Arizona republican., 1922-03-10
of
Real Life in
America
many Claim 100000 Estat.
5ank Book Solves Mystery
@rantula Loses in Court
%onvlots Quick to FORGET
'"o Widows Claim Body

'"o Widows Claim Body
For 80 years, Joe Pennvvl lived the
ne OF a recluse near Pima. Ora
nam county. Apparently ogtracized
py members OF his own family. he
TaS content to keep watch over his
1o0hi 70 see II grow in size, to see
ls fortune build from a. mere pitt
'elnce TO one of great proportions.
ul even wealth is no surety
ssgainst death. So he answered f1e
inevitable call Feb. 20, 1921.
During all the years OF his resi-
uence IN Arizona, he had never writ
Ssen nor received letters from the
.nLoInsrs and sisters left in Pennsyl-
Ndnla 10 come west to flight Indians
on the frontier"
They don't care about me" he
cIten nonfided in his friend and
counsellor. George Fl. Crosby, Jr.
appraisers fixed the value Of his
estate at 100000. There were no
oene1iciaries- lie died intestate. In
pursuance OF law. advertisements
were published. Heirs appeared In
Pennsylvania and Texas.
We had been told that Josiah (his
true name) was among the victims
OF clusters last stand on the Little
bag Horn, Pennsylvania claimants
told Judge Chambers in superior
court at Stafford, where a contest is
being waged over the estate. The
Texas claimant told the court that
no Is the son of an only sister, long
since deceased.
Judge Crosby was Pennsyl's only
contidant He was his legal repre-
sentative and as such, had urged
Pennsyl to "go back home"
II Nofy1T ha favs Hn4tav ~rn,. xr-1,xIA
rcestablish yourself with your fam
lly, he often told his friend and
client. But PennsyI was obstinate.
But in their friendly chats, Pennsyl
had told him enough of his past life
to make Judge Crosby a valuable
witness in the contest over the estate.
Pennsyl, Judge Crosby said, left
home at the age OF IS years after a
quarrel with an older brother. He
never returned. During the last few
months of the war; he served with
the Union forces in the great Civil
conflict. Later he came west as a
private in the ranks. He got his
honorable discharge at Ford Grant,
Arizona
Then it was that he located in
Graham county. He started as a
farm hand. He saved his money.
In time, he purchased a few head of
cattle from his savings. He became
the manager of the ''Aravaipa" cattle
ranch, one Of the largest in Graham
county Then the Death Angel
claimed him.
Now, there IS q bitter fight over
his 100000 estate. Relatives who
for years had neglected him. have
turned up. Some, who are not rela-
tives also have appeared as bene-
ficiaries. The court win decide the
legal heirs.
WHILE searching for buried liquor
near the Marinette canal head
gate last July. a federal officer dug
UP an object that resembled a human
heart 1t was near the same spot
that John Moran. tender Of the Mari
nette headgate for the Southwest
Cotton company came to disastrous
end, in the opinion Of county and
federal officials. DIR. G. S. Monicai,
county physician, took the heart
shaped object, placed it in fornalde-
hyde for the purpose of softening
and Identifying It, and finally pro-
nounced it the root of weed. Near
the place the root was uncovered a
calf carcass was unearthed. Bones
of this animal the similarity OF the
root to the human heart and the dis
appearance of John Moran all formed
link which created somewhat OF a
sensation at the time.
But the disappearance OF John Mo-
ran remained a riddle--untiI from
Portland, Ore. John Moran sent a
request to a local bak for duplicate
passbook, accompanied by an ex-
planation that the original had been
lost. Iebeus Chapman. local hand
sHns1ffffrH a.
tllre OF the writer from Portland to
be the same as that of John Moran,
tne man of mystery, the bank de-
positor. the Marinette water tender
and by his decision rendered roots 10
be roots. calf bones to be calf bones
ana John Moran to be living.
XEyHETHER this particular spider
w went to the chsmbers Of the su-
preme court to argue a case ana got
into the wrong room, or Wnetner
he came to file an appeal WIN nv,,Ia rengs
be known for the large tarantula
found yesterday afternoon by MISS
Virginia Davis clerk of the supreme
rourt was crushed under the weight
~ the law before he was able 10
state his reason for appearing IN the
chambers of the court.
He was found hidden away III Some
uld records and files OF the court Dy
Miss Davis. while she was engaged
in cleaning up the mes belng
S,-oman of great resource. Miss Da-
us upon seeing the large marry
snider. sought out the first weapon
81 hand which happened to be an
@~+ya heavy record of an appeal case
end dropped it upon the raraIlt tuIa- ..-
So ended the career OF the nrsI
tarantula ever to appear IN the su-
preme court.
ar the number of prisoners paroieo
Oand hardened from the state
renifentiary, during the past year.
Mise Elsie Toles, state school su-
nerintendent and the. only woman
member of the board OF pardons anu
naroles. said yesterday, out IWo -
tla men have ever expressed thelI
sto,,i-s 10 her for the release granted
stcm one OF the two, she said. was
Mexican who was released re-
Gently. 49, nariten.
tiarv. she said. for passing bogus
cbecI and following his release she she
ia no came to her office IN the
sta4e capital and expressed his ap-
,Teciafion Of the parole given 70 MINI
rt1is man, she said, was q graouate
of the University Of Mexico ana udu u
inadvertently passed check 10 pIliJ5 pI9
cure food for his wire ana Sliiiu
when his funds ran oul. ,,.;sor,
TIE prisoners at the state prlsoli'
zyisg roles said, have always referred
~ 49, %,or. "A "the woman" or merely py
~ form s'she'' when they are speak
ing Of the board
~yr1v YORK. Mar. 9--Two women,