The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1916-07-06

One of the cases to which l look
back with the greatest satisfaction
was that of the Miles will. There is
a common impression that the private
detective is not an prescriptions
person. In this case had the pleasure
of cooperating with one of my opera
tives who had been offered what was,
TO him, small fortune to commit a
dishonest act, and who, instead, re-
tected the bride and was the means of
confounding the conspirators,
In the latter part of the nineties
Stephen B. Miles, wealthy resident
of Nebraska. died, leaving an estate
consisting of lands in Nebraska and
Kansas, bank stock and bonds. and
other property the whole valued at
several millions of dollars. He was
survived by wife, from whom he had
been divorced; two sons. Joseph II.
Miles and Samuel, and a daughter, as
well as number of nephews and
nieces and several grandchildren
One of the sons, Joseph, was prom
inent banker and business man of
Falls City, Neb. and also had large in
terests in other towns in that state,
He had been a telegraph operator in
his younger days. and had amassed
his money by honesty and industry,
and was highly esteemed by all who
knew him as a clean. wide-awake bust
ness man ana good citizen.
The other son, Samuel. was about
forty years of age. and resided with
his family on ranch belonging to his
father in Kansas just over the Ne
braka line. He had been wild in his
younger days, and had caused his ia
Their a good deal of trouble on account
of his dissolute habits.
Shortly after the death of Stephen
B. Miles will was found in an old
suit case, the provisions of which made
the son Joseph executor and trustee
of the estate and chief beneficiary
Samuel being left, in addition to a sum
of money, life interest in the ranch
on which he and his family were liv.
ing. After his death and that of his
wife the property was to pass to their
NAAAAtA4 tAAs hN Will dAcO III w lA1d INA,
Samuel could neither entail nor dis
pose of the land.
These provisions were. of course
highly unsatisfactory to the son Sam
uel. and he put the matter in the
hands of a lawyer. at whose sugges
ton he began court proceedings. to
prevent the probating of the will Not
succeeding in this. he afterward
brought suit to have the will set aside
About this time had in my service
a man named d. F. Harbaugh, oil
whom | have made mention in previ
Gus cases. This man, who was trust
ed employe of mine, had become vel
known and had gained considerable
notoriety in and about Kansas City OF
account of cases on which he hat
worked under my instructions. One
day Harbaugh was approached in Kan
sas City by the lawyers who had beer
engaged by Samuel Miles to break tht
will. The proposition which they
made 10 him was that he should fine
man whose former reputation ha(
been good, and who would be within.
10 go on the witness stand and testifl
10 having drawn up and witnessed
will made by the elder Miles while b,
was on one Of the frequent visits Il
st. Louis that he had been accustomed
to make During the course of tn
conversation the lawyer told Hai
baugh all about the conspiracy tina
had been formed to break the will b.
finding" a later one, and gave tn