The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-10-09
New Complication in Contest
Over Kalb Estate.
Kansas City Man Seeks to Col
Iect $4,000 Note.
GIVEN TO MRS. MELVIN
Robinson Claims He Bought 1t
From Her.
Suit Promises to Be an Interest
ing One.
GIVEN TO MRS, MELVIN

Julia A Melvin's presents from the
| late DR. j. G. Kalb continue to grow
/ and the courts may be busy for some
time strengthening out the financial
relations of the Topeka woman with
| the once prominent Mcpherson county
physician. Grant Robinson, of Kansas
/ City. is the latest claimant. He is try
! ing to recover 1000 on a note which
KaIb gave Mrs. Melvin, who in turn
sold the paper to the Kansas City man.
Kalb's heirs have repudiated the note.
1t was several months ago when the
| Topeka Woman's financial relations
with the Mcpherson doctor were made
public in a suit filed by the Kalb heirs
to recover nearly $25 600, which it is
claimed she had secured from the aged
doctor. Kalb's estate is now in a bad
condition and the property of the once
wealthy physician has diminished to
an alarming extent. 1t is charged that
Mrs. Aelvin--now Mrs. Wells. of 1924
Topeka avenue-received a large share
of the mans property. But Mrs. Mel
vim is an exceptionally shrewd business
woman and it is stated that her trans
actions have been perfectly legal
For several years the attractive
young woman was at the head of a
Topeka real estate agency and became
wealthy through sales of Texas land.
Several years ago she went to McPher-
son. There she met Dr. Kalb- 1t is
said that Kalb was infatuated with the
woman and that she exercised her in
fluence to bring him to Topeka and
away from his relatives. Kalb's transac-
lions showed his sincree confidence III
Mrs. Melvin and when she suggested
the purchase of the fashionable home
on Topeka avenue it is said that the
Mcpherson doctor furnished the cash
Then Kalb suddenly began to invest
heavily in Texas realty. He owned
several valuable Kansas farms and
these We're traded for other land. It is
charged that the Kalb estate received
all the worst of these transactions, and
while Mrs. Melvin engineered these
deals, it will doubtless be hard to show
that she was more than a mere agent
for other persons and from legal
standpoint had no part in bankrupting
the estate.
One of Kalb's farms was valued at ,
SIC. 900 and easily worth the money. 1t
is said that it was Mrs. Melvin who
prevailed on him to give a deed to the
land in part payment on other land |
listed at $4,000. Now the Kalb heirs |
charge that the new land with its high |
open market as the doctors $4,000 |
farm.
Then Kalb bought four sections Of
Texas land. Mrs. Melvin is said to
have sold this land some months earlier
and realized a commission Of 81 an /
acre. She landed a second commission |
of equal amount when she prevailed on !
Kalb to invest in the southern soil. |
From Mcpherson county comes the |
of the Kalb heirs that this !
land is practically valueless.
Note Is Repudiated.
Recently Grant Robinson came from |
Kansas City with his $1,000 note. It |
was properly executed and he claimed |
the rights Of an innocent purchaser in |
his transaction with the Topeka wo-
man. But when the Kalb estate was
on last week. the $4,000 |
note was not listed as one of Kalb's
o. legations. The case has been APP
pealed and Robinson will fight for his
money.
Relatives say that Kalb did not al
ways have full control of his faculties
in his declining years and that in the
presence of Mrs. Melvin he was easily
persuaded to invest his money in ques-
tionable collaterals. His love for the
Topeka woman was also noticeable and
it is said that on several occasions he
asked her to become his wife. White
in Topeka, Kalb made his home with
the Melvin family In 1910, he went to
Texas to visit his land. and died in that
state.
1t was when an administrator was
appointed for the estate and Kalb
properties listed. that the Topeka wo
man was made party to the sensational
action. At the time the suit was filed,
the note held by the Kansas City man
mad not made it's appearance.
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Ol1r assortment of fall bulbs is