The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1917-12-07
THOMAS ESTATE LITIGATION'
FAVORABLE TO MRS. IRELAND

When news reached Paris that
the Court of Appeals had decided
the litigation over the Jas. M.
Thomas estate in favor of Mrs. Mary
Thomas Ireland and her children, a
great deal of desire was aroused to
know the particulars. THE BOUR-
BON NEWS will undertake to give
the most important details.
Captain Jas. M. Thomas died in
1905, leaving a will which was at
the time published and read by most
Of our citizens. Capt. Thomas lived
during the latter part of his life at
Ford, Clark county, Kentucky,
where he had a large lumber plant
He bought up from time to time
tracts of mountain land which made
him wealthy. At the time of his
death he owned about 1000 acres o.
fine timber land in Jackson and
Rockcostle counties, Kentucky. He
also had a large amount of other
property, but the litigation above
mentioned, grew out of the mountain
lands. Capt. Thomas willed these
mountain lands to four of his chill
dren equally, w. R. Thomas, Robt.
L. Thomas, Mrs. Mary Thomas Ire
land and her childi N and Mrs. T.
e. Moore and her children. His
two sons, Robert Thomas and w. R.
Thomas, and his son-in-law, T. E.
Moore, were made executors of his
estate, and trustees of the mountain
lands. His sons, Robt. l.. Thomas
and w. r. Thomas, bought the
shares of Mrs. Ireland and her chill
dren, and Mrs. Moore and her chill
dren in these mountain lands, on
the basis of 100000 for all of the
mountain lands, and one fourth, Of
SAT, 500, was paid to Mrs. Ireland's
trustee for her one-fourth share,
and the like amount, $45,500, to
Mrs. Moore's trustee. The purchase
was made in a proceeding in the
Clark Circuit Court, permitting the
trustees, Robt. L. Thomas and w. R.
Thomas, to purchase these lands, and
the Clark Circuit Court permitted
them to buy it on the above basis of
100000. Robt. L. Thomas held
! lands for about two and one-half
years. w. R. Thomas died. and R.
L. Thomas and the widow and
children of w. r. Thomas sold these
mountain lands for about $480,000.
, or an advance or profit of about
100000. Mrs. Mary Thomas Ire
land and her children then brought
suit against Robt, L. Thomas and T.
e. Moore as executors and trustees
Of Jas. M. Thomas, claiming that
Robt. L. Thomas and w. r. Thomas
had not paid enough for these lands,
which they had bought for $780,
600 and sold for S480,000.
The Clark Circuit Court decided
against Mrs. Ireland and her chill
dren and dismissed their suit. Mrs.
Ireland and her children appealed
to the Court of Appeals, and last
Tuesday the Court of Appeals revers-
ed Judge Benton's decision and held
that there must be an accounting
| for the 100000 profits realized on
the resale of the mountain lands.
Capt. Thomas family was reared
in Paris. Besides the above named
children he had son Richard
/ Thomas, who is dead, but left a son
i'm Mt. Sterling. However, this son
is not interested in this part of the
estate of Capt. Thomas. w. r.
Thomas died at Lexington, also
Robt. l.. Thomas, both leaving fam
lilies. at Lexington. A daue1tnr
! Mrs. T. E. Moore, died at Paris,
| Mrs. Ireland is the wife of John l.
Ireland, the well-known race horse
man. She has two children, Mrs
Laura Clay Macy, wife OF the we'll
known trotting horse man, and Jas
| Thomas Clay, a son.
Mrs. Ireland and her children
Jas. Thomas Clay, and Laura Macy
were represented by Attorneys Ropt
B. Franklin, of Frankfort, and Robt