The Washington times., 1920-02-22
Sh0mgNllions

ICON
in the world. shonts. who pitilessly
crushed and exploited the New York pub
lie, also used the bludgeon on his own
family.
II the woman had such power over him
that he was willing to write such a letter
to his children. then 1t is futile to doubt
Mrs. Thomas when che asserts that Shonts
gave her the disputed furnishings-and his
stocks and bonds and real estate.
But why did Shonts give all this to Mrs.
Thomas? What sort OF service did she
render him? What was her end OF the
bargain that shonts rewarded so we'll?
Why was my friend Amanda" more than
a wife and daughters to Shonts?
And who is this Mrs. Amanda Thomas
who "debauched" Shonts by her "artihces,
immoralities and wiles," as Mrs. Shonts
swears in her suit. and turns up with this
strange will?
Chorus Girl and Divorce.
Are there any known facts In Mrs.
Amanda Thomas's career which seem to
Dc Oh pubic lHItItbt tchuihb ~ Univ"
a ray of light on the widows appeal TO the
courts for protection against the damage
this woman is alleged to have done her?
Has she had public career?
Yes.
Did she COON the stage as a chorus girl?
Yes.
Did she come into the gay life of New
, York from a little country town?
/, Yes.
Did she marry and go through the d.
vorce courts?
Yes.
More than once?
Yes.
Twice married and divorced?
Yes, two marriages and two divorces.
Did she live here luxuriously, travel
abroad and wear furs and jewels at the
expense of another woman's husband?
That is what Mrs. Shonts contends.
Did she win to herself the affection and
fortune of a man who left his own wife
and children almost penniless?
That is what Mrs. Shonts asserts in her
sworn statements
But Mrs. Thomas's lawyer declares that
this is "cruel slander"-these charges
made by Mrs. Shonts.
The question that naturally arises at
n~ce is-How much property did Presi-
DON'T Shonts have? 1t is insisted that 1t
probably was not less than $4.OOO,O0o;
Doseibly twice that sum. How did he
"~~uire such a property?
TO answer that question it Is necessary
tn 90 back more than forty years, when
Yong Shonts' was employed on the estate
cf Governor Drake of Iowa. AS boy he
met and played with the Governors daugh'
Ter. Milla Drake. AS he outgrew the err
rand boy work he got job on railroad
of which Governor Drake was the presi-
dent.
The boy and girl acquaintance of young
Shonts and Milla Drake continued and
ripened into courtship which Governor
Drake did not approve of. But daughter
Milla was insistent, and she married the
man of her choice. Governor Drake made
her a wedding present OF 100000, which
she handed to Shonts.
OF course, Employe Shonts was given
better position on Governor brakes rail-
road He was provided with office work
and rapidly promoted. Governor Drake
had large railroad and financial interests,
and Shonts was soon made president OF
the Iowa and Illinois Railroad.
When the daughter OF the president OF
the Iowa and Illinois Railroad raised
ShOntS from MS lOD on tne Idiiio ou " th0
presidency of the road she laid the founda-
ton of Shonts's fortune. But that is not
all. When Governor Drake died his daugh
ter, Mrs. Milla Drake Shonts, inherited
considerable property. This, like her
handsome wedding gift, she turned over
to her husband to take care of, as most
wives without business experience GUS
tomarily do.
Sbonts' Vanished Millions.
The 100000 wedding present at five per
cent. compound interest from 1887 to 1918,
tbirty.two years, would amount to
s476, 494.11. And the 100000 Governor
Drake left his daughter in 1908 and was
!, turned over to Shonts would amount to
sS73, 10000 in the sixteen years from 1903
to 1919 Shonts, it is true, handed back
some of the Drake securities on his wife's
demand few years ago. In addition to
shonts' big salary he got $125,OO0 bonus"
at one time from the Interboro and $4,000
bonus at another time-and, no one knows
what other fat pickings and divvys and
o,I iDlyn IN opto fat