Salt Lake Telegram | 1903-03-18 | Page 5 | Won Wife and Fortune in Securing War Claim

.WON WIFE AND FORTUNE , IN SECURING WAR CLAM Capt. Calhoun' of Lexington, Ky., Gets Commission cf ' $132,400; Marries Stencgrapher. LEXINGTON, Ky., March 18. In pursuing Kentucky's war claim of fl.CJ.-999, fl.CJ.-999, Attorney C. C. Calhoun, of Lexington secured a wife and a small fort una. The fortune amounts to $132,400, or 10 per cent of the claim. The young woman who is now Mrs. Calhoun was Mls-j Kate Overton, formerly for-merly of Frankfort. Tne young couple are now in Louisville. The money for which Kentucky ,made"a claim was for equipping soldiers for the Civil war. A j ear ago Capt. Calhoun, a poor but bright young lawyer, appeared before Gov. Beckham and said that much money was due the State from the Government. Govern-ment. The Governor encouraged the young' lawyer to this extent; "All right. Calhoun. Til appoinjt you .to represent the State, and if you collect it you will get a fee of 10 per cent." ... . . . Young Calhoun was without funds, but. he set to work at his task and spent months in Washington, looking through musty records of the Civil war claims. After weeks of tedious work he secured facts and guides which proved that the Government did owe to the Commonwealth of Kentucky the amount named. He then set out to have the claim allowed. The proof was bo clear that he succeeded in having the'clalm Included In the general deficiency bill, which was passed by, Congress and sighed by the president last week, and Capt. Calhoun's feet will be paid at once. - - When Mr. Calhoun took up the task of putting the claim into proper shape his duties required him to spend much of his time in Frankfort. Miss Overton, who had frequently visited in Lexington, and w;hom he knew before going to Frankfort, was engaged as stenographer in the preparation of the record. Miss Overton is the daughter of a deceased Covington banker and man who was prominent In State affairs. At his death she removed to Lexington and made her home with her aunt. . - - . That Capt. Calhoun fell in love with the winsome young woman was but the expected, and when the proapect for the payment of the war tclalm approached a certainty, whatever obstacle Ms limited estate might possibly have been to his marriage was removed, and they spent their honeymoon in Washington and saw his efforts rewarded by the appropriation of the money to satisfy the claim.