Star.
London, England, 1819-12-06 00:00:00

" ZAW INTELLIGENCE
. PREROGATIVE COURT, DECRIIIIRR•4:
• "unite& AND VtILLMAN V. IIAbOIN AND OTHERi.
Sir jOVIN NIOO4 gave Judgment on this _case;
ihhich Ocbupied several days' ariumentr respecting
Capacity, controul, And undue influence, touching the
last will of Anne Jenks, widow,' late of Ldington;
stage coach proprietrix. The property amounting to
Sibarly 1:20,000.
. The deceased died on the 17th of June, 1816, at'
the fife of ninety-four; and a will, dated November
4k, 1815, is propounded by Hunter and Bullrisan, whb
are executors therein named in trust for iheniselves,
1,40 the only persons entitled in distribution of her pro-
petty In equal shares. The deceased's maiden name
rwas Bullman, and her family was resident is the
County of Durham. She kept stage teethes, wbirit
Iran between London and Llingtoni residing St *a-
latter place. :
After the death of het husband, heti' only
!George Jenks, resided with her, and nfaisaged thi•
bdsi.ness until his death in July,lBls. The deceased
Then tontinued to manage the business herself; until:
her health and capacity began -to decline.-' By -the
evidence of Eliot, a coachman, the deceased, for
twelve months previous to her death, was unable' to:
count money received, and be used to deposit deviate
in different bags; and it appeared, likewise, before the'
son's death, she was reduced to a state of total inca-
pacity and childishness. But, according to the
dent* of Miss Bullman; within twelve months before.
her death she considerably changed, and her mental.
faculties became quite perfect and unimpaired. With
her relations, it appeared, she had kept up hardly
any intercourse. John Bulimia, a grand•ssephier of.
the deceased, was at that time an Excise Officer' raj,-
denvat Bristol, his wife and family-residing andkeep!
ing a school at Walworth. Mr. Hunter, ship owner, •
another grand nephew, lived at Newcastle, coming
occasionally to town, and visiting deceased. • He was
in London when the sOn died, but did not know 9f
his death till he received a letter at Newcastle to that
effect. Mr. Lumley, another grand nephew, was
made an executor to the will of- George Jenks, the
son, by which he left the whole of his property to
his mother (£10,000), trust for the Lumleys, and
the deceased seemed to have had a greater degree of .
intercourse with Mr. Lumley, than with the rest of;
Iter relations. When the son died, it was made known
to his executors, that there was a considerable-sum of
money in the house. They applied to Mr. Wicks, a •
neighbouring Magistrate, to be present at the count-
ing, because it appeared the deceased was then incapa-
ble of attending to any thing. Mr. Wicks called a day
or two after, and found the deceased quite childish.
John Sunman, who, it appeared, was almost an en- .
tire stranger to the deceased, hearing of the death of
George Jenks, the son, immediately came to town
to take care of her property; and for that purpose,
takes possession of the deceased's house, and the cus-
tody of her person, which he continued to her death.
There was no evidence that this was by her consent
or desire, or that she had ever, shewn any regard for
him; hence arose that undue influence, cuoody, and
contreul, imputed to him. It appeared, that during
this period, she had been induced to make Ind execute
three different wills, revocatory of each others and
the evidence went to chew, that she was,in that stSt9'4'
of incapacity and acquiescence in all thatisez
de+iiff' -
or proposed, as to.be a mere machine or hailltment,
Moving as she was directed.
Many witnesses spoke to her dislike efJohn Bur-
man ; ip a kind of half childishness, saying he was no
relation, and she wished him to take up his bag and
be gone. Her son's executors recommended her be-
ing removed to another house, to live by 'herself in'.
town, but this was opposed tiy John Bullman, and
the executors pressed. it no further. • The impression
excited in her mind, but whether at the instance of
Bullman, wan, that they wanted to.-turn her out of;
her house. .
AbOut three or four weeks 'after her son's death,-

Mr. Lumley asked Bullman if. he thought deceased
was capable of making a will P Bullman said she
bad Better make a willin favour of Lamle, ; but:
Lumley said he would have nothing-to do with the
transaction ; he stated' that Bullman thew ed great
coolneal.towards him afterwards, and would never
salfeilliht to be alone with'• the deceased. Whed
Minter returned from Newcastle,' Mr. Bullman and
be waited on Mr. Pollard, air Attorney, for the par- •
pope of getting him to make a will by their instric: .
does ; and, on the 2d of September, they applied to
Mr. Robertson, Executor of George Jenks, to be in- •
formed of the contents of his will. The pretence of
this-inquiry was on behalf of deceased's relations at
castle. Pollard and Hunter agreed to meet at
deceased's house the nest day. Deceased looked up,'
as if moth pleased to see Hunter, but said nothing
to that effect. Bullman entered the room, when
Pollard observed to deceased, Hunter *as a relation;
but the other interrupted by saying, he was nearer,'
and his name was Bullman. Pollard advised that
claims should be•put in by the-rest of her relations.
This, the JUDOS observed, was treating deceased
as a mere cypher. •
A Mr. Smith, one of the executors of her rem,
called with Mr. Lumley on the deceased, and es.; •
plained that be understood she had' authorised Mr.
Bullman to receive her son's money out of the hands •
of them, the son's executors (which it appeared they •
had actually transferred to him); she replied,. she
did not wish him to receive any, of it. Smith asked
if she wished to make any alteration in her will
She replied ." Yes," bet looked round us if she did •
not with Bullman to hear her. Bullman,. ifter. Awl
peatecl.refusals, consented that Lentle,•adel-Smitlt
should see the detekted, on condition that:the -tooth
door should be left open, and the servant tailted to
be present. Bullman remained id anotherinottes.?.
According to the evidence of L**, ...,lhe deteleete. ,
was very much dissatitfied with .Bnftant that the
meant to leave hith only £lOO, bat that be Wgivedt
satisfied with that sum. It appeered she wV At sit.
.time ready to make a new will at the sol c-4116We!
any party applying to her. • „
The Cover observed, it was imposstlak to
upon the two wills obtained from the deem,
presence of, andin favour eshose interested
one of whom had as:Amid the entire v.--
controul over bar. She had a went -
city, and.i.othini more.
IViralarlison Bullman, another b,
rived from the North. - He proposed a new "AL
which she Juncurred. Yet. it ap did
know she had any such ;relations as 114 brodieh

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