San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-04-12
A VERY TANGLED AFFAIR.
Trouble Over A Deceased
MilliOnaire'S Estate.
A WOMAN WHO CLAIMS TO BE
A RELATIVE MAKES START
LING ASSERTIONS.
She Says He Was Not Living In
der His Correct Name But
An Assumed One, To
Avoid Capital
Punishment.

New York, April 12.-The Herald
this morning says:
Mrs. E. \. Webster Ross. who has
made several unsuccessful attempts in
Massachusetts and Rhode Island to
get control of the estate of William
Henry King, the millionaire, will con-
tinue her battle in this ci5y this week
King died in the Butler hospital, Prov
idence, r. l., on March last. He
had ben confined in insane asylumS
for thirty-One years. Mrs. Ross ap
peared in 1893, said he was her long
lost uncle and, that she was related
to the King family of Rhode Island,
members of which had had him pro-
nOunced insane and one of whom had
been appointed guardian of his per-
sOnal property. When he died one of
these Kings petitiOned TO be appoint
ed administrator of his estate. Mrs
Ross offered n similar position. 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 to kin and the only heir
to VIM. Kings millions.
She was charged by the Kings of
Rhode Island with being an adven.
turess and was given two oppOrtuni-
ties to explain her history and ante
cedantS. but although. directed by the
judges to do so she refused and there
fore was not permitted TO be a party
to the actions then pending.
Mrs. Rose has now filed an affidavit
with Surrogate Arnold. through for
mer Judge DittenhOffer. her counsel.
In this she tells about her family back
to the days of King George. She says
the man who was known as George
King was not entitled 20 that name
In his affidavit which is filed as an
answer to supplementary affidavits
made by the Rhode Island Kings.
Mrs. Ross also says that she is the
widow of Isaac Allison Ross: that
they lived on a plantation in Missis-
sippi until 1869. when they become
residents of this city and that her
husband died at Charleston. S. c..
while on a train in 1876. She AYERS
that her father was James r, Cal
houn. a cousin of the famous South
Carolina statesman; that her mother
was Christiana German and that she
is descended from one of the oldest
families in America. namely, the
Grants. of Rhode Island: the Web
Sters. of Philadelphia, and the Cor
mans of Boston, She claims Noah
Webster as distant relative. She al
so claims to have numerous cousins
of wealth and prominence in New
Englapd, Pennsylvania and the south,
Her, husband, she said, was a staff
officer in the Confederate army and
a grandson of Capt. Isaac Ross, who
died in 1886 and willed that his 200
slaves should be returned to Africa
and that his estate valued at 100000
should go to them.
In her affidavit Mrs. Ross further
says that she is prepared TO prove that
William Henry King, who died in
Butler hospital, was not a brother of .
George German King, nor David King
and Edward King, but was her uncle.
who, when he was n young man got
into a difficulty in Boston. in cOnse-
duence of which he left the United
States; that being acquainted with
Edward King. he assumed the lat
ter's family name and joined him in
Canton, O. That they were known
there as brothers; that they remained
ms brothers and remained in New
York, where they were known as broth
ers until Anril her uncle was kid
mapped into Rhode Island and hang |
cd. An affidavit Of Ludlow Patton is |
attached. Patton was n broker from |
1851 until 1873. when he retired He is |
seventy wears old He affirms that he !
know Fdward OVID William II. King |
In 1SA5 when william suddenly disap- |
npared In 1890: that the men in no |
wav rnSnmhlnd o"ch other and th"t |
Mrs. Ross. who introduced herself TO |
him rncentIv STRONGLY reSembled w. |
n. King. He odds that he has seen |
comics Of the testimony on which |
WILLIAM u Eir" was AdiudDPd in
some. Tho Testimony is that William |
showed Si"nS NJ mental weakness.
for several wears NriOr to 1896 Patton |