The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-04-20
Sensational Suit Filled
Against Partner of :
John p. VOllmer
CHARGES OF GROSS FRAUD
Warren F. Scott Opens Legal War on
His Father, Wallace Scott of
Grangeville

A great fortune, the greater part of
a half million dollars, is involved in
a suit just filed in the United States
district court, central division, dis
trict of Idaho.
1t is a suit in which Warren F..
Scott will make a fight for a share
of the immense wealth of Wallace
Scott of Grangeville, business partner
of John P .Vollmer, perhaps the rich
est man in Idaho. Additional inter
est will attach to the suit from the
fact that young Scott is making SEN
sational charges of fraud against his
foster father.
Great Legal Battle
Bill of complaint has been filed and
this week the defendant, Wallace
Scott, was served with the necessary
papers at his home in Grangeville. 1t
is reasonably certain that thee first
skirmish in this great legal battle
will be fought before Judge Dietrich
in the United States district court
here in Moscow at the May session.
The plaintiff in the case, Warren F.
Scott, has retained Frank L. Moore OF
Moscow and w H. Casady of Lewiston
to fight his legal battle for him.
He Becomes Scott
The allegations set forth in the com
plaint are to the effect that the plain
tiff, Warren F. Scott, was born March
II. 1888; that his father died soon
after that his mother married again
and became Belle Walker; that when
he was six years old he was legally
adopted October %, 1889, by Wallace
Scott and Mary E. Scott, his wife, IN
the probate court of Nez Perce coun-
ty: and that by these legal proceed
ings he became the son of Wallace ana
Mary E. Scott.
His Mother Dies
Mary E. Scott died March II, 1911,
leaving as her only heirs her husband
Wallace Scott, and her adopted son,
Warren F. Scott. At the time pf !
her death there was great accumula-
ton of property, worth it is claimed
more than $5OO,00O. Part of this was
the property of Mary E. Scott in her
own right and part community prop
erty. All the property was IN the
possession of Wallace Scott and man
aged by him.
Before the death of his foster moth
er young Scott had removed to Peoria,
Illinois. On May %, 1911, he ar
rived in Grangeville to visit his father.
He Charges Fraud
There and at that time Wallace
Scott, says the complaint, knowing
ly, willfully, falsely and fraudulent
ly, and with the wrongful and fraudul-
ent intent to wrong, cheat and defraud
plaintiff said Mary E. Scott, wife OF
the defendant and mother of the plain
tiff, died testate leaving a Will dis
posing of her property to relatives +.
and friends and leaving her son SOU;
that under the terms Of the will Scott
was not required to probate the in :
strument; that the whole fortune OF .
Mrs. Scott was not more than Sl5,O0o; =.
that to probate would mean great fin /.
ancial loss to him; and that rather .
han probate he would assign Sl5,Ooo !.
10 plaintiff together with the 500 .
xilled him by his mother.
Claims Breach of Faith |.
Having faith in his father, young +.
Scott and his wife, Rose King Scott, {.
attached their signatures to the AS !
;ignment of Interest" This was 1
made a matter of record.
1t is now claimed that the value OF
Nary E. Scott's property at that time
vas greatly in excess of $250,000, and /
hat the assignment was obtained by
ross fraud.
To Fight the VIII III
It is also charged that what pur74
,orts to be the will of Mary E. Scott
not will, is invalid, is not in the
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