Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-30
$5,0OO,OOO WILL Fight
Contest Over the Estate Of
James A. Bailey, the Well
known Snowman
MICHIGAN KIN FILE CLAIMS
MICHIGAN KIN FILE CLAIMS
Insist That Bailey, Who Left Entire
Fortune to Wife, Was Mentally IN
sound-Defense Denies it-Family
DeIinquences acknowledgements to
Be Called.

New York, Jan. 30.-The contest
brought by relatives in Michigan to
set aside the will of James A. Bailey,
Snowman, and successor of p. L. Bar
mum. was heard by Surrogate Frank
". Willard. Bailey, who died at Mount
Vernon about a year ago, left his en-
tire estate, including the controlling in
terest in the Barnum & Bailey. Sells,
Forepaugh, and Buffalo Bill shows to
his widow, Ruth McCaddon Bailey,
cutting off the contestants who live in
Michigan without cent. The estate,
it is said, amounts to about $5.o0o,ooo.
The contestants, who are nephews
and nieces, thru their attorneys are
trying to prove the Snowman mentally
incompetent when he made his will,
and that Mrs. Bailey and her brother,
Joseph McCaddon, also a circus man,
exercised undue influence over him. In
their dispositions they allege all OF Mr..
Bailey's brothers and sisters in Mich
igan became insane before they died.
Shortly before 1884, when he made his
will, he suffered from a stroke of par
alysis and was so broken down in
health he was compelled to go to Eu-
rope for rest.
Attorneys for Bailey at the time he
drew his will testified he was perfectly
sane and competent at the time and
that he went to Europe merely be-
cause he needed rest. Attorney Bull
said when Bailey made the codicil to
his will he said he had lot of had
relatives, one OF whom, he understood.
had been in states prison.
"They are a bad lot" said he. land
would make trouble for Mrs. Bailey II
they could. I want to make a will
they can't break"
He said the Snowman had lot OF
relatives he didn't know and never
had seen.
Mrs. Bailey, when questioned about
her husbands relatives, said she did
not know any Of them. She denied
not know them. She denied Bailey ever
was In an insane asylum sanitarium,
hospital, or institution Of any kind, and
said his mind always was as clear as
a bell.
Lawyers for deponents read the de-
positions of William j. Beecher Of De-
troit, former ticket seller of the show,
and of Mary Gordon, also of that city,
who is one Of the nieces contesting the
will Beeches testified Bailey was a
sick man in 1884, at the time he made
his will. He said there was no secret
about his mental condition. He looked
quite deranged and had nervous pros
tration.
Lawyers for the estate then read the
cross examination of Beecher, which
showed he had been bartender in De-
troit, Cincinnati and Chicago, and a
ticket Spectator in New York. While
he was with Barnum & Bailey he never
drew more than $50 a month. Accord
ing to the testimony he also was arrest
ed in New York with a lot OF confidence
men, but afterwards was discharged.
Mary Gordon testified that several Of
her uncles and aunts. lost their minds
before their death. She said Bailey al
ways feared he would go the same
way. Witness testified Bailey was
brought up by her mother until he was
Is, then he went swimming and never
came back. Later they heard he had
gone to Pontiac, Mich, where he had
Joined a wagon circus. The mother OF
Mr.. Bailey, she said, died of nervous
ness
The case was adjourned In order to
call the physicians who attended Bail
ey in his last illness. It is claimed by
attorneys for the contestants that
Bailey died of form of insanity.