Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-05-04
WOMAN HIDES her
IDENTITY TO KEEP
FAMILY FEuD VOW
Strange Story of War Among
Relatives Is Barred In Legal
Action In Courts.

ACLlOn IN
Chicago.-Special: Family feuds have
.rawled their blighting and bloodthirsty
way through the pages of history from
he time of A%lcibiades down to the days
IF modern Kentucky. But never such
q one has been %chronicled as that
Dared in the Cool county court. with a
mild-mannered little woman of 80 az
.he heroine and the suit against a we'll
snown lawyer as the Immediate caSus
nelli.
Under the questioning of Judge John
t.. Owen. who was quick to observe the
Unusual features of the case and AL
lowed the woman's suit to recover
counsel fees to go by the board, these
facts were brought out:
Twelve years ago Miss Katherine
Suffer. then a debutante of 20. left the
nome of her father in this city. follow
ing a dispute over a gown, vowing
never to return nor to hold communi-
cation with her relatives.
She has kept her VOW. and yesterday
she even refused to cast one glance in
he direction of a sister who sat in the
ear Of the courtroom.
Never Uses Family Name.
Since the breach occurred she has
never used the name of Suffer nor has
she allowed her address to become
known to a single person who knew
her In the early years. Despite threats
VI heing sent to Jail. she refused to
give her address in confidence to the
Judge and cheerfully admitted having
committed perjury when information
was sought by attorneys concerning her
present residence.
She allowed her share In her fathers
fortune to remain unclaimed for more
tina two years rather h disclose her
Identity, and finally employed an at
.orney only after having him sign an
agreement that he would not attempt
20 discover her address or communicate
directly with any OF her rels. tives.
Aided by Newspaper.
She knew her father had died leaving
O. considerable fortune to his six
children and share alike. through
having read the legal page Of a news
paper, she said.
Her suit against John A. McAndrew.
her attorney, to recover a counsel fee of
Andrew, 1t was shown, having recovered
several thousand dollars for her from
the estate of her father. Sebastian SUIT
ter, despite her incognito.
At the request OF the court McAndrew
told the story of his dealings with Miss
Suffer, which caused Judge Owens.
after a futile effort to find out where
SIlO nllOG !ACI All W Ol0Cl AAO yOuA6
women to appear before him at 4 o'clock
Monday afternoon, when it is probable
q commission will be appointed to ex-
anime into her sanity.
Appears Pale and Worn.
Miss Suffer, who refused at all times
to answer to that name declaring she
was katherine Smith," appeared pale
and worn when she was called to the
witness stand. In a monotone she said
c6o fhn11Ohf ohio had haan nyyarCho r0od
by McAndrew, although a written
agreement concerning a contingent fee
had been placed in evidence. When
questioned regarding her identity. her
ancestry, relations and present place Of
residence. she became much excited.
You have no right to ask me about
these things" she said. Il am not
Katherine Suffer, although that may be
my legal name. For IL years I have
lived without w thinking of a per-
ON of that name, and I would die
rather than answer q single question in
regard to my past life. Send me to
prison If o wish, but 1 shall not
answer"
/, No persuasion on the part Of Judge
Owens or her counsel, who admitted
ne knew no more than his clients
name, could alter her decision. Al
though he woman had been called to
the bar n had admitted perjuring
tlSISSlI, JuOS0 OW0US OeClUeO he WOUlQ
allsw her to go on promise to return.
Wins Confidence Of Judge.
"a woman who has kept a vow in a
family feud for IL years." he said, can
be depended on to keep her word given
to me. I pity the woman and will try
to bring about q reconciliation with her
family. although at the moment 1 have
no idea regarding the Identity of her
brothera and sisters.
The impenetrable mystery of CEN
turtles has been the man in the iron
mask continued Judge Owens, but
here is a woman whose existence in
Chicago for IL years has been a mys-
tery-it is still unsolved. and she has
ri no mask at ALL"
Miss Suffer. who weighs not more
than 100 pounds, was dressed in a tail
or-made suit OF black broadcloth. dark
straw hat with willow plumes and
high-heeled patent leather shoes. The
woman supposed to have been her sis
ter left the courtroom before the trial
was ended and before there was any
suspicion concerning her relationship to
the plaintiff.
Pie a la Chicago.
From the Washington Star.
George Rarr McCutChonn I,,oh,~