The Washington times., 1917-09-16
How Means Rose to- Affluence and
Power Through Mrs. Kings Resources
The Remarkable Story of the Rise of FWeDolIar-aDay
Detective to An International Intriguer With
Thousands At His Command. -

, Asheville. in a formal statement, de-
clared her belief that her daughter
had been murdered and at the same
time members of Mrs. King family
laid their plans to bring about COM
plete accounting OF Mrs. Kings estate.
Second VIII Called Forgery.
The next day, a sensational state
ment was issued by the attorney of
Chicago trust company which had
handled some OF Mrs. Kings money.
in which he declared that the will
that Means alleged ne had discovered,
widow S3,OO0,000, was a complete
forgery.
Means found himself drawn into
the whirlpool OF suspicion and when
questioned by detectives, he stoutly
maintained his innocence, denied the
charges that he had squandered her
money and declared he had always
sought to protect and safeguard her
funds.
The investigation OF Mrs. Kings
death reached sensational heights on
September IL, when subpoenas for
CASTOR Means, and his brother Alton,
were iksued by District Attorney
Swami, at New York. while news from
Chicago the same day reported that
a fund of -S125,000, established to pro-
vide an annuity for Mrs Ring's
mother, had disappeared.
This fund, II was declared, had
been converted back into Mrs. Kings
estate, although a check for 81 900 was
mailed to the mother every month.
so that no investigation was made
prior to this time. This fund, IL Is
CASTOR Means was alleged to have
produced a paper in court at Chicago
which gave the mothers consent to
the dissolution.
The day after the subpoenas were
Issued, Means, then at Concord, asked
local authorities, in a cool manner,
how the New York district attorney
expected to serve his subpoena It
was admitted that IL could not be
done, as Means was being subpoenaed
as a witness only.
Means Denies Completely.
At the same time Means denied \
that he had anything to do with the
dissolution OF a trust fund for Mrs.
Kings mother, saying he simply sent
the mother $1,000 a month at Mrs.
Kings direction.
More sensational news came TO
light the next day-September 13-
when Assistant District Attorney
Dooling, at New York announced
that a preliminary investigation Of
Mrs. Kings finances showed that her.
entire estate OF 81, 400 900 apparently
had been totally dissipated. A search
was Immediately Instituted to trace
the proceeds OF large sales of prop.
erty. and 1t was also announced that
evidence found in Means apartments
revealed that he had been dealing
heavily in stocks.
Developments Of the following
twenty-four hours pointed to the ex.
istence OF an Italian countess and sew
eral other persons of apparent for--I
eign origin who were said to have ex-
ercised a great deal OF influence over
CASTOR Means.
A further Investigation revealed. It |
is said. that some daring woman
whose identity could not be learned, |
had been the master mind behind the |
looting OF Mrs. Kings estate and an
nouncement was also made of the re- |
ceipt OF a mysterious telegram by a
member OF Mrs. Kings family from |
some one in Concord, on the night of +
the shooting, urging an Investigation
OF the case
AhS 6hooAihB Ol MIS-. King, however,
took a secondary position in the case
on Saturday, when Means, brought to
New York and Questioned, admitted
that he had received $1,000 from
Capt. Franz Won Papen, former mill.
tary attache of the German govern
ment
Detectives searching the effects OF |
Means discovered a large portrait of
the Kaiser, said to have been given |
him by Captain Boy-Ed.
Assistant District Attorney DooIing
said that one witness had been located
who said he heard Means boast that
he made 100000 in a year. intimatIng
that it had come from the German
government.
At the same time. It was learned,
plans were being laid for q great legal
battle in defense of CASTOR Means and
his brother, who. also has been ques-
TONED in the case. The district attor-
ney's office, on this day. also claimed
to have evidence that Means escorted
Mrs. King to gambling places in New
York, where she lost as high as $780,.
900 at one time.