The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1910-07-21

kots Dan. to members q the Rous
seau family. and there was. OF course.
q battle" Of handwriting experts.
each contradicting the other. And
Dakota Dan" brought witnesses to
show that the letters were forgeries.
and that the addresses had been writ
tsa o. the envelopes after the post
once cancellation marks had besa
stamped thereon.
To these letters were added an ap'
plicatioa form for membership In the
Woodmsn Of the World. This con-
tanned the family history Of Rousseau
and said that he had three brothers
and two sisters living and that an
other brother had besn killed IN .
railroad accident All Of which was
apparently true. Dakota Dams" ex-
psrts asserted that the answer had not
ben written BY him. but had been
filed in by others at later period.
his handwriting having been initiated.
Thereupon the Russell lawyers showed
that the paper had remained In the
archives Of the Woodmen OF the
World until the court ordered its pro
duction.
The trial dragged on for several
months and ~ 1t was nearing the end
. second Daniel Blake Russell. who
was to b called Fresno DAN" came
out from his fruit ranch in Fresno.
Cal. Out there he was known -
Henry johnson. but In Melrose. the
home Of the Russells. he was recog-
mixed a. the missing Dan" by the 70
sponsible citizens. He seemed to bs
well informed a. to the details Of Dan
iel's early life in Melrose. but Dakota
Dan" declared that his rival had been
brought on to cheat him out Of bis
rights. Judge Lawton. before whom
the tedious case was tried. finally de-
cided In favor Of Fresno DAN" and
that night the Judge was burned In
emgy by an angry crowd Of Dakota
Dams" supporters. II the case Is car
ried to . higher court little may be
left Of the estate. for the litigation has
already cost huge sum.
In the many efforts Of Albert T. Pat
rick to free himself from . life SEN
tence for the murder OF William
Marsh Rice, an aged recluse. people
have almost forgotten that Patrick
was first charged with forgery in con-
nection with the old mans will. Pat
rick, a lawyer. had learned Of Marsh's
wealth and his weak state Of mind
through suit In Texas court. and
he gained the confidence of Charles
F. Jones, valet to the recluse. Jones
becoming the lawyers tool.
Rice. in fact, never knew Patrick.
although the latter posed as the mil
lionaire's attorney. always working
through Jones, who confessed that he
killed his master at the lawyers in
stigation. Motive for the murder was
held to be desire on the part Of Pat
rick to obtain control Of Rice's for
tune by means of forged will. and
the murder was accomplished by
Jones at Patricks command, chloro.
form being the death medium. Jones
was allowed to go free. while Patrick
was sentenced to death. This was
in 1902 Governor Higgins commuted
the sentence to life imprisonment, and
since that time Patrick has made %
unsuccessful attempts to regain his
freedom.
Photographic records of testimony
in a will case were taken in Boston
for use at another trial. II permitted
by the court. This unusual procedure
was the result of the illness of one
OF the principal witnesses. who was
obliged to undergo q surgical opera
ton Immediately after giving evi
dence. Should 1t be necessary to In
troduce these records, the attitude Of
the court toward them will be Of in
terest to the legal profession gener
ally, for 1t might serve to create Z
precedent
Nuncupative or oral Wills. the rish'
to make which lies only with sailor
at sea or soldiers in the field, an
somewhat rare, but one was ADMITTED
to probate in Kings county last De
cember by Surrogate Ketckham. Thu
will was made BY George O'Connor
chief engineer Of the steamship Dor
othy. while the vessel was in mid
ocean. AL that he said was: Every
thing that have belongs to my daugh
ter, Lisxie." and the will was proved
With the aid Of two witnesses, the CAP
tain and 6rat ofIlcAr ~ thu norothv