The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-27
. TAINTED BLOOD.
Final Argument Made in the
Warner Will Case.
StepmOther Of Commissioner
Held Up as Siren.
STICKS TO HIS STORY.
Says He Has Positive Proof of
Negro Ancestry.
Testimony of Friends and Neigh
bOrs of the R0binsOns.


Blood" which the pension commits
sioner, Vespasian Warner, charged
courses in the veins of his stepmother,
Mrs. Isabella Robinson Warner, was
made the subject of final arguments
in the Warner will case before Judge
w. G.. Cochran.
The contention of Vespasian War
ner, jr., is that John Warmers second
wife secured him for a husband by
concealing from him the alleged fact
that she was of negro blood. Accord
have married the woman had not this
alleged deception been practiced and
the charge of fraud is made by the
son in contesting the efforts of the
widow to break the. will.
The whitehaired widow, who is try
ing to get a dover share of the wealth
of John Warner, aggregating l II mill
ion dollars, was in court with her two
daughters, Mrs. Minnie Harrison Met
tier of Chicago, and Mrs. Arabella
Warner Bell of Clinton. She listened
attentively to the attorney who made
the argument in behalf of Commits
sioner Warner, who is seeking to pre-
vent his stepmother from breaking his
fathers will. The attorney painted
Mrs Warner as a cunning siren, the
daughter OF poor parents, who had
drawn into her meshes John Warner,
thu banker.
All the evidence, he insisted, showed
that Isabella Robinson had planned
hasty marriage and that she did not
allow her husband to see his family
for more than an hour the day of her
marriage, May %, 1874. Now and
then when the lawyer made reference
to her cleverness in trapping" the
banker into a second marriage or to
tn, poverty of her father, Stephen
Robinson, or Curly, Robinson, as he
was known in his home near Steuben,
o., she would smile disdainfully. Her
daughters also appeared to be amused
at tho charges. -E- lr
Mrs Warner says emphatically that
her father was white. She signed, she
says pre-nuptial agreement, waving
her dover only after the banker had
deceived her about the value of his es-
tate. $40
Warner Sticks to 1t.
Pension Commissioner Warner re-
iterated the charge that his step
mothers father had negro blood in
his veins.
81 have absolute proof of the
%4s fS whe war haEs m nad te ga Me
known politician. 'I did all in my
power to the extent which seemed to
me right to settle this suit over my
fathers will out of court. I offered
she refused the preferred settlement.
"Then when it came to a fight,
merely used the positive evidence
which / held in my hands. I have the
Mrs Isabelle Warmers father, Ste
phen Robinson, never denied that his
veins contained negro blood. These
were election cases in which Robin
son received damages because, as a
negro. he had not been allowed to
vote"
Mr.. Warner stated that he had new
er during his lifetime entertained
friendly relations with his stepmoth-
er. and further, declared that he had
never spoken to her. He also said
that the woman had deceived his
father Mr.. Warner in conclusion
said that Mrs. Flora McDermott of
Washington knew nothing regarding
public indignation which had been
exhibited as result of the case
would soon blow over.
Regarding the gossip in official
Mr. Warner declared that
he anticipated absolutely no trouble |
In that qua rter as result.
If Mrs. Isabelle Warner wins the |
suit by Judge Cochrane's decision she |
will receive $3.50, 900 in cash and the /
interest on 100000 in real estate
holdings.
Counsel for Mrs. Warner asked that
1t the same time the decision in the
will is handed down Judge Cochrane
lence submitted by the defense was
sufficient to mark Mrs. Warner as a
legress.
Dispositions From Ohio Read.
Following are several of the deposit
ions bearing on the case and which
we're read in court:
Elizabeth GaIley-Am 20 years old;
lived near the Robinson family in Peru
township. Ohio, and was a friend and |
of Isabelle Robinson I |
when Isabelle and her mother
vent to Kansas. After Isabelle's return
helped her make wedding dress. The
RObinsons lived in log house of four |
'ooms. Never heard any conversation
n the home about Isabelle intending to
marry a rich man, although 1 got the |
somewhere that she was to
10 So I also heard that she met her
'uture husband while travelling"
Mrs. Mary Marman-When Isabelle
Robinson returned from Kansas she in
ended marrying a rich banker whom
The had met. The coming marriage was
talked about in the neighbor-