Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-03-21
SHE EDNA WILLIS?
Interesting Case Now On
Trial in Providence.
Mrs. Catherine Willis Swore She Was
--Now Says She's Not,
But Edna Kane OF Portland Owners hip Of
100000 Depends on Answer.

Providence. r. L., March 20-(Spec-
iaD.-Is Edna Willis really Edna Will
lis, or is she only Edna Kane, daugh-
ter of Thomas and Rose Kane of Port
land, Me-?
On the result depends fortune Of
nearly quarter of a million dollars.
The case is now before the supreme
court of Rhode Island and it is replete
in peculiar and sensational develop
ments. Although the presiding justice
has ruled that until they have reached
particular stage of litigation the pa
perS in the case cannot be considered
as public records, yet enough has been
learned to give d comprehensive out
line of the case.
Miss Edna Willis. the leading char
acter, was born in Portland. Ne, about
% years ago. While Edna was yet a
babe in arms Mrs. Catherine Willis
made oath that the infant was her own
child. born Of her own body That
oath was registered in a court Of record
and FOR more than a score Of years it's
lruthfulness remained unquestioned.
Mr.. Nathan Willis. the husband Of
Catherine. died several months before
Iulit y III ILL., I"LNl1tS ii fDISIItTdDit
fortune, the child's share amounting ~
more than 100000.
Within the past year George Ahern
Dill became a frequent visitor to the
Willis home and paid considerable at
tention 10 the elder lady, 50 much 50
that they We're regarded by her as pre-
liminary to a proposal for her hand.
1t seems. however that Dill's devo-
ton was merely another instance of
courting the mother to win the daugh-
ter. Not suspccting that Edna was the
object of Mr.. Dill's matrimonial plans
Mrs. Willis took it for granted that he
was deeply in love with herself. Dill
finally Games to a realization of how
matters stood. He saw that his atten-
tiOns had been misunderstood and
sought TO set things right at once by
an explanation. That caused trouble.
Mrs. Willis was out-spoken in her
denounciation of her daughter. called
her an migrate Of the worst type, but
reserved her coup until it could be used
with the most efficacious result. APP
pareptly resigning herself TO her fate
she sought to protect her daughter
from the wiles of q fortune hunter and
point blank asked Dill il he would
marry Edna if she had not dollar in
the world. He as candidly replied that
his circumstances We're such as TO
cause him to seek wealth and matri
.Inony at the same time. This was his
undoing and. as it proved. Edna's also.
|. 1t seems that Mrs. Willis was deeply
smitten. with Dill. Jealousy of her
daughter prompted her to put an END
all Af inc
Mrs Dill.
Several of her late husbands heirs
at-law, who resided in San Francisco
were notified by Mrs. Willis that Ednx
was not her daughter, and, therefore.
the share of the late Nathan Willis
property which she held was not right
fully hers but theirs. These heirs at
once came East and had many long in
terviews with Mrs. Willis. A few days
later a family gathering was convened
and there. before the assembled party.
of which Mr.. Dill was one. Mrs. Willis
coldly Informed Edna that she was not
her daughter, but the child of a SER
want woman, Rose Kane. of Portland,
Me. That she was adopted by her,
(NIrs. Willis) when. an infant, and that
the fortune which she held was not
hers by right.
The heirs-atlaw supplemented tbs
mothers story by reading reports of
the suit brought by them. % years ago.
when they claimed the estate of Ma
than Willis on the ground that Edna
was not his child. The verdict wen,
against them because Mrs. Willis
swore that Edna was truly and lawful-
ly the daughter of her dead husband
and produced as a witness a nurse
nalned Hatch, who testified that she
was present at the birth.
Edna refused to believe her mothers
story. and claims that it was told for
the purpose Of breaking the engage
ment with Dill. 1t is said she win con-
test the claim in court and will not re-
linquish her rights until it is clearly
proven that the estate is not lawfully
hers. She proposes, it is said, to en-
deavor to find witnesses In Maine who
can vouch to the authenticity of her
rights and disprOve the alleged facts
as told by Mrs. Willis.
Mr.. George .ihern Dill evidently has
made up his mind as to the merits OF
the case. as he has released himself By
leaving for parts unknown after writ
ing letter to Miss Willis resigning all
pretensions to her hand.