Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1902 — RED CROSS NURSE INHERITSFORTUNE [ARTICLE]

RED CROSS NURSE INHERITSFORTUNE

Murderer Makes Her His Sole Legatee for Kindness to Him. NEARLY 2,000 ACRES OF LAND Though but 27 Years of Age He Had Had a Varied Career, Having Berved In the Philippinee and Prospected In Alaska. Mrs. Mary E. Hart, a former wellknown newspaper woman of California, and now of Nome City, Alaska, has had a fortune thrust upon her by a man who was executed for murder. The fortune consists of many thousands of dollars’ worth of land in Michigan and Tennessee. Letters have been received by the county officials at Kalkaska, Mich., from Mrs. Hart asking for information concerning 375 acres of the land which lie in Cold Spring township, just north of the village of Kalkaska. The land was owned by Fred Hardy, who was hanged in Nome City Sept. 19, convicted of the murder of two prospectors, Richard and Con Sullivan, brothers, both of whom formerly lived In Butte City. Mont Bears Red Cross. While Hardy was in jail awaiting his fate Mrs. Hart met him as a bearer of the Red Cross, treated him kindly, and strove to help him in all possible ways. Hardy appreciated her efforts, and told her he was a nephew of a prominent Eastern merchant. On the night before the hanging Hardy sent for Mrs. Hart and told her he had made her his legatee. He gave her an order on a company in San Francisco for his trunk, which contained clothing, a sword, and sundry articles to the value of SSOO. He asked her to send the photographs in his trunk te his mother. The will, made over the name of Fred Watkyns, leaves the entire estate to Mrs. Hart, and makes her the executrix. The property is itemized as follows: Three hundred and sev-enty-five acres in Kalkaska county, Michigan, and 1,565 acres of land in Lawrence county, Tennessee. Personal property is also mentioned, and a sum of money in bank in Logan, Ohio, but the amount is not stated. Was Spanish Veteran. By investigation Mrs. Hart has found that Hardy’s trufe name was (Watkyns., His stepfather’s name is Hardy, so he took his name. Hardy was born in Lexington, Ohio, in 1876. In 1898 he enlisted in the United States cavalry and started for Cuba. He was in the Philippine war; was mustered out at the Presidio in San Francisco March 28, 1902. He had sl,800 when he was discharged. He went to the Aleutian islands on the fishing schooner Arago and deserted while ashore for water. Mrs. Hart will leave Alaska the latter part of October to take possession of her property.