The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-07-20
Claimant Of Property Of "Scotch"
Wilson to be Put to Unusual
Test to Make His Ident-
ity Positive
MUST ANSWER ten QUESTIONS
Speculation as to Nature Of Questions
Provided in Will Of Deceased Leads
to Nothing Defnite-Will
Know Tomorrow.

Tecumseh, Neb., July 20.-Nothing
has ever put the curiosity of the citi-
zens OF Tecumseh under a greater
strain than the mystery OF old
scotch" Wilson's missing heir. which
is to be solved by an unusual test be-
fore Judge Livingston OF the probate
court tomorrow The claimant, who
asserts that he is John Wilson. Jrs the
son of old Scotch" Wilson, will, to-
morrow, be given an opportunity TO
prove his identity and to establish his
claim TO the $4,000 which old Wilson
left to his missing son, provided he
should turn up within FIVE years after
the death of the testator and prove
his claim by answering, to the salts
faction of the court, ten questions
which old Wilson had written down
and sealed and deposited in a safety
deposit vault.
old Scotch" Wilson died about five
years ago and ever since that time
the mysterious package in the safety
deposit vault kept the curiosity of the
citizens at high pitch. 1t is safe
to say that there were not two resi-
gents who held the same theory con-
cerning the nature and purport of the
ten questions. Every possibility was
discussed from every imaginable point
of view and for five years the mystery
of the test questions formed the all
absorbing topic of conversation and
contention in Tecumseh.
The general interest in the puzzle
Increased tremendously when, few
days ago. a man appeared In this citN
who claimed to be John Wilson, -Jr.,
the missing heir Of old scotch" Will
son. He stated. i'm reply 10 questions,
that he had lived i'm Houston. Tex, for
more than twenty years under the
name of Alonzo Wilson and that he
had assumed that name to make 1t i'm
possible or at least more difficult for
his father to locate him. He is an
attorney and also a civil engineer and
has worked for the Southern Pacific
railroad for many years. He said, he
has heard of his fathers death about
two years ago, but didm not wish TO
return to claim the inheritance walt
ing for him. But his wife and his
daughter had finally persuaded him to
claim the estate for their sake and he
had consented to come to Tecumseh
and establish his identity through the
prescribed test
old scotch" Wilson the testator,
was one Of the oldest settlers In this
locality. He owned "A fine farm and by
shrewd Investments accumulated a
considerable fortune. He was a man
Of many prejudices. stubborn and In
tolerant and frequently quarrled witE
the members of his family and his
neighbors. 1t was about thirty-Six
years ago that the old man had par
ticularly severe quarrel with his son.
John Wilson. Jr and drove the equal
lv stubborn boy out of the house. The
boy left Tecumseh and was never seen
or heard of since that time. one year
later the old man relented and began
to regret having driven his only son
into the world. He made strenuous ef-
forts TO find a trace OF his son and
spent the greater part OF his fortune In
this seacr. But the search remained
frultleSS ana tile OlC iistH Nitu WIZ"
out having found a trace of his son.
shortly before hrs death the old man
made will i'm which he provided. after
his own style. for the possibility of his
sons return. lie deposited $4,000 the
bulk OF his fortune. i'm the Tecumseh
bank. To be held in trust for his son
for FIVE years, ending July Fl, 1910.
The old man. realizing the danger that
an imposter might claim the fortune
wrote Gown ten questions and the an
swers To them. sealed them securely
and entrusted them TO the executor OF
estate. a. c. Sullivan. with the proW-
sion that the money should not be paid
to any claimant who did not answer
these ten questions to the satisfaction
of the Judge of the probate court. In
case no claimant should appear and
answer the questions before the ex-
piration of the five years the money Is
IN ON fo tho ncphtsyrs of the teStatOr.