Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-12-05
MAY GET SLICE or FORTUNE
PHILADELPHIA HEIRS TO A $15,OOO,-
o ESTATE TAKE HEART.
Government Of Holland Forced to Ad-
NIT Justice of h Claim-Ffght
OF Twenty ear Likely to
BE Successful.

The Philadelphia heirs to Captain johann
mes Withe's estate of $4,000 900 marks, or
SIS. OOO, 900, left by the old Dane nearly a
hundred years ago, are beginning to a X
heart. and realize that after a fight extend
ing over a period of twenty years against
the kingdom of Holland there is a posi-
bility of succeeding in their efforts.
Letters a just been received from Mrs.
Wilhelmina Hansen. of Copenhagen. one of
the heirs, WHO'S conducting the fight on be-
half of the heirs, hat she has succeeded in
establishing her claim to the fortune in
such a manner that the government of Hol-
land is practically cornered, n will have
to give up the money. She say that she
has spent her entire fortune on the case
and asks for assistance to carry 1t through.
Peter Larsen. of Brooklyn, another Of the
heirs, who is a wealthy contractor and
builder. has just sold out his business and
will shortly sail for Copenhagen with his
family and will devote all his time ana
money to help Mrs. Hansen in getting the
vast estate.
When the old captain died in 1899 he left
an only child-a SON. Johan Henrick, VINO
was born in Ditmarsken. The boy believ-
ing that he would inherit all his fathers
wealth. led a. fast and dissolute life. Re
He even went SO far as to marry Karen
Morgensdatter, a girl far beneath him,
against the earnest entreaties of his
captainy become Become over Se the Wayw ar Of
his only child that when he found he was
about to die he left the whole of his i'm
mense fortune, piled pile up IN the o Mes5 nnaia IN
found a school for orphan children. His
will stated that at the end of 100 years the
property was to be divided among his de-
scendants, If there were any,, II they mace
their claim good to the property. Thus 1t
was that he punished his only son and
visited the sins Of the father upon the
children Of the third and fourth genera
ton. Johan Henrik became a sergeant in
the Danish army. He had threeSsons and a
daughter; Their names were Johann. the
ter, Christopher and Bertha. Bertha was
born in Frederick in 1898. The three grand
sons and the granddaughter Of Captain
Withe all married. thus forming four Sepa-
rate branches of the family.
Heirs In Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia heirs are Mrs. Meta Jen-
sen, of 329 North Fifth street. who Keeps an
apartment house, and William Munk. a
messenger in the Office of Theodore, voor-
& Reading Railway Company: Mrs. Jensen
is a widow with two sons. Christian, aged
II. who is an elevator boy In the Lincoln
streets. and Lawrence, aged 5, who is at
tending school. She has been in this coun-
try for fifteen years. Mrs. .Jensen's hus-
spector and Steamship agent in Phiia-
delphia. At the time Of his death in 1894
he was president of the Brotherhood Of the
Union. lie OleQ penllteSS dNu le1L us
widow. who was a beautiful young woman,
only 30 years Of age, to battle with the
world for herself and two children.
A year ago, when 1t became known that
Withe estate. she received hundreds of Of
fers of marriage from all parts of the
United States. One offer came from a state
lawyers and even clergymen aspired to
her hand. Many sent her their photographs,
and over a dozen came on and proposed to
her In person. but she realized that they
were simply after her money. and declined
them all. Only two months ago the state
senator renewed his offer. but Mrs. Jensen
says hat he also inquired how the suit was
getting on In the same letter. which showed
only too plainly the trend Of his thoughts.
Woman of Refinement.
Mrs. Jensen is a woman of refinement and
Danish. Norwegian. German and English.
Her father was Captain Alfred Miller, one
of the handsomest officers in the Danish
army. He fought with great distinction in
Her mother was Charlotte Christensen, a
daughter of Orlof Christensen. the first in
ventor of the merry-go-round. Mrs. Jen-
and embroiderer. Several pieces of tapestry
made by her adorn the walls of Mrs. Jen-
sens home. The boy. Christian. who runs
the elevator at the Lincoln apartment
house. is a handsome, youth. who would
grace any uniform. and shows marked evil
dences of good blood and careful training.
Many members of the Mannheim Cricket
Munk, who. with his wife, had charge of
the dormitories at the club house last sum
mer. William lives in a tastefully furnished
little house at 1855 Cleveland avenue, Wayne
Junction. He Is a cousin of Mrs. Jensen,
they both being descended from Rasmus
Sorensen Munk. who married old Captain
Withe's only granddaughter. Mrs. Munks
father Is still alive and resides in Copen-
hagen.