The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-13
FOR A VAST ESTATE
STRANGE CONTEST OVER WILLIAM
HENRY KINGS MILLIONS.
His Cousin. says He Was Kid
mapped and Imprisoned In an Asy-
Ium for Thfrty-one Years.

NEW YORK. April 1.-THE Herald this
morning says. Mrs. Z. A. Weber Ross,
who has made several unsuccessful at
tsmpts in Massachusetts, and Rhode Island
10 get control of the, estate or Nuham
Henry King millionaire. Will continue
fer battles in this city this week King
died in the Better tro~pstaL Providence.
r. l.. March ) Last He had been confined
In an asylum for thirty-one years. Mrs.
Ross appeared in iSss. said KING was ner
long-lost uncle and denied that he was
related 70 the King family or Rhode ISL
and who had him pronounced insane.
and one OF whom had been appointed
guardian OF his person and property.
When he died one of these Kings petit
toned to be appointed administrator of
his estate. Mrs. Ross offered similar
petition. As King had real estate in this
county, counter petitions were also filed
with Surrogate Arnold.
In all her actions heretofore Mrs. Ross
declined TO say more than that she was
next of kin, and the only heir of William
Henry Kings millions. She was charged
by the Kings. OF Rhode Island. with be-
Ing an adventures and was given two
opportunities in court TO explain her his
tory and antecedents. but although d.
rected by the judge to do SO she refused.
and therefore was not permitted TO be
party to the actions then pending.
Mrs. Ross has now filed an AFFIDAVIT
with Surrogate Arnold through former
Judge Dittenhoefer. her counsel, In this she
tells all about her family hack to the days
of King George. She said that the man
| who was known as George King was not
entitled TO that name. In her affidavit,
which is filed in answer to supplementary
, affidavits made by the Rhode Island
Kings. Mrs. Ross says also that she is
the widow of Isaac Allison Ross. that
h4v~
until 1919 when they became residents OF
this city. and that her husband died at
Charleston, s. c.. in 1856. She AYERS that
her father Was James r. Calhoun, cous-
in of the famous South Carolina states
mani that her mother was Christina Cor
don and that they We're descended from
three of the oldest families in America
the Grants. of Rhode Island; the Webs
tiers. of Philadelphia, and the Germans. OF
Boston. She claims Daniel Webster as
distant kinsman, and traces her Grant
ancestry back 10 The barons OF kinmeach-
ly. She also claims 10 have numerous
cousins of wealth and prominence in
New England. Pennsylvania and the
South Her husband, she said, was a
stan officer in the Confederate army, and
a grandson OF Capt. Isaac Ross. who died
in 1886. and willed that his 1000 slaves
should be returned to Africa, and that his
estate, valued at 500 900, should go TO
them.
Mrs Ross furiher says that she is pre-
pared TO prove that the William Henry
King who died in the Butler hospital
was not the brother of George Gordon
King, DR.. David King and Edward King
but was her uncle, who when he was a
young man got into a difficulty I'm Bos-
ton. in consequence OF which he left the
United States; that, being acquainted
with Edward King. he,sssumed the lat
ters family name and Joined him In Can
ton, China: that they were known there
as brothers; that the two returned as
brothers and remained in New York,
where they were known as brothers until
1866. when her uncle was kidnapped taken
TO Rhode Island and thrown into an in
sane asylum by the man whose family
name he had taken.
Mrs. Ross prays that letters OF admin
istratlon be granted to her or to her In
conjunction withasome trust company. or
that some trust company be appointed TO
collect and hold the vast estate until such
time as proof of the rightful ownership
be determined.
Mrs Ross intimates that the difficulty
that led her uncle TO leave Boston and
change his name was punishable by
death. She viii set up the claim that the
man who was known as King was car
ried from Troy, this state, to a Massachu-
setts asylum on the eve of what was to
not knowing what name he assumed when
| he abandoned his own. spent twenty-eight
years travelling around the world search
| ing for him. and that she was rewarded
In 1898 by finding him In Providence.
The surrogate's case. IL is expected, will
| go TO a referee this week. a, the nearing
Mrs. Ross says she viii tell the wnole
story, including the reason TOR her uncies
| flight from the United States and the as
sumption OF an assumed name.
An affidavit OF Edward Ludlow Patton
is attached. Patton was a broker from
| 1851 10 1873 when he retired He is 70 years
old. He affirms that he knew Edward and
William III. King I'm New York from 1851
until William II. suddenly disappeared in
1866: that the men in no way .resembled
| each other. and that Mrs. Ross. who intro
duced herself to him recently. strongly
resembIed William III. King. He also adds
that he has seen Photographic copies OF
| testimony in which William III. was adj
| Judged insane. The testimony is that VIII
| liam showed signs Of mental weakness for
| several years prior 20 1866. Patton denies
| this and testifies that he had a remarkably
| clear intellect.