wife, the inheri-
tance that rightfully belong 10 the boy.
II il further charged that he elopcd
to Beloit. Wisconsin. with Leonetta
! Bohn, married her there and at once be-
gan 10 plot and scheme 10 secure the in
| heritance. According 10 the boys
champions. Matheney has resorted to
every possible means TO cheat the son
! out OF Eis Inheritance; has terrorized the
widow. who is said 10 be superstitious;
has threatened her and preyed upon her
| fears until he has secured sufficient in
/ fiuence over her 10 induce her to swear
| her own son out OF what il rightfully
/ his It ~ asserted that he has told her
| that che would have 10 go 10 the peni.
Tertiary IL she named any other than
/ Leonetta as an heir. and that so great a
/ power has be secured over her that she
/ has sworn TO what he wishes and is now
afraid to deny II.
Deep Laid Plot
The whole thing is said 10 be the re-
suit of deep laid scheme en- the part Of
Matheney. systematically carried out
from its inception, TO secure the inner
I itance. The full defense has not been
/ outlined yet. but there is an iutimation
/ that an attempt will be made 10 show
that the maternity Of the child was pur.
posely concealed for family reasons and
TO save the reputation OF the domestic
/ IN this be true il must have
been done with the full knowledge
and consent of Mrs. Bohn. IL could
| not have been done without her assist
ance. aud the boys friends claim tnat il
is pr-posterous to suppcee that she
would lend herself 10 any such scheme.
I Further than this. II is claimed by them
that Dr. Wales treated Mrs Bohn during
confinement and could not pusssibly
I have been mistaken in tbs matter, and
I that the certificate was made at the
joint request Of Dir. and Mrs. Bohn DIR.
Waf~. .l.f aaaerta that he waa the fam
ily physician Of the Bohns. that hc vas
frequently called 70 zee the. TO, after bic