South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-01-15
SCORES OF APPLICANTS
TO BECOME HIS Wife
indianapolis Girl InterCedeS for
Her Mother-Claimant Re-
ferS to House of Lords to
Prove His Story.

Otto Buck Churchill, reputed multi
millionaire wife hunter now in South
Bend. despite emphatic claims to the
contrary coming fronc Laporte. de-
claed Thursday he would prove his
identity as the son Of the late William
Buck
The man declares he has met many
residents who knew him in the days
OF his youth who have identified him
as Buck The girl who was the cause
Of his leaving Laporte. he said, was a
niece OF Samuel Spencer Churchill.
his foster father, and IL was partly
due TO her request. made on her death
bed, that Buck was made ChurchilPs
heir. according tc the claimant.
Il don't care for the money from
the Buck estate" he declared Thurs
day What want to do is TO prove
that I'm not dead"
Buck-ChurchilFs mail. which he
receives at general delivery here, grew
in volume Thursday. One letter
brought an appeal from a 16-year-Old
indianapolis girl, who interceded for
her mother.
L can't qualify myself" writes the
girl. "as I'm only 10, but l have a
charming mother who is just 80. She's
rather good looking and would cut
some slash in fancy clothes. Many
other appeals were received from
women VINO UIOAtSStu LAtlI ctAAAAtAg
TO meet Buck. He declares ne has
received plenty to keep him busy for
a while
To sUbstantiate his claims to the
possession of immense properties in
Canada and England, Buck referred
TO the lord mayor Of London, Chief
Justice Carter OF she London court
IL which the Churchill Will was pro-
bated and Hon. Charles Russell the
attorney who drew the will.
Relatives Of Buck declare that the
areal son of the cabinet manufacturer
turned up in LapOrte about eight
months ago only TO disappear a sec
ond time. His present whereabouts Is
not known. But Laporteans who
knew the Bucks are confident the
man who appeared at that time was
the son of William Buck.
This man made no pretensions to
a fabulous fortune in Canadian lands
and steamship lines, as does the
claimant now in South Bend. He said
he had been working as a lineman
for the American Telephone and Tele-
graph company in and about Chi
cago. He came in touch with rela-
tives in Chicago who informed him or
his fathers death and urged him to
go to Laporte and claim the estate.
Is Recognized.
When the man arrived in LapOrte
his cousins recognized him as the
Otf0 BuCk VINO disappeared many
years ago and it is declared, admitted
willingness 10 allow him 10 take the
estate willed him without contest
Owing TO the form of the will, how
ever. IL was necessary for the court
10 Construe ths testament and issue
an order 10 pay him the income.
While these legal steps were being
taken the man disappeared "a second
tirse. IL Is supposed he went back
10 his work as a lineman but nothing
has been heard from him since. The
matter has not vet been called in the
circuit court and the attorneys do not
know where TO look for the man when
il is called.
William Buck died about two years
ago. leaving an estate yielding an
estimated annual income OF $1,000.
The terms of the will providing that
the income go TO his son. in case he
should return. has attracted several
who laid claim 10 the kinship. ac-
cOrding 20 Laporte attorneys for the
estate. one such applicant appeared
!n LapOrte more than a year ago
from Racine, Wis. but was proved to
be an impostor.
Has Several Years Yet.
The Will OF Buck provides that IL |
the son does not appear by 1881 the
estate is 20 be divided equally between
William Bucks sister. Mrs Ottilie
Tanke or her children. and the widow
Of the late Robert Buck. a brother
Of William. The children OF Ottilie
Tanke are Louise, Mary. Anna. Emma
and Agnes. These cousins OF the real
otto Buck are the ones who. IL is said. (
positively identified the man who ap-
beared early last summer as the actu- |
al son OF William Buck. They dc !
clared they remem bered him dis |
tinctly.
Attorneys Weir and Worden OF La
porte represent the Buck estate. !
When the appearance OF Otto Buck !
was made known 20 them together
with the positive Identification OF the |
cousins. II was arranged that H W. |
Salwasser, another attorney should |
represent Otto Buck in an action 20 |
construe the viii. Relatives could not |
account for the second disappearance |
OF the man but his re-appearance in /
LapOrte is expected daily IN Laporte. !
LapOrteans acquainted with the !
Bucks at the time OF the disappear
amce or otto also disagree with the !
account OF the trouble between the /
elder Buck and his son which led 10 /
the latter's disappearance. They de- |
clare II was drink that led 20 the
arrangement instead OF an affair with /
an actress. as detailed by the claim |
ant in South Bend.
Collecting Evidence
The South Bend attorneys whom |
"Buck-ChurchilI'. professedLy the
possessOr Of the immense Canadian |
estate. are at work collecting evi-
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