Typed as spelled and written
Lena Stone Criswell
THE MARLIN DEMOCRAT
Eighteenth Year - Number 37
Marlin, Texas, Saturday, September 28, 1907
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DEAD MAN WAS DAVID B. WOLFE.
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Identity is Fully Established And
Mystery Cleared Up.
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The identity of the man
who died at the Laxson boarding house in this city Sept. 2 and who gave his name
as Waldrop, is fully established and his right name was David B. Wolfe.
As previously reported, his brother,
Charles Wolfe, arrived here Tuesday, accompanied by Dr. C. Clark who lives on
High Prairie, east of Kosse and who knew and who treated deceased before he came
to Marlin. They conferred with City Attorney Jones who was appointed
administrator of the estate of deceased, soon after his death. The
descriptions and comparisons of articles found in the dead man's trunk,
including photographs, were such as to fix beyond a doubt, the identity of the
dead man as David B. Wolfe.
The trunk was located at the residence of
Mrs. Ratliff at Perry, where deceased stayed for about three months, going there
in January last and remaining there awhile, going away and later returning.
He was at the Ratliff at Perry, where deceased stayed for about three months
altogether. He went from there to Robertson county remaining until about
Aug. 15, his health in the meantime becoming very bad, when he came to Marlin
for treatment.
His case was first brought to the attention
of the public when Laxson, with whom he was boarding applied to the county judge
and the mayor to have them take charge of the man as he appeared to be without
funds. As neither felt that they had authority to take the case in hand at
that juncture, City Attorney Jones at the suggestion of the mayor, went to see
the man. When pressed to reveal his financial condition, that it might be
determined what to do with him, he admitted that he had money and gave it into
the keeping of Mr. Jones.
The man realized that he had but a short
time to live and gave Mr. Jones instruction as to the disposal of his remains.
The Democrat printed an account of his
death. The circumstances of his last hours were related, together with
such instances of his life and personality as could be gotten at that time.
A copy of this paper was read by Dr. Clark at his on High Prairie in Robertson
county. He believed that the man was none other than Wolfe and wrote to
Charles Wolfe at Crosby. All this required several days, Mr. Wolfe having
moved to Huffman. He got the notice sent him by Dr. Clark Friday Sept. 20
and left at once for Kosse and from there came to Marlin. The location of
the trunk at Perry was likewise ascertained from the newspaper report of the
death of Wolfe.
It was the wish of David B. Wolfe, often
expressed to his brother Charley, as stated by the latter, that when he died his
remains should be sent to Sullivan county, Missouri and buried on the family
burial ground selected years ago. David's lot was Number 7 and when
talkign to his brother abut the matter would say "Charley, have me buried on Old
No. 7 and give my money to the baby," referring to the daughter of Charles
Wolfe, now a girl of 9 years.
It is now impractical to ship the remains
and they will be left undisturbed where they are. Charley Wolfe regrets
this exceedingly, as it was always his intention to follow his brother's desires
in the matter. He has purchased a monument to mark the last resting place of his
brother, to whom he was deeply attached and who died unknown among strangers.
It is not believed by his brother that all
of Wolfe's effects have been located yet. A bank book, showing a credit of
about $800 was found at Perry and there is reason for him to believe that the
dead man had various sums of money loaned out before he came here, a record of
which has not yet been discovered and is probably in the keeping of some friend
somewhere.
Administrator S. O. Jones withholds a
statement of the amount of money turned over to him by Wolfe on the ground that
a publication of the exact amount might lead to some fictitious claims being set
against the estate. This view is concurred in by the brother, Charles B.
Wolfe.
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Copyright permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for
printing by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas
