Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-10-10
WILLIAMS GIVES BACk FEES
Compelled to Disgoree Money he collscte
While Probate Judge,
ACTS As ATToRSlf BEFORE HIMSELF
Some Additional Insight Into His
OficiaI Conduct While He was
County Judge of Pierce
County.

County.
The tale of j. A. Williams and his career
In the Omaha World Herald OF october l,
Is continued as follows:
But far more serious than the blunders
ana omissions In the civil and criminal
dockets are the records of the probate d.
vision Of the office
Pierce, though neither among the young
or the old counties of the state. has now
reached that stage in its development in
which its entire area is cut up into we'll
improved farms that have in recent years
risen TO a high value and in which is To-
Gated several prosperous small cities and
villages. Any of the pioneers of twenty
years ago, now grown well to do. are
past middle age. and the number and value
OF estates left for probate has grown to
large proportions. For four years past, up
TO 1903, the administration of these estates
has been entrusted to Judge williams, and
as a large majority of these estates went
to widows and minor children, who often
did not hire an attorney. but relied upon
the honor and good intent of the Judge to
protect their interests, the great respon-
sibility that rested upon him is readily
apparent.
Both Attorney and Judge.
But Judge Williams arose to the occasion
In many instances in which heirs had not
employed attorneys; he acted as attorney
for them, in that capacity appearing before
himself as probate judge. Such dangerous
and unethical practice needs but to be
mentioned to attorneys. or laymen either,
to suggest the disastrous results that might
flow from it.
/ No better evidence than the records them
selves need TO be cited to Indicate the man
ner in which Judge Williams discharged his
I trust to the widows and orphans of Pierce
county-a trust so handled that it has al
ready caused tears and COSTS and will give
more cause for anxiety and suffering as the
years go by and more defects are devel-
oped.
For instance. Eliza Mock, then of Plain
view and now of Bloomfield, was appointed
guardian for Eddie Mock, minor. The pc
tition was filed August 25. 1905. bond was
filed with j. B. Moeller of Plainview as
bondsman, and an inventory showing $500
in cash filed. No letter of guardianship or
no order appointing guardian are to be
: found in the office. In this instance not
. even the fee book shows any transaction,
though the guardian claims to have paid
Sc. Mr.. Moeller this year inquired of the
Strengthening out.
Compelled to DisRorge Fees.
In the estate of August Schumacher, a
wealthy farmer near Pierce who died, j.
F. Kolterman. former county commits
sioner. was appointed administrator Al
though the administrator made reports
on March Z, 1903. and August 10, 1900,
/ neither report wass-exatrf1edys approved
or recorded No report was required for
1905. In this case Williams was Koter-
mans attorney. but williams, as attor-
ney. apparently failed to see to 1t that
Williams, as Judge, did his duty.
But Williams. as judge, collected all his
Gees.
Kolterman has this year demanded the
return OF s. that he paid Williams as
judge for work never done.
Henry Oehlert, a farmer near Pierce,
died and left an estate worth over $4,000:
also a widow and eight children. The in
ventory was filed December 20. 1906 and 81
paid for recording it. This year, when
sought to renew a mortgage on some OF
the property it was found that the in
, ventory had not been recorded.
, But Williams got the fee.
He paid Il back.
Gilbert Stone died and left a minor son,
now living with his mother at Norfolk
w. L. Mote of Plainview was appointed
guardian. The petition for the appoint
ment Of the guardian and the bond were
filed August 3, 1906 This year. when Mr.
Mote sought an order of the district court
to sell some of the land left in the estate
for the benefit of the minor heir, It was
found that Williams had never recorded
those documents.
But Williams got the fees.
He paid them back.
John Ewers of Plainview was com.
mitted to the asylum for the insane al
Norfolk. His brother Henry Ewers, was
appointed guardian for him and his minor
! child He had an estate of about $4,000
} Proceedings were regular up to the time
: sale of property made. September
26, and the report Of the sale on October
q, 1908. For these two the guardian paic
50 for filing. few weeks ago thes,
documents were found in a.pigeon hole ant
were then recorded.
But williams got the fees
He paid them back.
The guardianship case of Ida wickhanl
now Mrs RaAbe, living near Pierce. wa.
supposed to be all settled, as the guar
dian was discharged August s. 1906 Tn,
4 fee for recording tho final document wa,
tHtn pdlus inns year liitIt was some &C
' casion to look up the estate matters anC
the fact was discovered that It was no
recorded.
But Williams got the fee
He has paid il back.
In the settlement of the estate OF J, E
I Buchanan, a nonresident who UCne,
Pierce county land. A. L. Button, now o
Lincoln, the administrator, paid fees. in
cluding the one for final settlement. 10 b
recorded This year II was found tha
Z. il was not recorded.
But Williams got the fee.
He has paid it back.
Mrs Emma King, who lives near Eos
ter was guardian for Lee Harvey. ;
. minor. She filed her guardians report 4
be recorded July 5, 1904 It wasn't re
corded until she made application to JudE
Kelley for discharge Ia February of IN;
year. though che had paid 81 two wear
= ago.
But Williams got the fees.
, He paid them back.
: Woman Indignant at Errors.
~ In the administration OF the estate a
. Edward Raymond, Mrs. King again an
: pears in probate court. through her hus
c band, this time administrator JudR
Is Williams, though a little slow in thi
case. as in many others in some of tn
details, was prompt and punctual a
usual about the collection OF his fees. O