The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-24
He CAN NOT RECOVER
William J. Wood, Once Of
Wichita, HOpelessly Insane
is NOW A MILLIONAIRE
Owns interest in Famous En-
ma Silver Mine in Colorado.

william ]. Wood, who once lived In
wichita but was adJudged insane and
sent to Topeka several years ago. Is a
millionaire. says the Topeka Journal, but
his insanity is incurable and he viii never
enjoy his fortune.
William J. Wood is a part owner IN the
famousdEmma silver mine at Aspen, Colo.
He is one OF the few millionalres in Kan
sas, but his mind is so far gone that he
can not appreciate his good fortune.
In 1880 WILLIAM Wood. the father Of the
insane man, with Archie C. Fiske located
the mine and named 1t for the sister of
the insane man. Emma Wood. The two
men could not make 1t pay and gave
up working 1t but did not relinQuish their
rights to the property.
In 1885 Jerome B. Wheeler Of New York
sent prospector to Colorado to look up
mining property. The prospector found
the Emma mine and the Aspen Mining
and Smelling company was formed. The
mine was found to be one Of the greatest
silver producing properties in the coun-
try. On a conservative estimate. 1t Is
thought to be worth no less than Sc, 000, 600.
1t was found that William Wood had
been killed by Indians in New Mexico
soon after giving up working his claim.
The question then arose as to who his
heirs were. Much money was spent in
the effort to find them and detectives
were sent all over the country following
various clews The wife of Wood was
a Il.
she was living in comparative poverty,
totally unaware of the big property to
which she had fallen heir.
She was induced to sign a deed for all
claims to her husbands property for
consideration Of s.. 500 Later, when she
discovered that the property was worth
much more than she imagined and ran
away up into the millions, she brought
suit in Denver to have the deed set aside
and after eight years Of litigation the
court decided that the company owed her
$4O4. 0O0
The history of the mine carries with u
a tale OF suffering and i'll luck. It has
been the cause. according to the stories
told. OF no less than a dozen suicides and
helped in the downfall OF Robert c.
Cchenck, minister to Great Britain, who
endeavored to promote stocks while hold
ing that position.
Emma Wood and her brother. William
]. Wood, were found to be living near
Wichita Emma went to Aspen. She
was pretty and soon after her arrival
there eloped with an employee of the mine
who absconded with $4,000 of the COM
pany's money. Both died a short time
later in Mexico of yellow fever.
Before William J. Wood knew Of HIS
good fortune ne was declared insane In
the probate court of Sedgwick county and
sent to the insane asylum at Topeka,
and William Throckmorton was appoint
ed his guardian. The owners Of the mine
attempted in every way to escape the
paying of William ]. Woods just claims.
The guardian brought suit in the courts
OF Denver. The suit was stubbornly
fought for eight years. As last resort
the claim was made that William ].
Wood was not living and that an I'M
known insane man had been substituted
for him. It was proven that the patient
at the asylum was rightfully entitled to
an interest in the mine. but he is no bet
ter off than when he was a ward OF the
state. ne can nOl apr CSAdSc AuANA" VI
attention, and his wealth can not restore
his reason.
Hamilton Clark, Of Chauncey. Ca. says
he suffered with itching piles twenty
years before trying DeWitt's Witch Hazel
Salve, two boxes of which completely
cured him Beware Of worthless and dam
gerous counterteits. Gus saur, 524 East
Douglas. Geo. Van Werden. S2S North
Main street.