The San Francisco call., 1905-08-05
C0YET RICHES
OF A CRIPPLE
Estate Valued at SIS, 900, 900
Excites the Cupidity of
the Burnses of Missouri
RELATIVES WANT SHARE
Take Advantage of Wealthy
WOman's Misfortune to
Get Possession of Estate

Congressman c. F. Cochran of st. JOS
eph, Mo, who is among the stanchest
friends of William Jennings Bryan, and
who is also prominently identified in his
native State as d lawyer and newspa-
per editor. arrived here yesterday on
his way to Portland and is staying at
the Palace. Hotel.
The Congressman has come West In
connection with case that has aroused
widespread interest in Missouri. in
volving the distribution of an estate
valued variously between $6.00O,OOO and
SIS. .000,0 600 and which contains material
that would form the foundation for an
interesting novel. The Burns family
was one OF the most prominent and
wealthy in Northern Missouri. and its
heads, three brothers, who all figured
conspicuouSly in the business and po-
litical history of the State, having
passed away, their surviving relatives
are now undergoing the usual litigious
experience of heirs to large estates.
The contest. in which Congressman
Cochran is acting in a legal capacity,
grows out of an attempt through the
courts of Missouri to immune one of
the Burns family-a woman of middle
age-on the ground that, as she was
never given an education. she is an IN
competent person and consequently not
entitled to receive the vast fortune that
has iinally passed to her control by the
death of her father and mother.
PROVES BRILLIANT WOMAN.
Although this woman is 40 years of
age, deformities from childbirth have
practically kept her in seclusion for
the better part of the thirty-two years
she has lived in ST. Joseph. Few OF
even the most intimate acquaintanceS
of the Burns family have ever seen the
woman except while she was out rid
ing or at a distance in the theaters OF
ST. Joseph. of which she has been
regular patron. Her deforrities, one
of which is an affliction of the eyes,
rendered it impossible to give the wom-
an education III an ordinary way,
but devoted mother. by constant con-
tact with her child. to whom she read
and discussed all matters of possible in
tcrest, furnished the unfortunate daugh-
ter with ample material for mental di-
gestion and eventually elevated the lat
ter's mind to realm of intelligence
where she acquired a degree of bril-
liancy in literature and drama that has
been pronounced most remarkable.
AS the daughter of Calvin F. Burns.
who died in Missouri in 1896, Miss
Burns inherited fortune that had been
accumulated by her father partly
through a conveyance of interests from
him. This conveyance had excluded sew
eral others who were closely related to
the Burns family, but who had never
come in contact with the direct heirs
RELATIVES WANT FORTUNE.
The disinherited relatives have now
brought an action to determine the SAN
ity of Miss Burns and. if possible, Sc
cure a share of the estate. The pro-
ceedinas in the matter have already
established the fact that. notwithstand-
ing that Miss Burns Affections prevent
ed her from ever learning to read or
write. she has acquired, through the
assistance of her mother. now dead. a
remarkable knowledge of the best lit
erature had well informed herself on
the drama and absorbed much informa
ton concerning current fashions and
other matters interesting to women,
and on these subjects she has since
proved herself a wonderfully interest
ing critic.
1t was these surprising facts that
Congressman Cochran, the legal adviser
OF Miss Burns. has succeeded in bring
ing to light in st. Joseph. where the
public has been closely watching the
remarkable case. The presence of the
Congressman on the coast at this
time is for the purpose of getting the
testimony Of a number of relatives of
Miss Burns. who are interested in the
action now pending in St. Joseph.