The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-01


! rights. with these of the other Ameri-
4 can heirs, TO the estate To simplify
/ matters the ether IL American heirs
! have assigned taeir III erect TO his wife,
| and she viii accompany her husband
! 10 England, where she intends to do
i everything possible to regain control of
/ this vast property.
! On TWO occasions in the past two
years they have sent lawyers to Eng
| land to prosecute then case. and each
lime they claim the counsel have been
bought off by parties who are at pres
ent in temporary possession, owing TO
a decree of the court of chancery, which
appointed the members Of the collat-
eral branch of the Holt family as trus
tees pending the decision of the claims
of the direct descendants In America.
The story of the controversy of this
immense fortune reads like fairy tale,
vet every. statement made is backed UP
with proof in the shape of court records
and sworn affidavits by we'll known
people. It is probably the biggest law
suit that ever happened in England or
any other country at any time.
OF the three sons who came to Amer
lea, William the second son. was killed
by Indians in Georgia during the early
and troublesome days of that colony,
consequently no one claims through
him.
To John. who was the eldest, the en-
tailed estates really descended, and the
IL heirs now claiming ownership in the
estate, all trace their descent from him.
And as no male heirs survive the other
two sons, the descendants of John are
the only ones who have rights in the
premises.
Henry Holt. who settled in Kentucky,
married. and the last male descendant
OF this branch died in 1885, according
to certified copies of the records at
Lexington. There was a daughter. how
ever, who returned to England after the
death of her father, the last male heir
of the Henry Holt family, and it is her
branch of the Holt family that is now in
possession of the immense estates. Had
this daughter been male heir she
would have had a clear title to the es-
tate. She was a granddaughter of
Henry Holt, and, therefore of the third
generation, but the third generation
was still subject to the entail, and.
therefore. the male or female heirs Of
John Holt. who settled in Virginia, are
the preferred heirs in the controversy.
The direct descendants of John Holt
are now living in Virginia, Georgia and
Arkansas. The first John Holt settled
on plantation and when nearly so
years of age married, and a son, John
Holt, was born to him. The second
John Holt lived to be nearly 81 years
old, and had but one daughter, who
married. farmer named Montgomery
She had no sons. but several daugh-
ers. one of whom is the present wife of
F. H. Killers, of Port Conway Va.
and three sisters. Miss Kate Holt and
Miss Margaret Holt of Chicago and a
Miss Galbraeth of Greenville Tenn. In
addition to-. these heirs there are two
cousins Of Mrs. Killers in Little Rock,
Ark, and Mrs. Molly Hines of Birming-
ham, Ala, with her five brothers and
sisters. These II heirs have endeavor-
ed. like their ancestors, to secure pos
session of the Holt estate and have
failed for lack of unison. Now they
have Joined issue and have assigned
their claims to Mrs. Killers, in order
that she may obtain possession. On
account of the imnenee amount involv-