Women In A Contest

Women in a contest over the possession of Tom Waynem of Lodi

He is an imbecile, was left property by his foster mother Mrs. Dowling who died last June

Five women and as many men contesting for the privilege for caring of Thomas Waynem, who lives in Lodi was the strange spectacle presented in the probate court Tuesday.

'Tommy,' as he was affectionately called by several of the ladies who were anxious to look after his personal welfare, is a diminutive fellow with a slight tawny mustache and with as little hair on his head as one finds in the bald-headed row on those nights when plays such as the 'Girl from Maxim's' are on the boards. 

In addition to 'Tommy's' lack of facial and other bodily attractiveness he is so deficient mentally that he has been long classed as an imbecile by his Lodi acquaintances. Why he should be the object of such particular interest is probably best explained by the fact when Mrs. Letitia Downing, with whom he lived for nearly twenty years, died last June she willed him the use of eighty acres of her farm for life. In addition to this the commissioners appointed by the probate court, some months ago, to settle the affairs of the estate, allowed 'Tommy' $900 for services which he rendered to Mrs. Dowling during her life. This amount has not yet been paid over, but it is likely that it will be in the near future when the debts of the estate are settled.

The petition to appoint a guardian was made by James Bonner, who was appointed executor of the Dowling estate and, by the way, Mr. Bonner gave substantial evidence in his testimony that he would like to be the one appointed by the court to look after the invalid's interests. In fact he was so thoroughly interested in his claim that he would be the proper person to have the guardianship that he was willing to give a bond to pay 'Tommy' $100 a year, 'while he could work.'

To Bonner's proposition Mrs. Mary Lamburn, also of Lodi, vigorously objected. She thought that either Jesse or William Lamburn, her brothers-in-law, were the proper ones to care for the imbecile, since Mrs. Dowling expressed the wish, according to Mrs. Lamburn, that 'Tommy' should be cared for by some of the Lamburn families.

Mrs. Lamburn's protests against Bonner being appointed guardian brought forth a vigorous attack on William Lamburn from Attorney M. J. Cavanaugh, who was representing Bonner. Among other things he declared that William Lamburn was a drunkard. To this charge Capt. E.P. Allen, who was the Lamburns' attorney, retorted that 'if getting drunk bars a man from acting in the capacity of guardian, any amount of university professors would be declared ineligible.'

And so the case went on, 'Tommy' regularly interrupting the proceedings by declaring that he wanted to live with Jesse Lamburn and emphatically declaring that he wanted to have no connection with Bonner.

Judge Watkins has taken the case under advisement and will decide the guardianship of 'Tommy,' who has so many friends(?) in a few days.