The New York herald., 1870-10-22
THE JUnIEL ESTATE.
Mr.. Nelson Chase Again Chased by Fresh
Claimants Of the Property-A Curious Chap
ptcr Of Charges and Counter Charges
Warm Tilt Between Counsel-An
intermediate Story, with
Conclusive Moral.

as he Is served with notices OF contest 1r0m pre-
viousiy unknown but hostile relatives, "Hang out
nv banner on the outer wall-tbe cry Is still they
come" At the present rate OF demand-the supply,
however not being equal-the claimants on the mod
ern Anneke Jams bequests may, after time, rival
in strength and numbers the famous Trinity church
estate hunters. The newest phase to the litigation
started some six months ago took formal and legal
shape yesterday in the Supreme Court Special Term
before Judge Barnard in q suit brought by Stephen
Jumei Jones' ana host or J0neses, against Nelson
Chase and others.
The interest felt In this case, not alone from the
immorally historic associations connected with
Madame Jumel and the large amount OF property
involved In the suit which is now Estimated at over
three millions Of dollars, but from the fact that this
is the last case in which Charles O'Conor proposes
to professionally appear, drew together large
assemba2e In the court room yesterday, Including
very general sprinkIing Of the leading lights OF the
New York bar. Mr.. Conor showed very little traces
OF his recent serious fndisp0si0n. but when he had
occasion to rise and SPEAK, which, however, was
only once or twice, and then but trinng, stood as
oudly erect as in his palmiesr days; his eyes were
as keeny brilliant as ever and the words came from
his lips with that canstic energy and withcrlng
power Of expression that have crowned with such
glowing spendor OF renown his greatest efforts q
specia pieader. AS TO the Count Johannes, the
counsel for the plaintiffs he was in blaze Of etTul
gent glory which was made more glorious by an
unusual elaboration OF his very careful tolet.
WHY THE SUIT IS BROUGHT.
The case, as is well known, Is an action brought
by the heirs VI Maria Jones. sister OF Maame JuncI,
10 set aside the agreement made by them win
Nelson Chase, conveying Their interest IN Madame
Jumcl's estate tD Mr. Chase Tor 10000, the ground
action beng that the latter at the time OF making
the agreemenI was their attorney and that he de-
celvea them as to the character II the paper they
signed ali OF which Is denied by tie defendants.
LONG JOB OF READING.
Count Johannes opened the proceedings by read
ing his complaint, document OF preternatural
legal length requiring tWo hours to read This did
not EXHAUST the Count. however, for directly after
wards, as MIR. O'COnor did not think It worth while
10 read his answer 10 the complaint, he read this
also cons ming nearly another hour
The glst OF these pOnderousiy elaborate documents
is tHaC in The former the most 1agrant fraud ia
charged upon Mr.. chase and that in The latter each
and every specific alteration Is den.ed.
THE o. ENING SPEECH.
And still the Count was untirlng. He entered
opening was biographical, historic. eulogisic,
poetic, impassioned and rnaDsodic-in fact, going
through all the alternating changes OF the most d.
schools OF oratOry with skilled specimens OF his
peculiar power at m,mlcry thrown In as pleasing
int udes. The biogral hlc embraced q sketch OF
the family histories OF Madame Jumel and tnat por
ton Of the Jones family whose names appear
paintins in the case the historic ran all the way
through from antediiuvian times; the euloglstlc
was when he compared the Judge 10 Paul VI Tarsus,
at Cesarea; the poetic CLEANED like sabres fashlng
in the sunlight; the impassoned was when bathOs
uuU SbTuSHlcu dllu tu0 Tudps
sodlc the perorat.on, wherein he grew greatly and
almost tearIully agonlzng over the divine attri-
bntes OF justice. HIS mmic representations In
cuded the htlgantS on both Sides and the OppOS-
ing counsel, who smiled at them or at the
Count iG was Impossible to tell which, as heartily as
the rest During tine speech he ALLUDED to what ne
alleged as singular condolences. William Jones,
the plaintiff he said, was born on the day OF the
battle OF Bunker Hill The present action was com.
menced Oh the anniversary OF the battle OF Lcxing-
ton, and Nelson Chase, the defendant, was named
al.er the naval hero Nelson, the anniversary OF
IN d0u flao rol
ioiow him through his logical cooen,rioi,ioe.
there did TO his speech At It's conclusion the Court
to give time lOf rccuperalon, not TO the Count for
he seemed as fresh rs when he began, but to Itself
aar aSa 'h' 'f0"a present. 0fuersa recess '0f nan an
WITNESS CALLED.
