The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-29
Struggle for Estate of Queen of
AtchisOn's DemimOnde.
Eva HendershOt Left Property
Valued at S25, 900.
is WILL FRAUDULENT
This Is Charge Made in Federal
Court Action.
German Young Is Defendant in
the Suit.

A suit o. .giuating in the red light
district of Atchison was filed today in
the United Stats circuit court. The
contest is over the estate left by a
woman of the half world
The estate is valuable one-estirpa-
ted TO be worth SIS, 600 and most of this
amount is in personal property, dia-
morCs, jeweIry and moneys. Sarah A.
Wight Of ClarksbuTg, MoniteaU coun-
ty, No. is the plainrif in the suit.
seeking possession of the estate of Eva
HendershGt, I, q former well known char
aster OF AtcE!son.
Charges of a sensational character in
volving fraud are made by Sarah A
Wright. who states that she the
nearest heir at law of Eva Hender-
shot.
The estate at present appears tc be
in possession of German A. Young of
Atchison, and the suit is attempt to
Wrest the property an moneys away
from Young who had the confidence
and trust oI Eva HendershOt, erStyyhlie
queen of the demimonde, according to
the represe nIa atlcns made in the suit
Eva Henderson, died on the 9Th OF
July, 1908. Four days later. it is stated,
the last alleged will and testament or
the deceased was presented TO the pro-
bate court Of Atchison county for pro-
baton The application for probate
remained pending until the 10th OF
April 1907. The will which Is declared
to be not the last will and testament
In making the charges of fraud IL IS
said: THAT at the time she signed and
executed the same she had never read
and did not know the contents of the
same and at the time OF her death had
not read and had knowledge OF It's
contents, that her signature thereto
was procured by and through fraud,
deceit and Misrepresentation OF the said
defendants"
Though involving as it does a history
of the submerged half of society, 1t
contains thread of pathos. After
wears spent in a hard lie, accUmulat-
ing money. Eva Henderson, died, leav
ing an estate that had clIng1ug TO IL
the souls of men and women purchased
at petty price, but which notwith-
standing all of this forms the reVoIv-
ing point upon which a legal fight to
secure possession IS precfpitated-
In September, 1903, il is declared
that Young was engaged by Eva Hen
dershot as her agent and legal aG-
wiser though it Is stated that Young /
was not an attorney. Acting IN TINS /
capacfty it is claimed that Young /
strong control and influence
over the woman of the half world so /
strong in fact that she trusted him 4
implicitly in everything and that her I
business transactions were largely /
guided by his advice in every par
ucuIar.
induced his client TO loan him $4,000 |
without security
Later, on the 14th of July, 1904, it
is claimed that he induced her to
make will which would remain
secret between himself and her In
der this will it is charged that Henry
Aiken, aged %, a nephew of the Hen
ierShot woman, was to be left $1,000.
but all of the remaining estate was to
be left TO Young. The transaction, 1t
IS said, was entirely secret and A F
Martin. supposed attorney for the wo-
man. was not given notice that such
transaction was pending Continuing
II is stated that when the will was
written and presented to Eva Hender-
shot she refused to accept its terms
md ordered it destroyed Then it is
claimed she directed new will to be
Drawn giving her nephew the entire
estate aud making German Young sole
trustee. This it is stated toook place
On the 9Th of October. 1904
Thirty days following this it is
stated the note of $4,000 and $4,000 in
Jewels were presented to German
young by Eva Hendershot.
The fraud. it is detailed. took
place when Young made his client be-
ieve that legal paper she was sign
If the estate wflled to Aiken when in
reality it was a Will granting all the
property personal and real, TO Young.
The property listed as having been
eft by Eva Hendershot is given as
'oIIows:
Lot Il, block 20. Atchison: lot 4.
1Icck 10 Atchison; lots 1S 19. 20. 21
ChaIIis addition 10 Atchisou-
Household goods valued at $1,000.
Moneys and credits, $4,000
Diamonds, $4,000.
Note to German Young for $4,000
The attorneys for the plaintiff are