Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-12-20
CAVAZ0S HEIRS
WANT SHARES
CLAIMANTS OF PORTION OF $500
ooo FUND HELD IN TRUST By
JANE SSTILLMAN OF NEW YORK
THREATEN CHARGES.
WOMAN TAKES CASE
MRS. IF. c. HENDRIX, CHICAGO
MILLIONAIRE WILL ASSIST
HEIRS IN EFFORTS TO PUSH
COLLECTION.

After years of effort without result
to obtain their share of trust fund of
>$lGO 600 held by James Stillman, the
president of the $50000,000 City Nation
al Bank of New York City. since 1856
the Cavazos heirs of Matamoros
through their representatives Mrs f.
&. Hendrix have threatened to file
charges against Stilman and have him
extradited to Texas and force him to
give up the money. An effort was made
TN'ently to do this through the Dis
trict Attorney of Cameron county, j.
|. Kleiber, but failed becauS the dis
trict attorney was of the opinion that
the case is out of the Texas jurisdiction
Mr.. Stillman is native of Brownsville
and has large interests here.
Mrs Hendrix. herself millionaire
and resident of Chicago whose sympa-
thy has been excited by the four mem
bers of the CavazoS family, two broth
dfs and two sisters, has decided that
she will push the case in the interest of
the heirs and expects to open it in the
state of New York very soon. She is
there for New York City.
The fund has been in the hands of
Stilman since 1856 and he claims as the
reason for not turning it over to the
eight heirs that they have never been
able to agree on the division Of the cS-
tate.
This disagreement among the heirs
over the estate numerous attorneys en-
plOyed in the case are said to have ncv-
er men able to adjust. Plan after plan
is said to have been suggested but they
always failed to meet with the wishes
of the heirs. There is probably not Il
lawyer in Brownsville who has not al
one time or another had the case in hand
but has invariably been relieved Of it,
or relieved himself of it.
Mrs. Hendrix has been visiting IN
MatamorOs the past six weeks and dur
ing her stay there became familiar with
the case of the CavazoS. From the hui
manitaran motives she was introduc
ed by the family'S plight to become in
terested in their efforts to recover the
immense sum of money. and decided
that she would take up the fight for
them Their interest in the fund accord
ing to people familiar with the case, is
about $4,000 exclusive Of interest since
1856. which would bring the amount TO
well over 100000.
The fund originated from the sale in
1856 of a plot of ground adjoining the
cit. of Brownsville on the south east,
known as the Fort Brown reservations
and containing three hundred and fifty
acres. by James Stilman, and the CAY
azos heirs. to the United States war de
partmcnt TO be used as an army post
The place had been used by the govern
ment for many years, but was abandon
ed bv the government seven years ago
shortly after the raid of the negro
troops Of the 18th Infantry on the town
Stillman and the senior CavazoS were
Jointly interested in the plot and the
share of the CavazOS heirs was the am
cunt in question. The court made Still
man trustee of the amount, and the trou
bic is said to have started from the very
first when the heirs could not agree on
a division 1t has remained in that sta
tus since.
now living were wealthy in years gone
by. However it is said that they eX-
pended what they had in the effort to
recover the money held in trust by j..
Stillman. They were members of an old
and wealthy Matamoros family that at
one time owned considerable property
both in MatamoroS and Brownsville,
and the descendants now living claim
also to own property in the city Of New
Orleans
The two brothers and their sisters
are all single Having lost their money
snd property in hitherto vain efforts to
recover their share of the trust fund
and each of them being without Il voca
tiOn-never in their youth having had
to earn mOnev-they are said to be il
sore straits for the lack of funds. Theil
old home in MatamoroS that has run
down from neglect in repair. is said tC
be their only possession and it is OF
small valu. During the past few year,
the two men have earned a meager eX
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