On the reassembllng OF the court witness was
called In the person OF Mr Charles ID. Covert. he
tesJed that in June, 1867, he negotiated with Nelson
Chase Tor The purchase Of real estate at the corner
OF Forty-secOnd street and Seventh avenue. lie
did not know that this property was part OF the
Jumei estate. lie believed Mr.. Chase, from what he
name was signed to 1t. MI. Chase did not say he
was the agent OF any one. He paid Mr.. Chase
$4,000 for the property ana would not have paid
him unless he supposed him to be the owner.
DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE.
The papers were submitted In evidence upon
which payments Of s45o 900 ana $2io22 were alleged
to nave been made by the Comptroller to Mr.. Chase
for purchases made by the city OF portions OF the
Jumei estate upon REPRESENTATIONS set form in the
same that he was the sole owner OF the estate.
THE COURT SAYS WORD.
The Judge, who thus far during the proceedings
had kept himself busy whiting, now interpOsed
few words upon the theory of the prosecution. The
object, he juuged. was 10 prove that the plain ns
were nearest OF KIN to Madame Jumel, and that the
deed release obtained from them by Mr..
Chase by fraud Ell her by suppression OF facts or
statement sof facts untrue or by trick or DEVICE and
that the consideration was wholly inadequate to the
alleged purchase. The Count confirmed this theory Of
the prosecution, and as next step offered as further
documentary evidence the testimony taken IN the
suit to break Madame Jumels Will.
TILT BETwEEN COUNSEL.
Mr.. OConor was asked II he had anything to say
as to putting in as evidence the testimony On the
81 have nothing to say" very quietly replied Mr..
o'Conor.
with fiery vehemence; you took salvage OF five per
cent on the making OF that WIZ you got fifty thou
sand dollars for your part Oi the work.
That's lIe.n with coolly inlpassve delberation
answered Mr. OConor, rising TO his feet, "like many
0ler lies that have been uttered by the counsel to-
Il have peen told so" interrupted the Count
Il don't beiieve you ever were told So" reiorred
eng eyes looking at the Count, who seemed as
though he would wither under his penetrating
gale.r 1t Is story OF your own making"
M have 1t it the papers, uttered the Count
"No such thing, or should have heard OF IT,
answered Mr.. O'Conor. ''No such stigma has ever
been cast upon my professional life, and none never
Il am happy to hear the imputation Denied"
apoogciicaily lnterposed the Count and the matter
dropped
MOTION FOR REFEREE.
Next in the stage OF proceedings the Count read
an aildayit setting forth the lines OF three OF his
clients and their inability to attend the trial. and
thereon moved that their testimony be taken before
a referee. Another client could not be found.
MI. O'Conor strenuOlsy objected TO this as an
entire deviation from me usual course anu III VIOLA
ton OF law.
The Judge said he knew OF no authority after q
trial had commenced OF referring to q referee.
Mr. OConOr insisted that the plaintiffs had not
made out shadow OF case. The counsel when
the case came on for trial said he was ready and
now he was not ready. lie had examined one wit
ness only and neither Of his clients was present.
1t would seem that the parties with whom ne was
brought IN consultation were made sick or else
ran away to get away from him. The case re-
minded HIM OF lawyer who, few years ago. was
practising in Oneida county, In this State He was
He had all by the by his cross suits. The people
concluded to make common cause, and 80 all ran
| away and the lawyer woke up in the morning TO
| fnu the grocery shut and the post Office shut,