Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-18
VAST ESTATE is INVOLVED
Two Children Of tho Artist, William
Frederick Parker of Omaha, Are
Fighting for a Half Interest in the
Wealth-An Interesting History of
Several Lives.


hands of the supreme court of Iowa, to
whose tender mercies 1t was consigned
yesterday by the three eminent jurists
who consumed the session from morn
to eve in most serious and eloquent
argument.
Primarily, three people are directly
Interested; indirectly, many others. For
Mrs. Josephine Talbot Parker-Brisbin,
the sole daughter and living heir Of the
Davenport millionaire, seeks an adju-
judication winch will cut Off from
participation in the estate two minor
natural children OF her brother, who,
on their part, seek a decree awarding
them half, which the will of their
grandfather guarantees them if the
courts shall decide that they are le-
gal heirs and lawfully begotten
Judge Wolfe in Scott county decreed
that one Of these children had been
legitimized by his father and was en-
titled to inherit one-half the estate;
but he cut the other off with nothing.
Since the children weret the sons Of
the same mother, neither she nor the
guardian of the defeated child protest.
ed, but the daughter who seeks as the
sole legal heir to inherit the whole
or the estate, now measured in seven
figures, appealed to the supreme court.
Prominent People Interested.
The father of the children whose
claim is disputed by Mrs. Brisbin, was
William Frederick Parker, the artist,
ho b0
worth perhaps $150,000. After his
death the mother of the children. Paul
Inc Fraissinet, appeared to claim that.
though she had masqueraded for
nearly twenty years as his housekeeper
and cook, she was in fact his common
law wife, and his children were entitled
to inherit from his estate.
This was disputed in Nebraska and n
case reached the supreme court Of that
state, which decided for the children
of the woman. But the Iowa court
held that there was no common law
marriage and that the intercourse be-
tween Mrs. Fraisinet and the artist was
illegal, but that the father had ack-
nowledged the eldest son at least, in
SO notorious manner as to have le-
gitimized him to the extent of making
it possible for him to inherit from his
father.
But Mrs. Brisbin was not content
with half of the estate, and appealed.
For under the will Of her father the
estate was to be divided in thirds "a
mong his three children, their legiti-
mate or lawfully begotten heirs to in
herit from them in turn. But it was
cd hot oe %l,o
three children should die without legal
issue, the remaining children or child
should receive the share of the de-
ceased one. Both Of Mrs. Brisbin's
brothers died without marrying. And
unless the natural children Of the ar
fist brother succeed in establishing
their position and claim as lawfully
begotten and legal heirs, Mrs. Brisbin
will take the entire estate.
Its Value Enormous.
The value of the estate is enormous.
One eighty acre tract of land sold for
$4,000, and it was with reference to
the division of the proceeds Of this sale
that the controversy arose as to who
should participate as heirs. 1t result
ted in Mrs. Brisbin bringing suit for
construction Of the will of her faith
er.
Under that will the estate was left
in the hands of trustees for the bene-
fit of the children Of the testator and
their legal heirs. But at the death
of the testators children the trust was
to be dissolved and the estate was to
go to his grandchildren. 1t was de-
creed, however, that when the trus-
tees deemed it advisable and for the
interests Of the estate and the heirs
to sell any of the real estate outright,
they might effect the sale by securing
an order of court and dividing the
proceeds according to the rule Of the
will and the trust thereby established.
The trustees found a chance to sell
an eighty acre tract of the land for
STE. 900 and sought to do it. But the
children of William Frederick Parker
came forward, by their mother and
qua rdian, to seek a share of the pro-
ceeds of the SALE And Mrs. Brisbin
a sked the court to construe the will
and decree whether the children of her
brother were entitled to share in the
proceeds, the income. or the maj resi-
due of the estate Of her father. These
questions were yeSlelatty oop1AAAslSu ~
the Iowa supreme court.
Judge c. M. Waterman Of Daven-
mort formerly of the supreme court OF
Iowa. appeared for Mrs. Brisbin yes
terday. James w. Hamilton of Oma-
ha and w. M. Chamberlain Of Dav-
ennort appeared for Mrs. Fra1sslnet
and her children.
Names From Books.
Mrs Fraissinets story was absorb
inrly interesting. She is about 40
Years of age, and the widow of Hugo
17raissinet. whom she married in 1879
and who died in the insane hospital OF
Nebraska in 1888. They lived in North
omaha. Here also lived William Fred
erick Parker Mrs. Fraissinets hus-
hand was carpenter and she found 1T
necessary to work also to make Nv
ING for herself and her children. Seek
ing work as a housekeeper, she became
acquainted with Parker at his man
sion in North Omaha in 1880. After
her husbands demise she went to
work for the artist as housekeeper.
In 1885. on Memorial day. she be-
came engaged to marry Robert Wendt.
a carpenter She told Parker about 1t
and for the first time he kissed her
and made love to her, and made her
promise to give up wendt. She testi-
fed that she preferred Parker to
wendt and was persuaded to fcrsake
her lover for her employer.
CONTINUED on fifth page.)