The New York herald., 1921-06-05
LAWYERS ARE PUZZLED
Papers Filed in Florida Are
Certified Copies - Orig
inal VIII Not Seen.
GIRLS RESCUE BELIEVED
Her Rich Fathers Gratitude TO
Preacher Is Told Most Inter
estingly by Latter.

New York banking interests have
been investigating the strange story
told by the Rev. David S. K. Byrne, a
mission worker of Montreal, now at
the Claridgs Hotel. He says that a
fortune oe at leas' 100000 900 was left
him by a graceful capitalist whose
wayward daughter he reclaimed by
prayer in Chicago fourteen years ago,
and that when ~ gets Sc ne viii use it
to build rescue homes for other girls.
Banking cliend asked the law firm
of Olcott, Bonynge, McManus & Ernst,
of 10 Broadway, to check up the
clergymans expectations so that they
might know whether to undertake to
help him in collecting the assets Of the
estate. supposed to lie in many coun-
tries.
Terence j. McManus of that law
firm has had a talk with Mr.. Byrne
and inspected his legal papers, and
has caused inquiry to be made in
Florida. He has compared his con-
clusions with those of another bank
which has been looking n, ound on its
own account. The result is, Mr.. Nc
Manus said yesterday, recommenda-
tion from him to his clients that the
matter is too uncertain to warrant
any action on their part"
The investigators, as far as they have
gone, have not located the rich oil and
timber lands, stocks and other properties
which are the bulk or Mr.. Byrnes
reputed inheritance. They have seen a
paper indicating the existence of a
small property in or near Pittsburgh.
They have been unable to obtain a
clear mental picture of Wellington G.
Byrne, the minister's benefactor, or to
ascertain the sources of this obscure
millionaire's large estate.
They are puzzled by the fact that the
many papers filed by the Rev. Mr.. Byrne
in a Florida court, including the will
itself are not originals but certified
copies They have not succeeded in get
ting Mr.. ByrIe to tell them where the
original vii! Is, nor was THE NEW York
HERALD more successful, for his answer
was: ITS fled; everything is filed and
proven"
Byrne Is the sole Executor.
Mr.. Byrne apparently believes will
sall his soul in the reality o. his great
heritage. Under the appointment of Q
Florida court he is the sole executor
and under the will itself is the sole sur
viving beneficiary OF the will Of yelling
ton G.. Byrne. For years he has beer
going up and down the earth collectns
his proof" and upturning obstacles tina
lay in his way. He says now his story
Is true to the last line and that tn,
trouble with the banks is they want te
take everything. which he doesn't pur
pose to let them do.
Mr.. Byrne's story was outlined II
THE NEW YORK HERALD on May %
In brief, he says that he retrieved Lucy
Lillian Byrne from a sorry life in Chi
cago in 1907 tnat her father. Wellington
@. Byrne, some time of Pittsburgh, In
gratitude. made him an heir and execu.
tor on condition that he change hi:
name from David S. Kidd 10 David S. X
Byrne which was done: that Lucy Byrns
died in 1908: that her father died later
In the same. year while going to or from
Australia, where he had once lived
that the two other surviving heirs and
executors Wellington Byrne's widow and
son. vanished in 1914 after leaving
Australia bound for Europe by way OF
the United States and are believed TO
have been lost in the sinking of the
steamship Empress Of Ireland on May
20 of that year.
Inquiry in Montreal brings this infor-
nation: David S. X. Byrne. known %
his friends as Davey Byrne. first visited
Montreal newspaper offices ten or a
dozen years ago with documents which.
he said. proved his right TO large for
tune left by a millionaire OF the name OF
Byrne, whose name he had taken. The
newspapers printed his dramatic, heart
interest narrative OF the redemption OF