The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-11

| IuIeliiGGHcc tftt ne is NOW 81 SAN tudl L'
fears death and bis signature under thu
| now familiar handwriting OF Father Genis
| who wrote the letter, shows a trembling
hand which denotes great weakness aut
trembling. He insists on Mr.. Hays writ.
| ing letter in reply at his earliest
convenience as he stated that the CORE
| spondeuce of his kind. American cousir
cheered him very much aud was a great
solace to him in his dresry prison cell.
Mr.. Hays wrote an affectionate letter In
| reply, but before it reached there he went
down to the government building one
| Sunday morning TO get his mail AID the
carrier handed MIN out large mourning
letter which at first startled Mr.
| Hays, as he thought it announced
| the death of a more genuine
/ relative. He looked at it more closely,
however, and recognized the familiar hand.
| writing of the alleged Father GEMS. MIR.
Hays opened it hastily, 10 anticipation OF
| finding solution to he mystery at last.
| Father GEMS was very profUse ia this
letter, and very pious, too. He detailed
the circumstances OF Mr.. Jams5 Hays
death in a manner that almost brought
tears the Mr. Lee Hays eyes. His spirit
| ual charge died with the holy consolation
of religion. That was naturally the first
thing priest would relate, aud the
alleged Father GEMS was on to it.
He not only died consoled By religion, bit
he shuffied off his mortal coil consoied Oy
| the thought that his daughters future was
assured to be pleasant under the guar
dianship of such Kind and affectionate
cousin. As the money Of Mr.. James Hays
was in bank hidden away from the eyes
of everybody. especially the Spanish gov
ernment. Gather Gems was compelled to
sell a fine jewel that belonged u the de-
ceased to pay the burial expenses. Before
dying, however, Mr.. James Hays made
a will and a copy of this will was enclosed
in the letter received by Mr.. Hays.
The will was certified to by Francisco
Perez, who testified that in the city of
Meliila, in the prison OF Peuon, the tesla
ment was formally read before witnesses.
IL makes Joseph Gems testamentary
executor. 1t then goes on to say that
James Hays. the testatOr, had a daughter
named Rose Gertrude Therese, who was
born in Madrid on Aug 80. 1878, of Il
legitimate marriage OF James Hays with
his cousin, Mary de Aquilar Cortes. 1t
declared the amount of money to be dis
posed of under the Will to be $500, 900,
which is deposited in bank, the where
abouts Of which is known to one person.
Lee Hays is named as guardian and curator
of Roses minor state, ard invests him
with the power to administer the cbild's
fortune till she comes of age.
Sixty thousand dollars are bequeathed
to Lee Hays TO compensate him for caring
for the child, and $4,000 is left to Lady
Josefa MunoZ as token of gratitude.
Power is given to the executor to depoSe
the guardian in case of any violation Of
the trust reposed in him. Ia case Of the
death Of the child the guardian was to re-
ceive half of the money held in trust for
her, and the other half was to be used for
the benefit of the Granada hospital.
The will had about twenty seals on it,
half dozen tapes of different colors and
WAS about as gorgeous looking IA legal
document as has ever been seen in Wichi-
"a. Lee Hays was more puzzled
than ever. Here was documentary
evidence that he was not dream
ing. Evidence that the whole thing was
honest and sincere as there was not a
tEIuS VIC plOSCSNiuSo
smelt Of fraud Things were now getting
strangely serious and he called in II few
friends to discuss the matter with him.
The conclusion arrived at was that no
change be made until the end Of the whole
matter was disclosed.
In a few days another letter was re-
ceived from Father GEMS that was still
more of puzzle This letter stated that
lie was to leave Spain i'll "A few days for
America with the child and the money.
He was to go by way of Paris, London and
Liverpool and upon his arrival in New
York he was to telegraph for Mr. Hays 20
meet him there at which time he WAS to
turn over TO him his ward and the $780,,
GOO according to the terms of the will
of the man who had confded
the charge to him in his dying bed. Mr..
Hays could hardly believe his eyes W hen
he read this. Here was something that
was getting very plain. The priest was
actually coming across the water with the
orphan and her wonderful fortune of $50,
600, of which would become his in few
weeks. He could hardly believe himself
awake, and the paper and the writing and
his eyes were the only things that made him
believe that he was not actually dreaming.
And yet he could not make himself believe
but what there was an intended fraud
somewhere, although there WAS not yet
the slightest suggestion OF one. Not a
single syllable in all the correspondence
but what indicated honesty, sincerity.
He waited for the telegram from New
York for four or five days and the more he
thought about the matter the harder
it was for him TO form any
solution of the mystery that
would stand up before the facts
in the case as related by Father GEMS.
He was now expecting telegraph mes
senger every hour in the day and had no
more interest in the arrival of the mail
carrier. But the mail carrier was the first
to come one lnoruing and thrust letter
into his hands. It was from Father GEMS
Re opened it, adjusted his glasses to The
proper focus, went down to the side door
where lie could have lots of light
and the proper freedom from any
thing to disturb him, and after throwing
one leg over the knee Of the other he
settled down to an interesting perusal of
Father GEMS letter. Piety. affection and
disappointment were commingled with
eXactness in the episode of the
alleged father confessor. He stated to Mr..
HAYS that when he went to Withdraw the
money from the bank he became aware of
the existence OF Spanish law providing
for a certain tax on fortunes intended TO
be taken into a foreign country. In This
case It was s., 500, aud he seemed to feel
very bad over not knowing more about |
the law before. bat he excused himself on |
the grounds of being priest. whose duty |
it was to study the laws of God aud not |
the laws OF man. He showed great tact /