The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-10-04
FIGHTING FOR
BIG FORTUNE
Trial Of Daniel Blake Russell lden.
tlty Case Has Now Passed
Its 50th Day
Proceedings Enlivsned by Roman
tic Features and Surprises

Boston. Mass, Oct. 4.-The trial of
the Daniel biake Russell identity case
In East Cambridge has now passed
It's 5Oth day Of actual proceedings and
The end Is not yet in sight. This is
the second trial of the famous case
and is being conducted before a mas.
ter appointed by the East Cambridge
Superior Court. The first trial took
place last winter in the Middlesex Pro-
bate Court and was one Of the longest
ana most sensational of the kind in the
history of American legal Jurisprudence
Like the first trial. the present pro-
ceedings nave been up to date enliven-
ed with romantic features, surprises
ana sensations which would find din
Guilty of belief II appearing in work
OF fiction. The Russell case is prob
ably the most notable identity case
ever tried in an American court.
In the first trial Judge Lawton de-
cided against Dakota Dam" VINO
claims to be Daniel Blake Russell, sor
of the late Daniel Russell of Mel
rose, and who also claim his share
OF the 100000 estate now held by VIII
liam G. Russell another son of Daniel
Russell. Apparently not in the least
discouraged over this decision, the Da-
kota claimant went to work to have
the case reopened and, though without
funds or the help of counsel, he sue
ceeded In securing another trial of his
case.
Once in Northern Michigan.
Persons In daily attendance at the
present hearing in the East Cambridge
court have been much impressed by the
story told by Dakota DAN and the
'eTdehce OF the witnesses who have
testified In his behalf. In his fight for
recognition the claimant has told on
the stand, in simple way and with
remarkable memory, of the events
which took place in the home which
he says he left in Melrose a quarter
Of century ago. For time he lived
the life OF tramp, getting from one
part OF the country to another as best
he might lie has worked with cir
cuses and as deck land, shod horses
In blacksmith shops. and spent win
ters as a hand in lumber camps and
mills, according to his story. The tale
Of his wanderings and the vicissitudes
of his life since 1856 has taken him
In retrospect from the docks Of Liver.
pool, where he paid his passage in the
steerage, to tie woods .of northern
Michigan. and finally to the Bad
Lands of North Dakota. There he set
tied down to some extent and for some
time had been employed as ranch
manager Finally a desire to return
TO his old home seized him and he ar
rived in Meirose something more than
year ago To find that the man whom
lie claims az his father bad died and
left an estate of s5t0,0OO and will
in which was the provision that the
long missing son should share half of
the fortune In the event of his re
turn. But the elder son. William c.
Russell, in whose possession the es-
tate was held, not only refused to
surrender any portion Of 1t but posi-
lively denied the claims of relationship
set up by the man from Dakota.
Old Sweetheart Identifies Him.
To support his claim as Daniel Blake |
Russell a large number Of witnesses
have appeared at the present hearing
to identify the claimant as the son
OF Daniel Il. Russell. OF these, some
have known him for 40 and others for
20 years. They knew him, intimately |
In many cases. and were acquainted
with the peculiarities and character
istics Of mis- youth. One Of the most
important of the recent witnesses has
been the former sweetheart of Daniel
Blake Russell. Miss Hattie NJ. Keith.
who told on the stand of her friend
ship with the long missing son Of the
late Daniel Russell. With great posi-
tiveness Miss Keith declared that
Daniel Blake Russell and Dakota
Dam" the claimant, are the same per-
son.
To oppose the claim Of ''Dokata
Dan" and the testimony of his wit
nesses. the respondents, william C. |
Russell and Ferdinand Il. Almy, the
latter Of whom Is said to have had
the entire administration Of the es-
tate since the death Of Daniel Rus.
SELL have declared that the claimant
10 an imposter and have undertaken
TO prove that he Is not Daniel Blake |
Russell. but James Dclbcrt Ruseau,
who was born Of poor parents in Bom-
bay. N. ", in 1865.
Another Accepted as Heir.
Not the least remarkable feature OF |
the contest has been the part played
by the man called Fresno Dam" who
mysteriously appeared on the scene
when the first trial Of the case was
near an end. Fresno DAN was taken
INTO the home OF William, o. Russell
and was publicly accepted as the
long missing heir, though so far as is