The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-24
DAKOTA dan NOT
ACCEPTED HEIR
BOSTON PAPERS sU9sTANTlATE
DISPATCH TO FORUM IN WHICH
STORY or ALLEGED ACCEPT
ANcE or WEsERN CLAIMANT
WAS DENIED.


patches that were published in The
Forum in which the story was denied
The following is taken from The Bos-
ton Advertiser Of the afternoon Of
Oct. IS:
Positive statements were made to-
day by attorneys for the Melrose
recluse, William G. Russell, that no
settlement has been made in the ia
NOUS will contest which for fourteen
months has been before the courts of
Nfiddlesex county. They deny that any
settlement ever will be made between
the two contending sides, William G.
Russell and Dakota Dan Russell.
These lawyers say the case will be
fought to the end.
Before Judge Morton. at East Cam
bridge, this morning, Attorney Robert
Mason, for William G. Russell, stated
definitely that no settlement had been
made with Dakota Dam Russell. The
case was then stricken from the list
for the present term.
"At noon Senator Simpson, counsel
for Dakota Dan Russell, was in con-
ference with Robert Mason, senior
counsel for William c. Russell. Later
Mr.. Simpson said: There has been no
settlement of the case. That is all I
care to say now
Robert w. Mason, Of Mason & Proc
tor of counsel for the Russell estate
and william C. Russell, said: -
"'There has been no settlement.
There never will be a settlement. 1t
Is fight to the finish.
"'Mr. Simpson made the request that
we continue the case in order that he
may attend some important legislative
duties in the west, and we agreed to
the continuance
Senator Leslie A. Simpson is a
member Of the North Dakota state
senate and a leader in the republican
party. He wishes to enter the fall
campaign in North Dakota, where he
| is listed for several of the most i'm
portant speeches to be made there by
republican leaders this year. Follow
ling the campaign the legislature
opens when he will again be needed In
his state for the winter.
Dakota Dam Russell said today:
This is all news to me. The first l
know of it was when Mrs. Russell
brought morning paper, and / read It,,
| l have not heard from Senator Simp-
son lately. In fact, I was getting
ready to go to court this very minute
Mrs. Russell, wife of Dakota Dan,
said she had received no word Of any
settlement
John Ks Berry OF Berry e. Upton,
for years the attorneys managing the
Russell estate and the personal legal
affairs of William C. Russell today
said: William c. Russell has not
Identified Dakota Dan as his brother
and he never will. The statement Of
settlement are lies. BY agreement of
counsel on both sides 1t was decided
to continue the case until next spring,
when it will then be fought to finish
Senator Simpson, leading counsel
for Dakota Dam is stopping at the
Commonwealth hotel and has been
there for more than month preparing
for the renewal Of the contest before
single justice in the supreme court.
The case was scheduled to be called for
trial in the Middlesex county supreme
court at East Cambridge today.
when an appeal was. taken from
the decision which Judge George Law
ton gave against Dakota Dan Russell,
Senator Simpson argued for a new
trial before a Judge and Jury. The
supreme court, however, refused this.
"While the Russell will case was be-
ing contested in the probate court in
November. 1909, a man who said he
| was Daniel Blake Russell Of Fresno,
Cal, appeared and claimed to be the
rightful heir to one half of the $780,
900 estate left by Daniel Blake Russell
of Melrose.
"Following the decision OF Judge
Iawton to the effect that Dakota Dan
| had failed to prove that he was the
real Daniel Blake Russell who had
wandered away from his fathers home
in Melrose in 1885. William c. Rus
sell conditionally accepted the man
who came to be known as Fresno DAN
Russell as his longlost brother. This
was on April IA, 1910"
1 Inc ELdEefuGtlL G~z 1nE }adNSEIiDCA ID
| confirmed by The Boston Transcript of
the same date. The Transcript adds:
"Dakota Dam Russell, the unsuc-
| cessful claimant in the famous Russell
will case, denies today that he knew
anything about the rumored settle
ment in the remarkable struggle for
recognition as the long lost son Of
! Daniel Russell Of Melrose." He says:
There have been conferences be-
tween the attorneys for several days
| past, with q view TO peaceful settle
ment of the case. "A conference was
| held in Boston yesterday. / attended
the first part of the meeting, leaving
early with instructions from my coun-
sci, Senator Leslie w. Simpson Of
| North Dakota, to be present at court
this morning
Late last night Mr.. Simpson noti-
| fed me that 1t would be unnecessary
for me to appear in court today. He
! would give no reason over the tele-
phone. ard as have not seen him
since, do not know why the case has
been put of. To me, however. 1t looks
as though something had been accom-
plished.
/ "Mr. Russell said also that he was
contemplating trip to his home In
North Dakota, and that he should
PROBABLY leave, accompanied by hlt
counsel within two weeks.
i meantime, the question arises. what
Of fresno Dan, who last April was ac-
/ cepted By william c. Russell OF Mel
rose as his brother? He has been liv-
| ing in Melrose ais the recognized
brother OF William c. Russell evei