The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-12-01
MRS. MATTE COMMONS HERE
TO PROVE THAT SHE IS
DAUGHTER OF EMMA
LORD
Existance of Heir to Noted Lord
Estate Mas Not Suspected
Until Last
May.

strange faie beng told to Judge
Bernetha, approaches the romantic
in effect. The leading character OF
this realistic. drama is Mrs. Matte
Estelle Commons, of Muncie Ind.
who alledees that she is the daughter
of the late Emma Estelle Lord of
Culver and in establishing her identi-
ty makes application for the balance
of property left after the settle
ment of the Lord estate. Attorney
Iohn Capron of Fl. Wayne, former
" of Plymouth and e. c. Martindale
represent the plaintiff in the case.
while the attorneys for the defence
are W. b. Hess of Plymouth and
Judge Mcdaniel of Peru.
The first developments in the case
occurred on May eth. 1910, when
Mrs. Commons paid a visit to Culver.
Concerning the ease, the Culver
Citizen at that time, contained the
following account:
Public interest was centered this
week on the appearance in town of
an heir to the supposed heirless
estate of the late Mrs. Emma Estella
Lord. The heir is no less than a
laughter of Mrs. Lord-Mrs. Matte
Estela Commons of Muncie Ind.
Not even the Oldest and most init
mate of Mrs. Lords friends in Gull
-er suspected in their Is years ac-
quaintance with her that she had a
child living-or. in fact a relative of
any degree. This was what she al
ways maintained, and everybody ac-
cepted it as true. Capt. Oliver Crook,
who was her business adviser for
many years. had been informed that
there was a child by a first marriage
but he was given to understand that
the child was dead. Mrs. Lords
motive for wishing this impression to
prevail is not known-possibly she
believed such was the case; but as
she was of a disposition which is
termed e~rratic, it does not excite
der as would be the case with persons
who do things in the ordinary n
ventional way.
The discovery of the living child
came about in this manner: Not long
ago Capt. Crook in looking over
papers left by Mrs. Lord found a
picture taken when she was a young
woman. He recalled too, the name of
a family named Waynemyer living
in Ohio whom Mrs. Lord had men
tioned as friends of her early days.
He gave the information to Attor-
ney j. c. Capron OF FIT. Wayne who
communicated with the family and
sent on the picture for Identification.
The Waynemyers replied hat the
picture was that of Janet Hoover.
and gave such other information that
the following is now established.
Janet Hoover at the age of 16
married Jason Brewer at Knight
stown, Ind. A daughter, Matte
Estella was born. When the child was
about two years old Mr.. and Mrs.
Brewer separated, Mr.. Berwer re-
taining the child. Mrs. Brewer went
to Indianapolis and entered a school
Later she bought "a boarding house
business Of a woman named Sewell
and assumed the name Of Emma Es-
tella Sewell. Why she did this the
daughter is unable to say 1t will
have to be charged, for the lack of
a better explanation 10 the unusual
ways she showed at times Of doings
I'm the course Of time she married r.
x. Lord, an educated Englishman of
rowing disposition and sporting pro-
.livities. Mr. and Mrs. Lord came 20
Lake Maxinkuckee and Mr.. Lord a
a steamboat on the lake for several
years. His suicide by drowning is
still fresh in the minds Of our cit
zens. Mrs. Lord then took hold of
affairs and showed considerable capa
city as a business woman. She man
aged successfully the boat line, the
Colombo hotel, a farm and a millin-
Try store. At the time of her death
from apoplexy. four years go she
left some property, the proceeds of
the safe Of which-$S,000 it is said
have been paid into court. How
much has been paid on outstanding
obligations is. not known, but Mr..
Caprop is NOW Investigating and it IS
hoped that there will he a nice little
sum for the daughter whcs
seems to be clearly established.
Mr.. Brewer. is living
Ohio.
Mrs. Commons, who came to
yer on Saturday and remand until
Tuesday the guest of Capt. and Mrs.
Crook is about 35 years of age and
has a son Of Is. She is an intelligent
attractive young woman, bearing so
strong a resemblance to her late
mother that the likeness is noticed
by all who have met her. For the
past nine years she has been emplcss-
ed in a suit and cloak house at
Mnncie, She says:
81 was brought up by a step
mother whom / love dearly, but ! al
ways felt a hunger to know and find
NY own mother. My father put her
completely out of his life after the
separation and | think never cared
to know where she went. | do not
think he knew or cared whether she
was alive or dead. / have always
felt that some day I would find her
and / never let 60 of that thought.
once heard that she was in Cincin-
natl and l placed an inquiry in the