The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-05-16
Long Contested Will of Dr.. William NJ
w. Dawson is Admitted to Pro-
bate in Chicago.
CHARGES OF ExTORTION MADE,
A. W. Thompson and A. E. Buckmaster, OF
This City, Are Placed Under Arrest. But
the Case ia Promptly Dismissed.

OI tue 1dlS LIZ W. aGus W. OdFASOhS
late of this city, came to sensational
termination in the probate courts of
Chicago Friday afternoon, when the
will of the deceased doctor was adj
nlitted to probate and the estate
ordered divided between the Kenosha
relatives of the doctor without making
any mention of the widow, Mrs. Lucy
Dawson, of Chicago, who had been
contesting the will for the last two
months.
The final chapter Of the contest of
the will was the most interesting oc-
currence that has taken place in the
Chicago courts in many a day, for as
soon as Judge Cutting had handed
down a decision admitting the will to
probate C. VanA..l len Smith, the attor-
ney who represented the widow in the
contest, caused the arrest of District
Attorney A. E. Buckmaster and Arthur
w. Thompson, of this city, on war
rant sworn out by Mrs. Dawson charg-
ing the two men with extorting money
bv threats and intimidation. The
warrant was returnab1e to Justice
Richardson and the two Kenosha men
were at once taken into custody and
hurried before the awful dignity of the
Justice. A change of venue was taken
to Justice Martins court and Attorney
Buckmaster demanded an immediate
trial. AS soon as the evidence had
been heard the case was dismissed and
the attorneys who had represented
Mrs. Dawson in the criminal action
were given a round scoring by the JUS
tice, who claimed that the arrest of the
Kenosha men was1 wholly Z unwar-
ranted. The case stirred up quite
little excitement in Chicago and the
attorney for Mrs. DavisonSreceived a
great deal of criticism on account of
his action.
The fight made to prevent the pro-
bate of the will was a determined one
on the part of the widow, who alleged
that undue influence had been used to
force the doctor, her late husband, to
make will in which e,was to be cut
off without a cent of the estate which
she had helped to earn. She also al
legged that the husband had been in
sane for some time before'he left Chi
cago TO come to Kenosha, where his
death occurred. It was shown in con-
nection with the probate of the will
that all the personal property had al
ready been divided among the Keno
sla heirs. The evidence showed that
the will was drawn by A. E. Bnckmas-
ter short time before the death of DR..
DAWSON. At his asrequest A. w.
Thompson and the attorney had gone
to Chicago and taken possession of the
personal property. Possession was
secured by means of an order to Mr..
Thompson from Mr.. Dawson. The
order was the cause of the arrest after
the case had been decided.
The order, which was for s., 900, was
given to Mr.. Thompson and he was
ordered to go to Chicago and draw this
amount from the safely deposit vault
in the Chamber of Commerce building.
Accompanied by Mr.. Buckmaster Mr..
Thompson went to Chicago but he
found the vaults empty. The two then
called in the services of Sergeant
Edward Kelly, of the Warren avenue
station, and went'to the house of Mrs.
Dawson and asked for an explanation
of the empty box. Mrs. Dawson de-
clared that she had taken out the con-
tents for safe keeping and had placed
them in Vault in the Masonic Tenn
pie. The securities swere found and
turned over to DR.. Dawson and later
divided among his relatives in this
city.
BY the terms of the will, which has
been proven genuine, all the property
is left to the mother of the deceased.
DIR. John v. Maxim is named as execut-
or of the will, but on account of an er-
ror in the making of the will it is pos
sib1e that he will not be able to qualify
and in this case the widow will proba-
bly, be appointed executrix of the will.
The property of the deceased
amounted to about fifteen thousand
dollars, but all of this save about two
hundred dollars was disposed of before
the will was made.
L