The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-04
WILLIAM WOODSDEAD
Heir to Famous Emma Mines
Dies in Asylum.
WIN. B. THR0CKMORTON
Is Appointed Administrator Of
the Estate by Court

William Thorl1morton Of this city. has
been appointed administrator of the es-
tate OF William Woods. who was one OF
the co-heirs of the famous Emma mine at
Aspen. Colorado. and who died last Sat
urday in the insane asylum at Topeka.
Kansas. This adds another page to the
history of the Emma mine which is more
or less familiar TO the citizens of Wichita
and readers Of the Eagle. Some thirty
years ago one Jerome Wheeler, a specula-
tor in mining stocks. in business in Den
yer Colorado, grub-staked a prospector
known as Ohio Bill, right name William
Woods. to six months provisions. pack
mule and other necessaries. in considera-
ton of a one-haIf interest in any valuable
claims that might be filed on by the pros
pector.
Very little was known about Ohio Bill
in Denver in those days, except the fact
that he was Buckeye, a dangerous man
to cross in quarrel. and handy with
his gun, and nothing whatever was
known of his family lor he always passed
as a single man. After drifting around
the various mining camps and digging
for two or three months, the prospector
finally blew into a little on Cow Creek,
where the town o. Aspen now stands and
there he located and fled on a claim
(which afterwards turned out to be one
of the richest low grade ore silver mines
in that section of the country. Ohio Bill
hill he -f~ r~fo 4
the olggings, was really married and had
a wife and seven children living in some
little town in Ohio and he must have had
some sentiment stored away within his
royal exterior and thought something of
his folks at home for he named his claim
the Emma after his wife. He put down
a couple Of prospect holes on the claim
and struck a good streak of pay dirt right
from the starr To shorten long story,
Woods died and his partner, Wheeler,
not knowing that he ha~ a family and not
caring either. for Iha4 matter, absorbed
the interest of the dead miner. But
Woods left clear title TO an undivided
half interest in the Emma mine.
Several Of the Woods children grew up,
drifted west and settled in Kansas. One
was George Woods, well known here in
early days, and another was William
Woods, the man who has just died in the
asylum. George Woods was killed in a
fight ct Caldwell, Kansas and his wife,
Mag Woods, then a resident of Wichita,
had him buried there. After time the
father, William Woods, became insane,
was sent to the asylum at Topeka, Kan
sas. Wnen the Emma mine began to pay
Ia TThaGTar fbfrlrfrcr
would be best TO get a title 70 the part Of
the mine he did not own, he having in
the meantime found out that Ohio BIZ
was man of family and had left heirs,
got some firm of lawyers to quietly search
around. locate the heirs Of Woods and he
got quit claim deeds to their interests for
mere nominal sums from 500 to $500 dol
lars. Woods left a wife and seven child
rem and all OF the heirs signed the quit
claim deed on the representations OF
Wheeler's agents except Mrs. May Woods
widow Of George, who then had consid-
cradle money and who hired a lawyer
from here to find out the value Of her
claim. She received for her signature,
g 500 Afterwards the heirs brought suit
10 set aside the quit claim deeds and the
courts decided that as they were obtained
under FRAUDULENT representation. that they
should be set aside, all except the one
made by May Woods who had an inyesti-
cation made by an agent Of her own.
When property rights were restored 70
the heirs W. 3. Thocknorton was ap-
pointed guardian Of William Woods. who
was possessed of some property when adj
judged insane by Judge Wyatt. and since
the death Of Woods IN the asylum last
Saturday, has been appointed administra-
tor Of the estate. Since his guardianship
he has managed the affairs OF the poor
crazy man with great ability and has
been complimented highly by both press
and courts. He has secured Tor the de-
ceased a Judgment Of $4,000 against Je-
rome Wheeler. a judgment Of $1,000
against the property and q one fourteenth
interest in the mine. which is still IN op-
Grafton. and some little money IN the
bank to the credit Of the estate.