The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14
AKNCHEH

Mr.. Machen was general superintendent of
partment. He was dismissed from office and Ia
from government contractors.
"Oh. dear. no; they are sending in claims
anticipating a windfall."
'Who is furnishing the money, then?"
THAT is a subject 1 cannot discuss at
present.
Here Mr.. Jennings pulled himself up and
appeared somewhat angry.
TROUBLES OF HIS OWN.
Further questioned as to his relations
with the other claimants, he exclaimed
somewhat heatedly: 81 am not going to
concern myself with other peoples
troubles. 1 have enough of my own. The
statement that there will be a general
meeting of the whole body in London is
an invention; such a thing is impossible.
People cannot conveniently come from all
parts of the world to attend a conference
of that sort
William Jennings dying intestate leaving
no sons, how have you succeeded to the
name of Jennings?'
"a Jennings married into the family and
so the name was restored wus the quick
reply.
do you really expect to win yoHr case?"
'I ought to If there is justice in Eng
land
"You are rather skeptical as to the re-
sult?''
1.-The Court Of Chancery is an institution
which the lawyers themselves have never
been able to understand"
IF you succeed to all this wealth what
do you propose to do with it?'
81 nof fnfa In
money as 1 am in establishing the claims
of my family and ancestors. am an old
man and money can be of no great value
to me-"
Meanwhile, according to Mr. Jennings,
Earl Howe is laying low" The Canadian
has communicated with his lordship sug-
costing an interview by which litigation
might be avoided. but the earl has not
replied. AS a matter of fact, Lord Howe
has been threatened with eviction so many
times before that he is probably getting
bit calious. His lordship, by the way. is
rather picturesque figure He is one of
the youngest of English peers and is treas
urer to King Edwards household as well
as lord in waiting But perhaps the earl
is best known as musician. He plays the
organ with real brilliancy and has a mag
principal seat.
The history of the Jennings millions" is
an extraordinary one from beginning to
end, but no part of the tale is more remark
able than that which explains how it was
that the English millionaire, to whose for
tune there have been so many claimants,
came to die intestate. William Jennings
was an aristocrat as we'll as man of great
to the great Duke of Marlborough, and he
himself had William III for a godfather
and boy had been page to King George
/. But he was renowned most of all for his
riches. fortune of slO.OOO.Ooo such as his.
being accounted a mighty one in those pre-
Rockefeller days Jennings had inherited
part of his fortune, but he more than quad
rupled the original heritage by fortunate
speculation. He had perfect genius for
making investments. For instance, his
shares in the Exchequer Tontine, for which
he paid $500 each, brought him in $4,000
apiece for many years.
WHY NO WILL EXISTS.
Strangely enough, il was the most trifiing
sort of accident which led to Jennings
dying without will, and. as a consequence.
to one of the most lengthy and expensive
lawsuits in history. Only a few days be-
fore his death the old fellow, then ninety
seven. went down to his solicitors office for
the specific purpose of drawing up his last
| testament. When he came to sign 1t, how
ever. he discovered that he had left his
spectacles at home, so he put the will in
his pocket and went off, saying that he
would drop in again soon and close the mat
| ter up. A day two afterward he was
| dead. and when his clothes were searched
the Testament" worthless in law, was
| found in his pocket.
Up to the time of Jennings's death few
| persons had begun to realize how wealthy
| he was. Ii was discovered that he had had
| property In almost every one OF the exist
ing funds. and il had been his habit to leave
the dividends on most of his stock to ac-
cumulate year after year. He seems to
have had money on all sides OF him. In an
iron chest which he used to keep under his
| bed they found bank notes worth 100000
| and 1900 more in the shape OF newly
| coined golden guineas.
| 1t was in I7ss that old William jennings
| died. and hardly was he laid in his grave
| before there began the battle in the Chan
| Gerry Court for his estate which was TO
| drag on until people spoke OF its conclusion
| as they did OF the millennium. During the
one hundred odd years that the suit lasted,
whole rooms full OF evidence was usbmitted