The evening times., 1900-01-19
A CONTEST FOR MILLIONS.
One Brother Accuses Another of De-
sfrOying Will

strOying VIII.
YORK Pa, Jan. 19.-The contest over
the will of the late Stephen d. Miles. who
was born and raised in the lower end of
York county. has aroused great interest
here. The Miles estate is valued at So
900. 00O. The dead millionaire drove a
stage TO the county seat until he was thr-
ty years old. when he went to Nebraska.
in 1854. and became a squatter in a rich
valley
Miles secured the contract for carrying
the first Salt Lake mail from Missouri
over the Rocky Mountains at 100000 a
year. besides large grants OF lands. This
was the beginning of his fortune. He got
more contracts and more land. and soon
became known as a cattle king. The
money he received for carrying mails was
all clear profit, as the packages and pas
sengers he carried paid all expenses. His
stage coaches we're frequently attacked by
robbers and Indians, and once Miles barely
escaped with his life.
In 1870 he sold out his stage business
and devoted himself to looking after other
interests. He founded a couple OF banhs
in Nebraska and in 1888 he organized the
Miles National Bank. at Delta. this cOun-
ty He had safe deposit boxes all over the
country, where he kept Government bonds,
stocks, deeds, and other valuable papers.
But with all his great wealth ne had
little domestic happiness, and in his old
age he was divorced from his wife. who
had borne him four children One day in
1883 he called his eldest son Joseph TO his
20 I-af. nd drar
a will. making Joseph the principal lega-
tee and giving his son Samuel S4O0C0 in
trust. a year later Samuels share was
changed TO 1.4G0 acres of land.
The old man, few years ago. fell out
with Josephs wife. and il is alleged BY
Samuel that on this account his father
made a later will in 1897. giving him a
large share of the estate. In October.
1898, the father broke down and went back
to Falls City 70 die He refused 10 enter
mis- son Joseph's home and died at a no
tel. He had the largest funeral ever held
in that part of Nebraska During the last
year Of his life ne gave away 100000. Of
which Joseph received $4,000, Samuel.
$50 Jgg and the Odd Fellows, SO 0G0.
No will could BE- discovered after his
death. The two brothers conducted the
search jointly. They hunted over his ranch
and then went 10 St Louis and Baltimore.
finally reaching York county, bur they
discovered no testament. II was then.
SAMUEL alleges. that he made his fatal
mistake. He never thought Of searching
the room in the hotel where his father
died. and allowed his brother Joseph 10 go
home alone, whil2 be fingered with friends
in York county.
The room where the millionaire had died
remained locked and there Joseph went On
mis- return TO Falls City. and found the
missing will of 1855. which cut Samuel of
with ] 400 acres OF land. Samuel alleges
that Joseph also found the will of 1891
and destroyed Il. The will was discovered
in an old valise that the old man would
never allow 10 leave his side. Samuel wds
bitterly disappointed. and upbraidct him
self for his caTelessness in allowing J0-
seph to search the room alone He allow
ed the will TO be probated. but in two
months began 10 take steps TO break il.
Old Stephen Miles when in ST. Louis.
had made the St James Hotel his stop
ping place and became quite intimate with
the landlord Thomas p. Miller. IL was at
the 81. James that the will OF 1897 was
made Miller and his clerk being the Wit
nesses The latter testified that strange
lawyer drew up the VIII. The son Samuel
at once advertised in the leading Western
papers for the lawyer who drew up the
viii. He was answered last month BY
James G. Snow Of st. Louis. who declared
that he had drawn the viii. which divided
the property equally between the two sons.
But when Snow was placed on the witness
stand he denied point blank that he mad
ever known old Colonel Miles.
Witnesses have testified that the old
millionaire never carried anything in his
old yaIise bur soiled linen and cigars. end
that he had told them that ali his friends
and relatives would be remembered when
he died The trial has not yet ended