Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-06-24
CLAIMS VIRGINIA ESTATE.
Property Involved Worth About
Quarter Of 4 Million Dollars.

st. Louis June 24.-Federal officers
here who have been investigating the
charge of using the mails to defraud
OF which Mrs. Ella McClendon, for
mer postmistress at StIr3ivant, Mo-,
recently was arrested, have learned
that she is claimant for large part
OF the estate left by George NJ. Mich
tolas, of Rockingham county, Va, VINO
died from the effects of poison last
August. The estate is valued at
S125,OO0 to $25O.0OO.
When Nicholas died, his four
brothers, finding no will. took charge
Of the. estate, and MS brother Charles
was appointed administrator. Four
teen days after the death the admin
istrator received q package bearing
what appeared tn be a Chicago post
mark and containing wallet and
several papers. Among the papers
was the purpvrted will, in which
Nicholas bcqueathcd to Mrs. Nc
Clendon the Nicholas "home farm"
valued at $4,000 to $4,000. The res
iduc of the estate was left to "my two
brothers" Nicholas had four
brothers, and this clause in the will
was confusing.
The purported will was written on
cheap note paper with a pencil, ana
was not dated. formality not neces-
sary under Virginia laws. In the will
Nicholas explained that Mrs. McClen-
on had cared For him in st. Louis
after he had been injured there in a
street car accident.
Enclosed in the package was let
ter from the sender stating that he
had robbed George Nicholas. and hav-
ing read the will he thought it his
,'uty to send the document to the Vir-
ginia authorities so the woman
named therein might receive her
share of the estate.
The four brothers have secured
counsel, and will fight the claims OF
Mrs. McClendon. Mrs. McClcndon
VAS arrested few weeks ago on q
charge Of attempting to obtain. from
a bank in Georgetown, Colo, 5000
left there by John Rowan, who had
died st Gowar, Mo. The letter sent
to Inc Colorado bank was signed Ed
and inclosed a check payable
10 "Sel'eis" and purportin% to have
been signed by Rowan Postoflicc in
apectors say that "Scllers" was Mrs.
McClen1on.
Harrisonburg, Va, June 2I.-Geo.
NJ. Nicholas, the wealthy Rockingham
farmer for Il share in whose estate
.irs. Ella McCIendon of Missouri, is
a claimant, died August ., 1912, in
~rcat" agony, after drinking his
breakfast coffee. He lived alone with
his aged houSekceper on his large es-
late near Port Republic, on the Shen-
andoah river.
Two Of his brothers and some
farmhands went there on the morning
Of August ; to harvest his crops. At
breakfast Nicholas and four others,
his housekceper. were made
i'll oy drinking coffee. Nicholas dice
nforc night, but the others recover
81. Several who did not drink coffee
were unframed
Nicholas stomach and the unused
coffee were examined by Chemist
Taylor, ri Richmond. who found ar
COMIC. At the same broken a broker
package o arsenic was found il: his
!ome. No arrests were ever made,
rcwarf. of $3.50 was offer
ID by the county supervisors and
zoo by Governor Mann for the arrest
Of the supposed poisoner.
While Mrs. McClcndon claims that
one years ago she nursed Nicholas
,ack 20 health after being injured in
. street car accident in st. Louis.
and in return received his promise OF
4 reward. ncighhors in East Rock
ingham 81 ythat they never heard Of
ne old man being in ST. Louis. He
i.vc,l the life off, hermit on his farm
and never went anywhere, they say.
FIe lost a leg in the civil war, and
wears ago to Washington city
Sc get 4 wooden limb, but finally
anne back home and matte leg him