The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1896-05-23
CRIME AND MYSTERY
STRANGE COMPLICATIONS ~ THE
WYANT CASE.
One Murder Followed by Another.
sad That by suicide-COa-
test for the Estate.

Spokane. Washington. May N-John
r. wyant has been decreed by the
supreme court of Washington the legiti-
mate son and heir at law Of the late
John wyanL
Since the celebrated Ticheborne trial 10
case Of like nature has excited such u al
Hefsal interest in law circles in this cou.i-
Try. The tnai adiudica ton was announc-
ed In dispatch from Olympia to yest=r-
days spok.sma IL Review. as follows:
"A case growing out of litigation over
the Wyant estate, from Spokane. WAS de-
Cided by the supreme court in favor of
appellant. John T. Wysnt The elder
WsaDi died In Spokane. leaving an es-
tate there. and several respondents claim
ed the same AS brothers and sisters. The
point Of contention In this case was tina,
appellant Was not the son of deceased
and that decreased died chiidiess. The
court does not decide any OF the questions
raised for the reason that the lower court
erred IN binding that appt liant was not
SON OF deceased on this point the court
Is 50 well satisfied 10 enter judgment
Of reversal
The history Of the wyanI family is re-
pletc with romance and tragedy. John
Hyani KILLED boy ia Missouri for steal
ing watermelons ana fled a fugitive
from justice. The story OF that tragedy II
that he went to Missouri from Virginia
IN lsSs. he Mas then mere boy. In !sjs
he Was working on she farm OF Captain
Smith. The captain had been p~stereh
by boys invading his melon patch lie in
sIfacied John 10 go out and stand guard
over Might. A white boy. with several
coiorri boys. came siong toward mid
night Ana wyatt opened ire. The white
boy fell. ana when w.snt heard that ne
MAS dead he left the country. A reward OF
HOO WAS offered for his apprehension.
Esatsr lat h. "a ttssfKt
IN Kansas, where he Was married. The
result Of that union Was the boy whom
the supreme cour; has declared. after
long litigation. TO be the legitimate heir
Murdered by smith.
John WgaAt MAS killed near Spanple
Spokane county. by J. ID. Smith The
slayer wSs conNlc,ed Of murder In ~, frst
d@Er~u. After eshAusting all the remedies
u The Law and while the death watch was
upon him and she sounds OF the ham
m~rs employed In the construction Of has
sa.ons w"r" ringing IN his ears "A care
less lNiisF permitted him 10 walk out of
prison ard Zee FOR his Afe. A. he passed
through the kitchen OF the !ai trus;y
saw him and gave the alarm An excited
throhs pursued him 30 The margin o: tn.
riFrr, Realizing the impossi biity OF
swimming across the rapid stream he
drew from his pocket u razor. which lac
had bocn n~siisently allowed TO retain In
his cell. ana cut h!s throat from ear to
ear. Before has pGrsGers had reached
him She crystal waters were crimson"d
with blood and Smith was dead.
Claims The Estate.
John =. Wyani She victor In the !oas
litigation over John wyap;'s property,
gpFiici 30 th~ lao firm Of Jones. Beii 4
Quinn m he early part OF las; year. claim.
irr 10 to the son of John Wyani At that
SIM" there was an application before
the probate department OF the superior
court 30 distribute among the heirs the
estate. The heirs appearing as claim
ants w"rc brothers AMI sisters OF Ia" de-
ceased John Wyant The young man
Informed The attorneys that his unc,.
and aunt. John r. and A A. wyan;
would support his claim. The uncle John
r. he said. was at kas'o, n G, and his
auni. 4 a. was back IN Iowa and as
;hcy had raised him from childhood wer.
.ompe, ION; Witnesses Ic said he could
also prove hss birth hy = Witness nam d
starr
Tho attorneys ;horeupon hlca a petit
lion FOR an order distributing the estate
20 him the sole and legal heir at Law.
The petition VAS resisted by the Interested
parties with the exception OF Joseph Il
and 4. \ wyan, they being Ave or s,r
In number In support OF the petition the
testimony Of the uncle and sun, uss al
iuc.a as TO their having reared John i
" NAHH from sHF AlliF ne WINS Y years btb
until he was i6, Starr testified that lac
knew John wyant at Spangle and also
tina; the latter had previously worked for
he witness Stars father In Iowa. At
that time John wyar; was living with a
woman whom he represented as hir wife.
During the residence of wrant and wife
on the ranch Mrs. Wysrt gave birth 10 n
hoy child. Five or six months thereafter
ahe died A few months after the burial
John wyAn, lef, STAIRS ranch. taking the
hoy with him and stating tina; he would
take him to some relatives In Kansas.
This witness did no, know whether the
claimant Was the same child or not
Hugh Metcalf testified that while tho
claimant was living with his uncle and
aun, In Iowa he knew him rs a schoolhcy
and he identified him as the nephew OF
Joseph r. and A. A. wyant and the
cousin of the other wysnt children. The
testimony Of A. A. and Joseph II, wyan,
supp,icd the balance OF tho link OF evil
dencc necessary TO establish the claim
ants right.
In opposition TO John r. wyants claim
was the testimony of Warren wyan;. son
OF John Il. and A. A. who claimed that
conspiracy had been formed to ohea, the
lawful heirs OF John wyant. and he pre-
scented letter purpor,inr TO have been
written by his mother, saying abe had
sent one of the boys out TO claim his un-
cle's estate and to represent himself 10
he his son. The other evidence was mere
" OF a negative character, denying the
existence Of any other child.
Judge Moore OF the superior court de-
cided against the claimant From that
opinion an appeal was taken and the su-
preme court has reversed the decision.
apparently holding that Warren wyant
Ia a forgrr and falsiner and that John Y.
wyan, In the sole and only heir OF John
wyant
The property Involved Is farm Of
l0n acres near Spanrlc.
Pending the litigation young John r.
wyant the heir at law. broke a shop
window in Spokane and extracted a guam
,Ity OF French hitters. when he wen,
back for more he was taken In by n police
man and served time In the city Jail. His
whereabouts at present are unknown.
The ranch Is safe. however, rs the law
firm has lien upon II.