The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-10
John Wilson, Former BelIeville
Lawyer. Gets Fortune.
Answers Thirty Questions Left
by His Father.
PROVES HIS IDENTITY
Was Driven From Home by
Parent Years Ago.
Amount OF the Estate Thirty
Thousand Dollars.


maiden name?
Answer-EIlen Black.
Question 3-Where were you born?
Answered. Wetmore, near Glasgow,
Scotland.
Question 4-When were you born?
Answer-May 10 1852.
Question 5-How many brothers did
you have?
Answer-Three; Archibold. Axtell
Question 6-Did you have any mar
ried sisters?
Answer-One.
Question 7-Whom did your sister
Ellen marry?
Answer w. Holden.
Question Slave you any brothers
or sisters living now?
AnSwer-No.
Question 9-what month did you
come to Nebraska?
Answer-Fall of 1864.
Question 1O-Who came with You
from Illinois?
Answer-James Mcdonald and wife
Question 11-How many in his FAM
lily?
Answer-Two.
Question 12-Did any other children
come with you?
Answer-No.
Question 1S-How did you come to
Nebraska?
Answer-By wagon.
Question 14-How was it driven?
Answer-By two horses.
Question I5-Did Mcdonald have
separate wagon?
Answer-Yes.
Question 16-Where was the home
stead taken?
Arswer-Near Helena on Stone Creek.
Question 17-How long did they live
there?
Answcr-Twenty-two years.
Question 1S-Where did you go to
school?
Answer-Helera. Fosters, Curtis, St.
Joseph Commercial school.
Question 19-Who was the teacher at
Fosters?
Answer-George Foster.
Question 2O-Who was the teacher at
Curtis
Answer-Gera1d Berry
Question 21-Who taught the first
school you attended?
Acknowledgement Niumions.
Question 22-Are these the only schools
you attended in the county?
AnSwcr-YeS.
Question 23-What other school did
you attend?
Answer--Iowa college, Iowa City II.
Question 24-What kind of school?
Answer-LaW school.
Question 25-WIho was the best friend
your father had and who loaned him
money!
Answer-Did not know much about
IdlneT private DuSDlSSS.
Question 26-Did you practice law: if
so, where?
Alswer-Rellevilie Kan.
QUESTION Pillow long?
Answer-October, 1913. to April 1876.
Question 2s--Did you owe any money
when you left Kansas?
Answer-Owed several firms in Rock
ford and SVf amo'e, H.. two firm S in
Kansas City and one in st. Joseph
Cayuga Manufacturing company in
st. Joseph and Mcdonald &, Co. in kan
sas City.
Question '9-Can YOU tell where your
father and mother were married?
Answer-Glaseow. Scotland.
Question 20-Are you the son of Scotch
John Wilson?
Answer am.
After ten witnesses, old settlers of
johnson county and boyhood acquain-
tances of the claimant for the Wilson
estate, had testified in the probate
court here today that they were GER
tain the claimant was John Wilson. IT.
son of Judge John Wilson of Tecum-
sch, Wilson was called to the witness
stand. Judge S. P. Davidson. attorney
for the neDhews. James and Donald
Kinneburgh and Duncan Black, slowly
drew out of his inside pocket a long
envelope. The crowd of 700 in the
court room was silent. 1t knew that in
the envelope were the questions the
heir must answer. 1t turned out that
there were thirty. not ten of them.
Judge Davidson read them one by one
Wilson answered some with consid-
erable alacrity; others he thought
about for some time. Two of them he
missed. The date of his birth he gave
as June IA. 1851. and he remembered
the name of only one brother, Lincoln.
Scotch" Wilson gave his sons birth
day as May Is, 1852; also he gave the
names of two other brothers which
the son did nc recall But upon the
testimony of ten witnesses and viii
sons answers to the questions James
Livingston. judge of the county court,
decided for Wilson.
The estate, valued at $4,000 con-
sisting of notes, mortgages and two
farms. will be turned over to John
Wilson, jr., by Mr.. Sullivan at once
The three nephews were satisfied and
said they would not appeal from Judge
Bivingston's decision.
Judge Livingston and the stenog-
rapher then went into a private room.
compared tie answers. and at
O'Clock. ten minutes later. the Judge
read his decision. Thus in six hours
was a small fortune swept from the
grasp of the three nephews. They
James Edinburgh and Donald Black.
farmers, and Duncan Kinniburgh
agent for the Chicago, Burlington g.
Quincy at Washington, Kan, sat in
the courtroom when the decision was
announced.
Detected looks We're upon their
faces, for the small fortune they had
intended to spend for a few simple
luxuries, such as motor cars and silk
dresses, and perhaps college educa-
tons for their children, now was turn
ed to another.
1T was our aunt's dying wish that
the property go to the son if he was
found" each of them said, land we
are glad her wish has been fulfilled
The decision will not be contested"
The decision means that James Kin
niburgh and Donald Black will have
10 get other farms. They have been