The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-05-23


Two peculiar viii cases. in which
the parentase of wealthy children Is
an issue, are being fought in the
courts.
IN one. Mrs. Lois Campbell Burk-
ham. heir to part of the $4,000. o0e
estate of the late James Campbell.
q nationally known 1nancier. has
undergone the trying experience
of havins. every act of her. life from
babyhood up. all the gossip of reia-
tves, all the hearsaE OF neishbors
and all the suspicious of attorneys,
de1ved into.
In the other Charles F. Dorrance.
now "a years old. heir to part OF his
fathers $4,000 estate. is under fire
and must prove his heritage TO win
his portion OF the legacy
IN each case the principal IS ac-
cused Of being the adopted child of
the testatoT. and IN each case re1a-
tives are fighting to defeat the
claims Of the children and to have
their share Of the estate given to
them.
OF the two, the Campbell case is
former Miss Lois Campbell was well
Known in st. Louis society and ev-
e-ywhere was recognized as the
daughter OF James Campbell. While
she Stunned sayety to certain de-
gree. her place among the social
leaders always was open to her
when she might wish to step into it
When James Campbell died it was
found that his estate was worth
only SIG. 1000 900. his large holdings
IN railroads having deprecated. The
Will left the estate in trust, the
widow and daughter to live on The
income. In the event Lois Camp
bell died without children. the entire
estate was to go TO St Louis Cn1-
versity to establish a great med9cai .
school and hospital. The Mercan-
tile. Trust Company vas placed IN
charge ofthA estate and mattersTans
along smoothly until children of
OF James CampbelIs brother. liv-
Ing In Indianapolis. Ind. laid claim
to a share and came forth with the
startling accusation that Lois was
not Campbells daughter. but was
adopted.
BATTLE OF
CLAIMANTS.
Attorneys for the claimants asked
that new receiver be appointed tor
the estate and the Probate Court
named Attorney John S. Leahy. re
ceiver pendente lite. or pending set
Element of the question HIS fees
for the administration for the year
would amount TO about sSo.eoo. me
Mercantile Trust Company protest
ed being removed and brought the
T0JVrf The
trial Judge ruled that the Probase
Court had erred in making the ap-
poinrment Of new receiver and
should not have admitted the case
until the plaintiffs produced evl-
fience TO show q standing IN court
The entire question. according TO
the ruling. was that the plaintiffs
or claimants would have TO adduce
enough evidence in court to question
The parenIage Of Mrs. Lois Camp
6ell-Burkham before they coS1id
coat;nue with their claims.
This was a general signal for the
taLiuS of dispositions in many OF the
big cities OF the United States, m
Guiding New York. Chicago. 81.
Louis and Indianapolis -AttorneFs
for the Campbels got cerrncateS OF
birth and baptisna1 records ID New
York aHd 0aQ COPIES may. <AtS<AS'1s
~ tiofe1 where Lois Campbell is
said to have been born made aff1-
davis. nuns who were with Mrs:
Campbell before the birth told OF
making baby clothes and testified TO
her condition. Mrs Campbell, heir
to $4,000. 600 was put to this en-
oarrassment, her daughters parent
axe was questioned and the case
Was widely discussed in the news
papers through the action OF rela-
ives who sought TO be heirs.
For the claimants sister OF
James Campbell. who had been let
pracucally nothing in the viii. made
sfndavit that Lois was not regard
ed as his child By. his relatives out
vas believed to be an adopted or
rhan--
Aunt AGAINST
E1ECE.
she told Of visit TO campbeHFs
cree one cay IN ~hiEn she sew
picture of Lois On the nnancaer
desk and says She remarked:
..There is certainly no Campbea