The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-15
Answer of King Heirs to
the Claim of Mrs. Ross.
They Have Plenty of Wit
neSSeS to COntrOvert II.
Sure TO Win Now That the Claimant
Has Disclosed Her Secret.

Information that Mrs. T.. Webster Ross
formally filed reason for claiming the
estate of the late insane millionaire, vii.
liam ii. King, has been received at New,
port by the nieces and nephews of the
latter as we'll as by their counsel, with a
great degree of satisfaction. They have
been Tor five years trying TO learn lust
what relationship to King the woman
claimed, and now that they have dis
covered they say that proof OF the
absurdity of Mrs. Ross position can bo
much more easily shown than they ex-
pected IL could be-
Their plan is Co present, I'm opposition
10 Mrs: hoss' story that the alleged Will
liam III. King is not King at all, but her
own uncle, who was Obliged 20 leave Bos-
Ton because OF having committed some
crime punishable by death. and who took
the name OF William III. King, many wit
nesses who played with King as a boy,
who saw him before he went TO China and
when he returned. These men will also
testify that they subsequently saw King
In the asylum, and that later they viewed
his remains when prepared for burial, and
that they recognized perfectly In the dead
person the same whom they played with
here In Newport as boy, and knew well
later In life as William II. King
Robert d. Coggeshall will testify that
.io hhcW hlillc Ming us early aS he
knew anything, that he played with him
day after day; that they were neighbors
ana that their mothers were intimate, and
that 10 was often said that he and King
were born on the same day, i'm houses
within a stones throw of each other. Mr.
Coggeshall will also testify that late in
life he saw King often, that he visited him
in the asylum and that he saw him in his
casket and that he has no doubt whatever
of his identity
DIR. Henry T. Turner and James C.
swan OF Newport, the latter well l-known
writer upon historical topics, will give
testiTony similar To that of Mr.. Cocpes-
nall. These are all over 80 years of age
and are distinguished men of this state,
whose testimony could not be doubted by
any jury, II Is thought but though their
evidence will perhaps be the most valu-
able and will cover the life Of King in all
It's steps, almost from the very cradle TO
the grave Others will identify the man
who was in the asylum SO many years as
tse person who was the real William H.
King who was the youth i'm Newport and
later on the student at Brown University,
an experience in the mans life that, il is
argued by tho counsel for the Kings, must
have been before the alleged crime I'M
Boston which resulted in Mrs. Ross
uncle changing his name to William III.
King
The Kings will offer this same testi-
mony, both in the proceedings hero and
those in New York. and with it they be.
lieve that the establishing Of their rights
Will be comparatively simple process.
They have also an almost complete sketch
Of the life of Mrs Ross, which they are
prepared To use.
A singular phase Of the litigation over
Kings millions is the fact that the origi- |
nal papers of William II. Kings trial for |
insanity and his commitment To an asy- |
uin cannot be found i'm the vaults of the |
county court here Each side claims that |
they were stolen. All haste is now being
made here TO get the matter before the |
appellate division of the Supreme Court,
- be held here next month.