The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-06
He GETS A W|NDFALL
Sabin Wins His Suit Against His
Step Mother.
WILL RECEIVE HIS SHARE
His Life Has Been a Cneckered One
Filled With Many Stirring Events
in the Early Territorial Days
on the Frontier.

Attorney w. L. Carroll received word
yesterday from his correspondents,
Messrs. Bush & Harvey, prominent
lawyers of Buffalo. y. Y, bringing news
that V olney b. Sabin. an old and re-
spected pioneer of 80 and present resi-
dent of Butte, had won his case against
his stepmother at Mayvilie, n. ", and
that the court there had set aside the
probate of his fathers viii.
This suit involved an estate valued at
$50, 900, Of which Mr.. Sabin VIII receive
one-third, or $4,000. and the balance
will be divided between his brother, Alon-
10 ID. Sabin, residing in Missouri, ana a
half sister, still living in New York.
Mr.. Sabin is feeling quite happy over
the result and is receiving the congrdtu-
lations of his many old-time friends. He
will probably depart shortly for the
East to receive his good fortune.
His life has been a checkefed one,
filled with stirring events, and, like all
old-timers, he has seen many gold eX-
elements, fought the Indians, crossed
the plains, dabbled in mining stocks
been rich and poor.
One of the notable events in which he
took no small part was in the spring of
1860 at Virginia City, New, during the
Indian uprising known as the Pyramid
lake war. A war party Of indians had
surprised and cruelty murdered 1--we
men at Williams station, where the
stages stopped on their way to Virginia
city, and 80 miles distant, and the news
coming into Virginia City band of
men was rapidly got together with the
intention of wiping out the Indians. one
hundred and five men comprised the
party, of which Mr.. Sabin, then young
man Of 90 captained H. supplying them
with horses. provisions and ammunition.
John Noyes, well-known and wealthy
citizen of Butte, was also of the party
and commanded Il company. They
caught up with the Indians about 80
miles from Virginia. The Indians had
stationed themselves upon steep rise
of ground and were about 1000 in num-
Der. They had evidently been expecting
the attack and had taken every pre-
caution. They had ont fianking parties
to cut off retreat. The men rode up and,
discovering the position Of the Indians,
opened fire: the fire of the Indians was
too strong and the men made the blum
der of retiring to the timber, when the
thanking parties Of the Indians complete
ly surrounded them and their retreat
was cut off. The men We're rapidly cut
to pieces and had TO make their escape
on foot. Out of the l05 men who left
Virginia City. only 40 survived, many
losing their horses and provisions, and
several had to walk the entire distance
back to Virginia, suffering great priVa-
ton, having to cross wide desert with
ont food or water
Mr. Sabin filed a claim with the gov
eminent at Washington, and his in
terests there are being looked after by
Senators Lee Mantle and w NJ. Stewart.
The bill for his relief, allowing him $1,000
for the horses and provisions lost by
him. has already passed the senate and
is now under consideration by the
committee on claims in the house of rep
rfsentatives. Representative Hartman
has promised his assistance in securing
action in the house.
\, Mr.. Sabin's contest over his fathers
viii was long delayed, owing TO the fact
that he had no news of his fathers
death until several years afterward.
His father David Sabin, was an old and
respected citizen of the little village of
Ripley n. Y. He died in 1887 and
shortly after his death an alleged will
was produced by his widow, leaving all
his estate to her 1t amounted to about
$50 900. No notice was sent to Mr.. Sabin
as required by law.
Mr.. Sabin's mother died in 1880, and
shortly afterward the father broke up
the old home and set the boys adrift on
the world when they We're still only 10
or IL years old. Very soon afterwards
he married his dead Wife's sister. The
boys always believed that their aunt,
the present widow. caused the old gem
tleman to throw them out. In 1889.
when the Pixies Peak excitement was at
its height, Mr.. Sabn started across the
plains for that place but learning that
the excitement was fake, they changed
their route and pushed on to Virginia
City, New, where he continued to live
until he went To Alaska several years
ago. During his stay at Virginia City
he engaged in the mining and smelling
business and made quite fortune. BE-
lieving he had been mistreated through
the influence of his aunt-stepmother, he
never correspondent with his father, AMI
NSsn nf
him out West and had died at Cherry
Creek, Colo. while in search for him.
he felt himself cut off from the old
home.
Mr. Sabin charged in his suit that his
nt-stepmother had gained such an In
fluence over his father that he was in
capable of making a valid Will. The
father was quite aged at the time &c his
death and from being an atheist had be-
come a devout spiritualist through the
influence of his second wife. Most of his
property had been accumulated in his
earlier years, when his first wife was
living, and il was greatly owing to her
self denial and hard work that he got
his start. His holdings of real estate
soon developed into great values. and
since then his fortune steadily increased.
The widow never 1iled, during all the
10 years she has had the property, any
account showing what disposition she
was making of the property. She SUBJ
sequently married the judge who al
lowed the probate of the Will