The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-03
The KING CASE.
Mrs. E. A. Webster Ross Re-
mains a Mystery.
She Fails TO State Her Relationship
TO w. n. King.
And the Court VIII Now Appoint "a
Guardian ad Litem.

The celebrated case OF w. II. King, the
insane Newport millionaire, came before
the Appellate Court once more today on
motion OF Mrs. T.. A. Webster Ross re-
iatiye TO the court joining her as party in
the suit as guardian ad litem. This
was the final day on which
the court had decided that she could be
allowed to make a statement of her al
legged relationship to William III. King.
Through her counsel she has fron time 10
time endeavored TO put this day on ana
he made one final attempt this morning
but ii was not successful.
Mrs. Ross was present in the court and
sat behind her counsel, Messrs. j. Z.
Wyman and Z. j. Farnsworth. Judge
Wilson was absent. For George Gordon
King, who was also present, appeared
Messrs. w. q. Rocker, John Glover,
Richard l.. Sweezy and w. p. Sheffield,
senior.
Mr.. Farnsworth stated that Judge
Wilson, Mrs. Ross senior counsel, Was
engaged in a trial at Washington and
could not be present and asked for
weeks postronement. This the court re-
fused, whereupon Mr.. karnsworth asked
Tor an hours delay and this was not
granted. Mr. Rocker thereupon renewed
his original motion, which was before the
court at the time OF Mrs. Ross appear
uhSSs oha onhtd bhht ~ Lt5 ltohSlOiS NAhtICh
OF the State be appointed as guardian ad
litem to determine whether the
litigation should be carried fur
ther. Mr.. Rocker suggested the
following names: Ex-Chiet Justice Dur
fee, Hon. Charles Hart, Hon. l.. B. Peck
bam, Hon. Arnold Green, Colonel John IL.
Powell and Cornelius 5. Sweelland. The
court expressed the hope that Mr.. Durfee
would serve and held The matter for ad-
visement, immediately dispatching d let
ter TO the ex-chief justice. The court
forthwith adjourned. Judge Duriee re-
fused TO accept unless he was agreeable to
all parties and Mrs. Rose and her counsel
are considering the matter. When
Mrs. Ross saw that her chance for
obtaining a foothold in the case had
grown extremely problemntical, she be-
trayed no little excitement, going hur-
-riedly out of the room several times and
coming back again. A gentleman who
was present, after the adjournment of the
court, spoke to Dir. Wyman, whereupon
Mrs. Ross approached him and said in
a pre-emptory tone, .'W hat are you saying
to my counsel?n The gentleman re-
marked that he thought he bad better go.
"Yes," she said, al think you had" The
gentleman demonstrated and said he did
not consider IL her privilege 10 inform
him in regard TO his conduct, and Mrs.
Ross replied that she had taken him st his
word when he said that he had better
leave.
During the past few weeks Mrs. Ross
has visited several people in Providence
and mas attempted to find out from them
certain facts concerning Mr.. King. In
one interview Mrs. Ross asked ii MIR. King
had not been a practicing physician in
Warwick and proceeded In a rambling
manner to question at length concerning
the demented gentleman. Not getting
the replies which she wished, Mrs. Ross
ended the conversation in n dramatic
manner and departed. Mr.. William ii.
King has been visited at Buffers Asylum
by an old friend of h:s who
knew him intimately when
boy. Mr.. King talked nationally at times
and remembered some OF his classmates at
Brown. He said at this time that DIR
Charles King, the father OF George Cor.
don King, was his grandfather. MIR. King
stated that he never had been physician
in Warwick and had never studied medi-
cire.
The counsel of Mrs. Ross had the fol-
lowing afIidaviis which were not pre-
sented before the court:
The affidavit OF Octavis Sullivane made
at Washington, January =, 1895 reads:
81 am daughter of the late Judge z.
A. Van Dorm OF Port Gibson, Mississippi,
and sister OF the late Gen. Earle Van
Dorm; also sister of Mrs. Emily Van
Dorm Miller Of his city. am the mother
of the late Isaac Allison Ross
who married Eugenia Althea
Webster Calhoun daughter of
James Il. Calhoun, of the South Carolina
family of that name. The said James Il.
Calhoun married Christiana Gordon,
daughter OF The late Judge Adam Gordon,
and his wife, Althea Gordon of Port Glib
son, Miss.
Judge Adam Gordon was native OF
Massachusetts and, | was informed, q
brot ther-in-l law of samuel Dexter OF Bos-
ton, Mass, President Washington's Secre-
tary OF State. Judge Gordon died IN 1896,
and his widow, Al heo, died In lS45, leav-
ing one son who was absent from nome,
and Eugenia Althea Webster Calhoun,
their only grandchiid, heirs to their en-
tire estate.
"Judge and Mrs. Gordon were known to
be people OF great wealth and Of the
highest social standing. Mrs. Gordon,
who was a Philadelphisn, wos lady OF
rare intelligence and cultivation and was
noted Tor her remarka bile memory.
"My SOP, Isaac Allison Ross, was young
man of largewealth aud high standing ia
our community. Ills property was iu-
which interest sold to my
son after his marriage with said
Eugenio. Ny said son, Isaac Allison
Ross, died in The year 1876, in Charleston,
South Csrolins, while there on business
visit. Soon after his death. his widow,
tnc sara EuSenid, Nlslleu me III Wasnlng-
ton TO inform mo OF his death, OF which
had previously heard through friend In
Savannah, Geocgia.
"My dnughter-i law, Eugenia A. w.
Ross ana ] have been separated many
years until recently. ! have understood
she was living in New England, but there
was no correspondence nor ccmmunica-
tion, direct or indirect, between her or
any OF my family, until in the spring
OF 1893 when | had u visit from her.
AT the close of the civil war | was liv-
ing ln Maryland, bat have heard that
Mrs. r. A. W. Ross sold her COTTON FOR
GO La, -hcAidc- -recnlvirr ID GO from har
ietnyr, James r.. Calhoun. As 10 the
charge oi her having a rowing dispo-