The Grandfather, the Grandson, and the Five Acres That Vanished From the Deed

Seymour Wetmore, the old man whose guardian, William H. Reeves, has been discharged, intends to assert his title to self-control, and as a preliminary took the first steps yesterday toward undoing a transfer of real property in which he seems to have been victimized by his own children. The tract involved comprises five acres near this city, about a mile this side of Columbia. Originally it was part of the Wetmore farm, the value of which was materially enhanced by the building of the Rainier avenue electric line.

To that company Wetmore deeded ten acres as a subsidy, and about the same time planned to distribute the estate among his children. He gave to Bessie Wetmore, now Hendricks, ten acres; to Birdsey Wetmore, ten acres; to Frank Wetmore, five acres; to Ella Wetmore Wilson, five acres; and to Clyde Wetmore five acres.

The last transfer is the one which promises to cause the trouble. Clyde Wetmore is a grandson, the son of Ella Wetmore, who is now the wife of Ford Wilson. The boy is 14 years old, and is said to be in disfavor with his stepfather. At any rate, the grandfather was inclined to take the boy's part, and when it came to dividing the estate the grandson was given an equal share with his mother.

After the estate had been cut to pieces, Wilson undertook to engineer the proceedings against Wetmore for the appointment of a guardian, and induced Ella, his wife, to sign the application to the court. The guardian was finally appointed, and then, it is said, the ungracious son-in-law and stepfather began to boast that he had not only secured the appointment of a guardian but had also succeeded in getting the five acres Wetmore had intended to convey to the boy. An investigation of the record showed that Wilson was right. The two deeds to Mrs. Wilson and her child had been filed for record February 4, the third day after their execution; but each of them conveyed a tract of five acres to the mother and the boy was left out.

Wetmore resolved that Clyde should yet have the property, but what could be done? The old gentleman's hands were tied because the superior court had held that he was unable to manage his own affairs, and he hesitated to appeal to the guardian. He therefore went to Fred H. Peterson, his attorney, who told him the only thing to do was quietly to await the time when the guardian should be discharged and then commence an action to set aside the deed on the ground that it had been given without consideration.

Now that the guardian no longer exists and Wetmore has had his rights fully restored, the contest will be made. It was inaugurated yesterday by the attorney filing a lis pendens covering the property, a necessary precaution, as a report was agog that Wilson intended to sell it at the first opportunity. One of the tracts has already been sold.

The papers in the case have been drawn, and it will be filed in court in a short time.