The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-04-12
FORTUNE CLAIMANT
 IMPOSTOR Decision Given in Famous Danny Russell Case In- volving $500, ,OOO FIGHT HAS LASTED FOR
 123 COURT DAYS
  Dakota Man Filed Suit Last September In Cambridge As Brother of Deceased
 
Special from United Press )

 Boston, April 12.-Branded as an imposter in his claim for the estate and fortune of Daniel Blake Russell of Melrose, A. Dickinson. North Da- kota, who has been fighting in court here for weeks, was brought close to prison doors here today when Judge George Lawton of the Cambridge probate court absolutely denied his claim.
 Judge Lawton delivered his judg- ment only after an hour and half review of the case. His decision caus- ed consternation among hundreds of the courtroom and had recognized the claimant as the real Daniel J. Rus sell who vanished from Me1rose 25 years ago.
 Todays decision closes at least one phase of the most remarkable identity fight ever before an American court, the famous Tichborne case of Eng land. For 123 days of actual hearing the Dakota claimant to the name of Daniel Blake Russell and to a half of the $5OO,G0O fortune left by Daniel Russell of Me1rose, has fought in Judge L4awton's court for recognition tie has convulsed the town from which p years ago Danny Russell fled. as has no other case in the history of
 From the very day last September when the Dakota man filed his suit for recognition in Judge Lawton.s Russell, Ferdinand Amy. a co-execu- tor of the will of Daniel Russell. ST., and their lawyer. Eugene Upton. have battled in every conceivable way to defeat his claim. Scores of Pinker- tons were at once employed through whom it was attempted to show that in reality James Delbert Rousseau, a French CanadiaA of Massena. To es-5 tablish this fact practically the whole Rousseau family from that place were brought to Boston and on ff1e stand they sWore that the claimant was of their kin. To offset this the neigh positively that the claimant was not of that family.
 The case was further complicated when the residents of Melrose took the stand. More than half of the witnesses, among them boyhood sweetheart of Daniel Blake Russell, in truth the long lost heir. As the long case drew near an end another man appeared. This man who was known for year in Fresno. Cal. as Fresno Dan', communicated with the Russell respondents and soon after with Senator Cartwright as his law first the conduct of William c. Rus sell and his partfsans differed in their reception of claimant number 2 from the way in which Dakota Dan'' was received. Fresno Dan'' was given audiences with William G. Russell and persons close to the respondent aided him in many ways. Just what he will do in the case is not as yet ap- parent, for though recognition of him by w. c. Russell seems imminent, it has not yet come.
 Throughout the whole case there is not a doubt that forgery and perjury have been employed freely. Senator Simpson of Dakota, counsel for the claimant, Dakota Dan''. in his sum ming up. f1atly charged that Fresno Dan'' was a Pinkerton detective pos ing as the Russell heir in order to backbone of the respondents case. as having deliberately employed every means, foul and fair, to defeat the just claims of the North Dakota heir
 What the result of the remarkable case will be is even yet not appar- ent.