Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1900-03-18
TRUE BUT PECULIAR STORY COMPLETED IN PINE
 BLUFF SATURDAY.
BY BEN (. VESTS VISIT.
Brings to Light Mystery Which Was for Years Un-
 solved.

4 true story Of A Lots Child has just been completed in=this city by the returning of 8 young Lonoke county farmer named Ben c. West. who was here Saturday, having left this city in 1879 on account of a little quarrel be had with his father at the breakfast table one spring morning of that year There is quite a little romance connected with the life of Ben West, and to get the ba4eft of tte pereaiiarfty attached to him and his sudden return to this city, we will commence our little story at the very beginning,
 One beautiful morning in the spring 9f 1879, there were seated at table in the eozy home of Gontrac= 2 tor William ?. West, in this city, q happy family of three boys, father and step.mother. These people were William F. West, for many yeass a progressive contractor here, l his second wife and three sons, Joln w., Sam E.and Ben c. Vest
 h a boys usual joking manner, Ben O.. the youngest of the three sons, said or did something that threw his father into a fit of anger. While under his temper, Mr West threw tea=eap at Der and struck him on the right ear, cutting the skin aud making a deep gash there. Ben left the table and from that time to this his father or none Of his family have ever seen him, uotwith= standing he was here ia Pine Bluff Saturday. Ben West had evidently shaken the dust of Pine Bluff from his heels, for every effort was =asad by his family to learn of his where abouts.
 It was just about one year ago that w. F. West died in this city. He left an estate valued at about $15 GOO and two heirs, John w. and Sam D. West. The former had nov. ed to Mineral Wells, Texas. and the latter resides in New York City. These men were tbe only heirs to that small fortune. Ben c, " -st was not named in the.wilI, as be was thought to be dead.
 Saturday a man named Ben c. West came to Pine Bluff from Eog land, Bonoke county, near which place be is engaged in farming. WEile in conversation with Mr. M. Eisenkramer, he learned of his fath- CTS death and the estate, to which there were only two supposed heirs. He immediately investigated the matter and learned that the estate was still in the hands of aa adminis- trator, as the will had ordered that the administrator take one years time to distribute the said estate He consulted two prominent attor- neys of this city, and has entered suit for his share of his fathers estate. He will, in all probability, receive one third, to which be is entitled, for there is no doaot that he is the real son, and many of our oldest citiz4ns have signifed their willingness to testify as to his req. identity.
 Mr. West was seen by a Graphic reporter Saturday and told the story, which we have related. He said he did not think bis people wanted to see him, so be did not enquire, wren he came here, aboat them. When "Bennie" West, as be was known to his little plaYmates, left Pine Bluff with the cut ear, he was thirteen years of age. He says he went to Texas and worked on a farm. After earning enough mon- ey, he returned to Arkansas, Lo- noke county, and engaged ID farm ing himself. He has been living in this state for the past four years, in fact, thirty.seven miles from Pine Bluff, but did not know that his father had died unti. be came to Pine Bluff Saturday.