Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-06
CLAIMS 1900 ACRES
South Dakota Man Wants a Slice
Of Wapello County.
LAND IS VALUED At s5o,oOo.oo
John blake says Elis Father Died In
This City. Seized Of Large
Amount of Realty of Which
He Got No Share.

Il
This City. Seized Of Large
Amount of Realty of Which
He Got No Share.
[From Saturdays Daily.j
One thousand seven hundred acres
OF land is more than most people own,
but John Blake, of South Dakota,
thinks he has an interest in that much
Hi not more land in Wapello, Mahaska,
Monroe and Jefferson counties and is
in the city today seeking to establish
the last link in the chain that will en-
able him to prove his right to it. If
he succeeds part of some of the good
farm land lying in the Des Moines riv-
er bottom together with land adjoin-
ing. the town of Eddyville will revert
to him and be taken away from the
present owners. The story reads like
romance. All the facts in the case
could not be learned as Mr.. Blake
would hardly make an admission be-
cause he said some of his relatives in
this part of the country are seeking
to place obstacles in his path while he
is seeking to get his just deserts.
Jesse Nudge died in the city of
Ottumwa in 1885, and was at
the time OF his death the owner of
about 1,700 acres of land accord
ing to information in the possession of
Mr.. Nudge which he says he received
from DR.. Mccoy, of Fairfield. Mudge's
OF Blake, which she gave to her son,
of whom Nudge was the father. She
never told this claimant much about
his father, because, as he says, she
did not wish to cast discredit upon his
name. just where the discredit is Mr..
NUDGE would not say. Time rolled on
and when a lad of but Is, this claimant
enlisted in the army and from this
period on Blake refuses to talk very
lcoherently because he is afraid that his
claims will be defeated by some of his
relatives. He says that he has been
lengaged a Great many years in looking
this matter up and has been thrown off
the track SO many times that he is a
little suspicious of everybody. He says
that yesterday he lacked but two
links in the chain which was to estab-
lish his claim to fortune and that last
evening he succeeded in getting one
of those lost links fixed up and now
today he lacks but one. This, in short,
is the tale Mr.. Blake, or Nudge, tells,
and he seems to be very earnest in his
lendeavors. Should he establish a claim
OF this kind and successfully carry it
/, thru the years of litigation that will
, surely follow he will become the pos
SCISSOR Of about $4,000 worth of farm
land, less attorneys fees and court
costs.
| Silvia Donahue yesterday filed pc
tition in the clerks Office asking for a
divorce from her husband, Frank p
lDonahue, and in support of her pc.
tition says: That she aud defendant
J were married December S, 1897, in OF.
tumwa, and that one son was born
to them, named Frank; that some time
thereafter the defendant was convict
ed of felony. Therefore she asks fol
a DIVORCE on that ground and for the
u custody of the child. The evidence
was heard and the decree granted the
same day the petition was filed, grant
ing her a divorce aud giving her the
custody of the child. G. G. Leech is her
attorney.
Fl. C. Richards, by his attorney, w
w. Epps, also filed petition in the
clerks ONCE yesterday, asking di.
vorce from his wife, Annie E. Richards
on the grounds of desertion. Plaintiff
says that he and the defendant were
married in Ottumwa, February IS
1892, and lived together as man and
wife, until August l., 1898, when the
defendant without any just or reason
able cause deserted this plaintiff anc
has ever since absented herself from
him. The evidence was heard and the
decree signed the same day as the pc
itition was filed.
In the matter OF the estate of Julius
Wachtler, the widow was allowed al
, the property for her support, except
. that part required for the payment Of
claims.
Il A decree was. signed yesterday by
Judge Roberts granting Nellie Wick.
i ham a divorce from her husband, Ma.
/ thaniel Wickham, and the right to re.
/ sumo her maiden name, Nellie Castle.
!, The case was tried lasp January, men.
. tion Of which was made in the Cou.
rier at. the time but the decree was
nat signed until yesterday.
Squire Ballard's Court:
Fred CRUDE and Fred Plumb wer.
held to await the action of the mex
grand jury this morning, and theil
bail was fixed at $500 each. These arr
IT,. men whom Charles Wiley claim.
robbed him Of $76 last Monday night
It is said that the evidence on tn.
preliminary examination showed tina
CRUDE took the money from the poke,
4 of Wiley and that he handed it tt
Plumb with instructions to leave. I
} is said that this was shown by twt
witnesses. The police say they neve
had clearer case of this characte
) than the one in which CRUDE ant
Plumb are interested.
Closston Case Settled.
Joseph Clogston, recently convicted
by Jury in district court on tn,
charge Of seducing Leona Young, will
not be sentenced. 1t was said at TIN
court mouse today that Clogston hat
deposited collateral in the sum Of $25
to insure the support of the child