The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-08
DELAMATER'S Bic Stakes
Will Win $200,G0O If He Can Break
a NilliOnaire'S Will.
AT LAW FOR A WARREN WOMAN
yon, Who Grew Rich with Adam Fore.
paugh, and Disinhorited Relatives,
Is at Stake in the Suit.
By the United Press.

By the United Press.
Seattle, Wash, Dec. 7.-George Wal
lace Delamater, formerly of Meadville,
Pa, whom Robert L. Pattison four
years ago defeated for governor of the
Keystone state, and who subsequently
went bankrupt and came to Washing
ton to begin again, is making a great eff
fort now to get one-iifth of an estate
worth 100000. This will be his fee as
attorney. Eccentric j. Gardner Ken
yon, of King county, this state, who
was once identified with Adam Fore
paugh's circus business, died last year.
The claimant to his million-dollar es-
tate, and contestant of his will, for
whom Delamater, as attorney, is now
valiantly fighting, is Mrs. Cynthia Per-
ry, formerly of Warren, Pa, the near
est blood relative of Kenyon. so
After Kenyon had made a small for
tune in the circus business, he came
West, located in Seattle, and invested
his money in buying up tide land prop
erty along the shores of Puget Sound,
which at one time could be purchased
for a mere song, but is now very valua-
BILE.
Some time in 1888 Kenyon concluded
to import lawyer from the East to
help him keep his property. He had
prior to that time fought shy of all his
relatives, but young cousin, and a
brilliant lawyer, w. w. Moore, who was
then enjoying a $4,000 year prac-
tice in New York city, attracted the at
tention Of old Kenyon, who induced him
to come West and assume the manage
ment of his legal business. A month
after his arrival Moore was adopted by
Kenyon and promised the entire for
tune when Kenyon's life came to an end
Moore had been in this city less than
a year when he lost a suit involving
an invention of Kenyon's, of a wagon, on
which he had secured letters patent
from the French, English, Canadian
and United States governments. Ken
yon was so eDr%ged that he discharged
his cousin, disinherited him and ever
afterward passed him on the street
without speaking to him.
Kenyon continued to grow rich and
when he died, in October 1893, he left
a fortune Of $1.OOO0OO, consisting of
cash, business blocks in Seattle and
California property.
Created Decided Furore.
When his will was admitted to pro-
bate it created a sensation. A few
thousand dollars were left to intimate
friends. All the dead mans relatives
were ignored and disnherited, with the
exception of BENJAMIN Kenyon, a Cana
dian cousin of the deceased, who was
given about $95O,OOO of the fortune.
Relatives sprung up from every quar-
ter of the United States, employed at
torneys and claimed interests in the
Kenyon estate. For long time it was
insisted by these alleged relatives that
Benjamin Kenyon, the principal devisee
under the will, was only myth, and
every effort was made to have the court
set aside the devise. This failed
While the alleged relatives were fight
ing for Kenyon's fortune, George w.
Delamater came to this country and be-
gan life anew, opening a law Office in
Tacoma.
Delamater had heard of the Perry
ldiiily, VI warren, IA, while q resi-
dent of the east, and had ascertained
that Mrs. Perry claimed to be the near
est blood relative of the dead Kenyon.
Through correspondence he made a con-
tract to contest the will in the interest
Of Mrs. Perry. He has done so, and is
now about to appeal ~ the state su-
preme court, the local superior court
having decided against his client as he
claims, without justification. ..