Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-26
OLD MATT WATSON'S MONEY
Great Legal Battle Being Waged for Dead
Bachelors Fortune
ALLEGED ROMANCE OF MANY YEARS AGO
Supposed Heirs Confronted I'm Court
by N Young Man who Says He
Is the Old Mans Nat
urnl Son.


urnl Son.
MAQUoKETA. Ia, Oct. 25-(specin)-.
The trial Of the now famous Watson case
was finished Thursday in the district court
after a trial lasting continuously since
September l. Judge Waterman has re-
served his decision in order that he may
consider more carefully the vast amount OF
evidence The many omantc aud unusual
circumstances connected with the case arc
sJficient to arouse the interest of Omaha
residents and in addition is the fact that
some forty OF the witnesses were from.
Omaha. Their names are as follows: A.
s. Carter J. n. Cornish. f. n. Richards
a. Remington. J. r. Ringwalt, II. f. oNei,
]. A. Gillespie, H. Z. Gates, W. b. Brooks.
w. Z. Grafton, II. E. Cox, ]. o. Detweiler
A. H. Barnett, F. NJ. Russell B. Silloway.
]. E. Baum, DR.. w. II. Hanchett.
W. II. Russell, John c. Barnard,
c. w. Partridge, L. r. Cottrell, Il. A. Nc
Cloud, l.. Pettingill, w. c. Billiard, E. d.
Cox. w. S. Heaton. F. F. Reynolds. J. c.
Howard. f. j. Wilmeth. c. O. Lobeck. c.
A. Sharp, J. II. Doncan, Samuel Macleod,
II. NJ. Johnson, F. II. Goddard, J. B. Shee-
han, Jacob Froyles. w. A. Spencer, W. J.
I Stephens. ]. H. johnson and w. j. Broatch.
Inc uTsl named. n. -. Carter was an
portant witness and all the others were
brought here by side or the other for
the purpose OF testifying to the general rep
utation of Carter. The witnesses were here
at various times during the trial One
party of them came in a special car from
Omaha. and a special train run from
here TO DelmAr in order that they might
return home as soon as possible.
The case itself is Of much more than or
binary moment and worthy Of extended
I
died here. after an illness of some weeks,
Matt Watson, a wealthy old bachelor who
for forty years had been a well known
money lender of Maquoketa. His estate
was valued at fully 100000 the greater
part OF which was represented by some
500 mortgages.
He left no will and there being no near
relatives. II wCs supposed the property
would go to his only sister. Mrs. Julia a.
Richardson of Johnsons Greek, n. Y, and
some fourteen nephews and nieces. 1t was
but a short time after his death that there
arose a rumor to the effect that there was
an Legitimate son in existence and soon
afterwards George Niles Watson appeared
here and claimed the whole estate as the
illegitimate son OF the dead man.
ROMANCE OF THE OLD MAN.
1t appears that while Matt was a boardsr
at the Decfer house during 1865 and 1869
he became unduly intimate with one of the
girls working there-Mary Jones by name
She was discharged from the hotel during
the summer OF 1869. She had no friends
or relatives there and was finally taken TO
the county poor house near Andrew. While
there. and or the goth day OF December,
1859, she gave birth to the child that has
now grown to manhood and appears as the
claimant In the case.
The following March the child was adopted
by Mr.. and Mrs. George Niles. proprietors
OF the Decker house 1t is claimed that at
this particular time Watson entered into 2
With Mrs. Nflag Wis ha
10 provide for the rearing and education or
the child. IL she would adopt II. and also
stating that he was the father Of the child.
The Niles family afterwards removed from
here 10 Kansas, living at Abilene last. The
child here grew up and his foster mother
died when he was is years of age A year
afterwards he became possessed OF a desire
for different scenes and then enlisted in the
Seventh United States cavalry. He re-
manned there for five years, part OF the time
being a sergeant. When his time there ex-
pired he re-enlisted in the Eighteenth in
fantry remaining there until discharged
last year. During his army life he partci-
pated in the quellng Of a number OF Indian
uprisings- -lpclad!ng. that of the Sioux in
Dakota.
1t is necessary that it be proven mat
tho dead man recognized him as his son in
such a way as to be general and open; that
being done he will receive the whole es-
tate Of $500 600. Many witnesses have testi-
fed to such recognition. but the alleged con
tract by Watson. In which he recognized the
child his son, could not be produced
Neither could they find any trace of Mary
Jones, the mother of the boy. The whole
time since the death OF Watson in August
1895, and up to the present trial has been
spent by both sides in a laborious search for
evidence
HAS ALREADY COST THOUSANDS.
Although the case had been on the docket
for some months it was not brought to trial
until September J. Judge c. NJ Waterman
called special term of court to hear the
case
Court has now lasted nearly eight weeks
and about 400 witnesses have been ex-
amined from seven various states namely:
California, Tennessee, Kansas, Louisiana,
Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota. Similar par
ties of witnesses to those from Omaha were
brought from AledO, ILL.,, Odebolt and Dav-
export la. There are fifteen lawyers en-
ployed in the case, among whom are Joe
r. Lane of Davenport, W. /. Hayes, ex-con-
gresham, and l.. A. Ellis, state senator
The arguments In the case were limited by
the court 10 four days.
The vast volume OF testimony in the case
coming as 1t does from all directions, has
been procured at vast expense, estimated at
not less than S15 900. In addition TO this the
attorneys fees will be somewhere from
sos 900 TO 100000.
Judge Waterman will file his decision as
soon possible and at the same time do
Justice TO the case. Each side affirms it's
resolution TO carry the matter TO the SUI