Sedgwick County KS Archives News.....Crawford, W. D. Estate Tax Disputed Between Sumner and Sedgwick Counties October 12, 1913
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Debra Crosby http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002467 January 25, 2020, 5:57 pm

The Wichita Daily Eagle October 12, 1913

The Wichita Daily Eagle (Wichita, KS)  Sun Oct 12, 1913 pg 5
        DISPUTING OVER TAX ON ESTATE
Sedgwick and Sumner Counties Both After Share of
the Late W. D. Crawford's $29,000 Holdings
        WILL SAYS HE LIVED IN THIS COUNTY
Because He Owned Farm in Sumnter County Attempt
Is Made to Collect Inheritance Tax There

     Which county, Sedgwick or Sumner, should receive
the taxes upon the estate of W. D. Crawford, a pioneer
who died in April, is what is worrying the officials
of both counties and Paul J. Wall, attorney. The estate
is valued at about $29,000, and was left to Mrs.
Crawford, widow of the deceased, and several grand
children.
   Sumner county officials claim that Mr. Crawford
lived in Sumner county and the taxes from his estate
should go into the "coffers" of that county. 
Accordingly, on Saturdy its officials tried to enter
the estateon the tax role. Attorney Wall discovered
the intentions and made a hasty trip to Wellington
on Saturday morning to protest against the action.
It was postponed until a  later date for settlement.
   Sedgwick county bases its claims on the taxes to
the estate to the fact that part of the estate is in
money and in Wichita banks. Also that when Mr. Crawford's
will was filed in the Sedgwick county probate court,
it was found to hear this clause: "I, W. D. Crawford,
of Sedgwick county, do hereby, etc." This Sedgwick
county officials and Attorney Wall claim is sufficient
evidence that Crawford claimed Sedgwick county as his
place of residence.
   The estatee has already been placed upon the tax
roll of Sedgwick county upon the strength of Mr.
Crawford's will. Part of the estate consists of a
farm near Derby that was purchased by Mr. Crawford
in 1885. It was recently purchased by Mrs. Crawford
for $13,500 from the executors of the estate.
   Mr. Crawford was one of the pioneers in southern
Kansas and accumulated his fortune by hard work and
frugality. He was a close business man and was
very careful that his investments were always of
the best.

The Wichita Beacon (Wichita, KS) Fri Nov 28, 1913 pg 10
       LEGAL FIGHT OVER DEAD MAN'S GOLD
     WHERE WAS THE HOME OF W. D. CRAWFORD?
Sedgwick County Says He Lived Here and Sumner
County Declares His Residence Was in That County

   Sedgwick and Sumner counties in a dispute over a
dead man's money. It is going to take a hearing by
the state tax commission to settle which is entitled
to the tax on it. This hearing will be held in
Wichita December 3, at which time J. A. Burnette, of
Caldwell, a member of the commission will be here to
take testimony in the case.
           Which Gets the Taxes
   The trouble is over the money left by the late
W. D. Crawford, of this county. Both counties 
claim him as a resident at the time of his death.
Sumner County officials contend that Mr. Crawford
was in fact a resident of that county when he died
and as such the county is entitled to the tax on
his property which was mostly in cash. As evidence
of his residence in that county the officers point
to the fact that he voted there at the last
general election.
              Cite City Directory
   On the other hand, Sedgwick Conty officials will
call attention to the last directory of the city
of Wichita which shows Mr. Crawford as a resident
of this place, living at 224 North Topeka Avenue.
They also allege that Mr. was a resident of the
southern part of this county many years before
selling out and moving to Wichita, and that the 
only property he ever had in Sumner County was
some money on deposit in banks there.
          DIED SEEKING HEALTH
   Mr. Crawford was taken ill soon after coming
to Wichita and went to Texas for his health, but
he failed to receive any benefit from the change
and soon died. He left money to the amount of
about $29,000. The tax on this will amount to
nearly $600, and that is why the officials of
the two counties are contending for it.

The Wellington Journal (Wellington, KS) Thur Dec 18, 1913 pg 3
   In the matter of the taxes of the Crawford
estate claimed by both Sedgwick and Sumner
counties, the state tax commissioners
rendered a decision in favor of Sedgwick.


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