The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-05
FOUND A FORTUNE.
Heirs to a Large Estate Who Had
Mysteriously Disappeared Turns
Up After Sixteen Years-Had Been
in an Orphan Asylum.
in an Orphan Asyl

From the Pittsburg Commercial Gazette
A bill i'm equity filed in common pleas
No. between Leon A. and Lewis Hall,
plaintiffs, and the Fidelity Title and
Trust company, of Pittsburg, guardian
Of William +. Hall and William r.
Hall, defendants, develops an interest
ing romance which reunited a family,
brought fortunes to wandering orphan
boys and disposed of thousands of dol
lars worth of property for which all
hope of finding the heirs had been
given up. Attorneys Lawrence w.
Bingham and Ernest w. Marland filed
the bill asking for partition of this
property.
Francis J. Hall, one of the best
known and wealthiest colored men in
Pittsburg in the early sos, died in Feb
ruary, 1883, leaving about $40, 600 in real
estate and personal property. His last
VIII was made and dated December Is.
1874, TO this will he added at various
times codicils, changing its provisions
unul the last cOdicil left the property
to daughter and four grandsons, who
mad mysteriously disappeared. The
property consisted of seven brick
houses and about $4,000 in cash. BY
the provisions of the will he divided
the houses on Kirkpatrick and Perry
streets, leaving them to his daughters,
Lulu and Elizabeth Hall. By the first
codicil he left three brick houses to
Lulu Hall and three houses to his son,
Richard A. Hall. Elizabeth having
died. BY the second codicil, the tes-
tator, on account of his sons wife.
Josephine Hail. having incurred his
displeasure and dislike, revoked the
first codicil and cut his son and his
heirs off without a cent. BY a third
codicil, the daughter-in-law having
died. he revoked the second codicil and
again left his son and his heirs, one
half Of his property.
WENT OUT INTO THE WORLD.
In the meantime the son, Richard A.
Hall. died, knowing only of codicil No.
2 which cut out himself and his chill
dren, Before he died, however, he
placed the four children in the colored
Orphans asylum at Bellevue. with the
understanding that when each attained
the age of twelve years, he was TO be
sent out into the world to make his
own way, The last codicil was added
in 1884. The grandfather did not know
'HN'N Wv Nhilhlt ti were ana none OF
the relatives We're taken into the
fathers confidence, he having cut loose
from the family. and not being on
speaking terms with any Of them. The
Orphans home knew nothing of the
grandfather or the will, and as the chill
dren reached the stipulated age. each
was given some ready cash and sent
out to make his own living One by
one they left, taking a different course
until all had left the home and disan-
peared without knowing that several
thousand dollars each was waiting a
claimant.
Lewis, the eldest. wandered all over
the world as a newsboy on trains, ana
for sixteen years the Fidelity Title ana
Trust company held the propertv
waiting for the heirs to turn up. Leon.
the second boy, became a janitor In
Pittsburg, and William +. Hall he
came bootblack or something of the
sort, in Ohio William r. Hall. the last
to leave the institution, disappeared
entirely and was given up for dead.
when the final discovery of the estate
was mad" IN "'ost peculiar manner
a3d by meie Oh .AcC.
Two years ago Lewis Hall, who had
been all over the country. got home
sick and decided to come back to Pitts.
burg and try to locate some of his
brothers. He reached the city in the