The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-05-11
A BIG SUR FILED
Mrs Julian N. Case Seeks Accounting From
i'm. Longyear

week NJ lbetfOlt by Mrs. Sophie H.
Case. widow OF J NJ Case. against
John NJ. Longyear. the we'll known
land owner. formerly Of Marquette but
now Of Brookline. Mass,
The suit is another chapter in the
Longyear- Kaufman contest that has
been gcing on for some time over the
lands in what is known AS the Albany
Pool, combination Of capitalists who
own many acres in this vicinity. MIR
Kaufman recently purchased the
Weaver interest in the pool aud these
lands are now in litigation.
The Case suit is undoubtedly an out
growth Of the failing out OF these two
land owning interests and a long and
expensive legal battle is very probable.
In the Case matter. the complaint
asks that property originally pledged
to MIR Longyear 10y Mr. Case before
his death be restored to her. The lands
were pledged tor debt OF $50, 600 and
are now said 10 be worth $40, 600. 600
the latter figure probably being an ex-
cessive one
The story is that about thirty years
ago John NJ Longyear and Julian NJ.
Case were prospectors Case picked
out TIE lands and took up the claims
and Longyear did the financing. In
1889 Case got hold OF some property
about Lake Superior that turned out
70 be a marble mine OF immense value.
He went to London, Eng, to interest
English capital for the development Of
this property. In order TO defray the
expense OF his trip abroad, and like
wise TO pay some pressing debts, he
obtained loan of SOME $50 600 from
his friend Longyear, and gave him as
security. seventeen deeds to property
located in the counties of Marquette.
Iron. Ontonagon Go0ebic. Baraga,
Menominee and Alger.
Julian NJ Case was in ondon His
mission was almost successfully com
pleted, when just before the final ar
rangements he took sick and on June
20, 1890 died His wife. Mrs. Sophie
l.. Case, brought the body over TO this
country
Twenty-Five years have elapsed
The widow, who is now woman near
ing the age of 20, now wants Longyear
to return to her her husband 3 proper
", or TO give, at least. an accounting
Of his administration of it
That is practically all there is to the
law suit
But now come the complications
When Case gave his partner the seven
teen deeds as collateral. he got in re-
turn a written agreement from Long
year TO the effect that upon payment
of the $50. 900 loaned he would return
TO MIN the seventeen deeds This op.
tion ran until 1900 and was renewed
until 1910 Another stipulation was
TO the effect that Longyear could at
any time cell or dispose of the property
enumerated in the deeds and apply the
purchase price in reducing the loan
Twenty-Five years have passed since
this agreement was made During
that time the lands have increased in
value very much
Case property-that covered by the
seventeen deeds is among the richest of
all The estimate of its market value
today rims as far as $40, 600. 900
Longyear mas syndicated 10 and IL is
now owned bv the well known Albany
pool and the Davenport pool. groups of
hnanciers This immense change In
the valne of the property is the first
and perhaps the most important com
plcation Following the death Of her
husband Mrs Case found herself in
straightened circumstances She re.
mained a while in Marquette and then
with ner four children moved 10 De
troit. A few years ago Nathan NJ
Kaufman, who had been we'll acquain.
ted with her husband and also knew
her we'll. interested himself in her be.
half and agreed TO pay mp all OF her
late husband debts. including that TO
Longyear for one-half OF ner interest
in the estate This was accepted
The money now was rendered Mr.
Longyear, but be refused 10 reoonvey
the deeds Hence the lawsuit
In his answer to the widows bill OF
complaint Mr. Longyear states that he
had always intended TO restore the
residue CT the property, after deduct.
ing loan interest. cost OF administra-
tion aud moneys advanced, as a gift to
the widow But now, since Nathan
NJ. Kaufman has joined the claim. he
refuses to do so, because Kaufman has
taken advantage OF the widows lack
OF acumen and would be the beneficiary
OF his act of generosity he thus com
pels Kaufman 20 fight That is the