Evening star., 1925-09-04
WIDOW Of WATKINS
ACCUSED OF FRAUD
Daughter -ln-LaW of Repre-
sentative From Louisiana
Hid Assets, Creditor Says.

Cencea lment of assets and present
ing a false and uuprovable' claim
against the estate af her husha nd
William Kyle Watkins. son of the
late John r. Watkins. Representative
from Louisiana. are charged against
Mrs Bessie ". Watkins, 2230 First
street. in petition fled today in the
District Supreme Court by John Henry
Shepherd. who claims to he creditor
of the estate to the extent of xle,9s2.
Justice Hoehling issued rule on Mrs.
Watkins TO show cause next Friday
why she should not make complete
disclosure of all the personal assets
of the estate.
Husband Found Dead.
William Kyle Watkins was found
dead In his garage January 20, 1929,
and his widow took out letters of ad.
ministration April IS. 1929. giving a
bond of IS 600. July 3 she fled her
final account showing assets of S72S.39
and expenditures of equal amount.
which latter Included fee of $500 to
Attorney James T. Lloyd. former
president of the Board of Educat tion.
The widow also presented claim
against her husbands estate for
S14.6S3.25.
Through Attorneys George +. Cur
tis and Peyser, Edelin q Peyser the
petitioner tells the court that the lat
ter claim is mot susceptible Of a
proper probate and proof" He ex-
plains that John +. Watkins. father
of the deceased; his son and another
man were partners in the Congress
sional and Departmental Information
and Service Co.. prosecuting claims
against the United States and
furnishing governmental informal ton.
The father, it is said gave his prom
issory notes in a large amount 10 the
Commercial National Bank of Shreve-
port, La. with Endorsements said to
he by j. Riley Wilson. RepreSe ntative
from Louisiana. and Senator Joseph
r.. Randall of that State. The notes
were discounted and drawn against
but at maturity were dishonored the
court is told.
Says Widow Bought Notes.
Shepherd says Mrs. Watkins, the
Administrative, purchased these notes
at a great discount, as much as so
per cent, and these notes constitute
her claim against her husha nd s es-
tate, although, IL il asserted her hus-
band received no benefit from the
notes. The purchase of these notes
were not authorized by the court, IT is
stated.
Referring to the claim of Attorney
James T. Lloyd for $500 attorney $
fee. Mr.. Shepherd declares that MIR.
Lloyd did not perform any services for
William Kyle Watkins during his life
time, although the claim purpOrts to
be for services rendered the admins.
tratrix and for the deeedent during
his lifetime.
Accuses Dead Man.
Mr.. Shepherd tells the court that
April 4, 1921, William Kyle Watkins
borrowed money from him. and while
insolvent" used the money TO pur-
chase premises S1l K street northeast
for s7,o00, and took title &intly with
his wife. Bessie V. Watkins, with the
intention and purpose to defraud his
creditors" Mrs. Watkins sold the
property after her husbands death for
$4,000 cash, the court is told. and
failed to make any accounting of the
proceeds as part of the estate of her
husband. The allegation is made that
this sale and conversion of the pro-
ceeds were in fraud Of the creditors
of the estate"
4 claim is also made that at the
time of the death Of William Kyle
Watkins the company of which he
was partner had claims against the
United States tataling 100000 for
claimants, on which contingent fee
was based, and which, II successful.
would net the company 0,000, of
which the deceased would be entitled
to one-half. Many of these claims
have been recovered, it is stated, since
the death of Watkins. The decea sed
also owned an automobile worth S3, 700,
it Is stated, of which no return is
made in the account of the admins
tratriX.