The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-06

nvcs waa cleared away, and after 1t was all
over Mrs Smell and her family gave ND
the contest they had thought was justified
BY tho facts.
Until few days ago Mrs. Hulda Smell
was convinced that She was the widow of
tho millionaire miner of Montana. In 1855
her husband, A j. Davis, disappeared
No ono knew whcre hc went No ono
heard from him or of him. lie was rs If
dead to the friends and relatives that knew
OF his struggles for wealth in the Golden
State. In 1850 A. j. Davis of Butte,
Mon., died, leaving an estate the oSti-
mated value Of which WINS between SIG
600, 900 and S2O,C0O.000. In the accounts
then published of tho millionaire there
were many circumstances that seemed to
connect, With convincing proof, tho hus-
band of MS. Smell, who had disappcarcl
In 1855, ard the wealthy miEcr of tho
northwest. y. J. Davis of Butte had work
ed In the c,.lly hftics on the Tuolumne
river. He had suffered rovcrScs and in tho
washing away Of Il dam saw his horcs of
golden wealtn vanish.
Among Tie old letters that Mrs. Srcll
treasured from her first husband, A. ].
pnvis, was one in which hc told Of his
ovcrcamo him when his da!n on the Tue
lumne river was washed away There WIS
no question that a. j. Davis. tho miner Of
Montana, and y. j. Davis. tho waL,lg ring
husband Of Mrs. Smell, were ON the Iuo.
lunnc river at the same time. IL seemed
almost impossible that moro should be two
men OF the same name, beth at the sanio
place, ut tic slE!c time and owning inter
estS Ia tho Same property.
But tho ROY citation III condolences had
only Ic;un. A. j. Davj; al Montana had
never married, and there was some hidden
episode Of his carly lie that he never cared
tn discuss. y. J. Davis tho husband of
Mrs. Smell, lad told her Elorc than oncc
That his first nan;o YVES assumed to lido
his identity and connection with an eariy
h"iscreilun that separated linn from his
friends ana drove him from his Illinois
home.
sun further investigation showed that
n. a. Davis, tie millionaire OF Montana,
AID y. j. Davis, the first husband of Mrs
Encli, were in many places always to-
Gethcr 1t seemed, and always in pursuit
oS the same object. Goth were mon Of
mystery, with dark years in their career
botl We're iott nc hunters, and when Mrs
smell remembered tho !4r,ing with her
first husband and recalled his promise that
he would never make anot her woman lis
vito sho seemed TO understand why IT. WAS
that y. j. Davis o! .iuntanu had never
married In lis later career, when ho had
almost incShaustihlc wealth. The proof
CT identity Dccanc almost absolute when
Mrs. Smell learned something of tho phvs.
ic;'l characteristics OF a. j. Davis. She
discovered that the millionaire hid n pccul-
hr mole upon his neck, and she recalled
Ip m l1.,r I, al l,
mark.
With t!Icsc facts in her possession Mrs
Smell wished to make her claim for thr.
millions that had been accumulated in
Montana, hut her husband, Anscl Smell
would not listen to such proposal. A
year later. in 1880, hc died. and tho friends
OF Mrs. s5ncll persuaded her to pursue hcr
Inquiries.
I'ie investigation was intr,lstcd to tho
caro- of {. j. Stilwoii, and for three years
ne has been engaged upon it. When Eb
hau IniSh:!, lie had proved that, in tho
face a. series OF remarkable condolences
On Identity, y. j. Davis of Montana aud
a. D. Davis, tho c.rst husband OF Mrs. Smell
Wefc tso different mcn. Tho history OF
tlrit Investigation IS Of exceptional inter
est, fts it reveals singularly romantic
life Sistory
Ili5 h..Gnry OF Abraham j. Davis. the
frsr hus.'tnc Of Hr. Smell, begins in 1911,
when he was Lorn in Kentucky. In 1928
hR parents moved 60 Illinois, and there
to family lived Tor Misty years. In 1888,
wien Abraham D;s..s was 90 years of age,
he clipped with I.c;n.r Chapman, the
daughter OF Il ncighbnriEg farmer The
young people were murriod ant. moved 10
lewa, where the husband engaged in farm
Inn -i,I ~.