New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-15
CONTEST OF FRANK LEsLIEs WILL.
INSANITY AND UNDUE INFLUENCE or THE SECOND
WIFE THE GROUNDS ALLEGED.

| iNoANiAh AND UNDUE INFLUENCE OF THE SECONr
WIFE The GROUNDS ALLEGED.
The contest of the will of the late Frank
Leslie the publisher. begun before Surrogate Calvin
| yesterday. ETJudge George NJ. Curtis opened the
case for the contestants who are Alfred A.
Leslie Henry Leslie alias Frank Leslie, f.
and LOnetia Leslie, the three children OF the
deoCdent The principal grOunds Cf the contest
IA outlined by eX-Judse Curt, arc The alleged insanity
OF Frank Leslie. and undue ideuco Of the second wife,
who ~ tho principal ogatce uu Ter tue Will The insan-
ty. the COUNSEL SAID. would be shown by the halIucna
ton under which Mr.. Leslie laborcd that he had been
deeerted by hls sons and that they working against
him aud his interests. IN fact, all the Iltsaons be-
tween them were brought by the father. Another de-
luson WA HIS impression that Mrs. squires had made
sacrlcc in marrying him. the undue influence of the
wife would be shown to have begun before their
marriage, and while she was Mrs Souircs
and continued until his death. 1t showed IT,
self at the last illness, when Alfred went
TO sec lin. aud he said TO his wifei al sec
you do not wish me TO SEQ them and will not" The
counsel said that II would be claimed that the divorce
from the first wife (the mother OF the contestants known
Mrs. Carter not valid II WAS also claimed that
Mr. Lese's diseases had Affected his montnl condif1on
ana rendered mm incompetent to make a will
Alfred A. Leslie, the elder testified 20 visit he
paid hiS father IN his last illness lie lie rnei Of his
sickness, not through Mrs Leslie hut through the
family physician. Tho first time no called bo
saw bis father who kissed hs hand seemed glad TO Sec
him, and wanted him to cali again. The next time be
was mot by Mrs. leslie who said that his father copd
see no one. He asked to be allowed 70 SIT ND with him
but size refused permission The witness was In tho en
poy of hs father for sixteen years cashier and gen
eral financial manager The appointment OF l. w. Eng.
land as assignee OF tho property threw the ttueas ont
OF this employment. BIZ. England made him buSlness
manager but his fathers at hun Obliged linn TO
leave the place soon. AT one time blg father
wanted nm TO make The buginpss an
rer as poor rs possible. that he enuid
buy II at 20 per cent Of ts value ut another time lac
wanted hlin 70 mako IL appear good as ppcsibe 40
year. ~ T'"
In continuing his testimony after recess the witness
ssld that he first became acquainted with Mrs Leslie
ne c1ecutrix, sixtren yenis when was living I'M
Nnth-s IN tho same house as his father She and her
house and also In the houses In Thirteenth and Thirty
ninth-sts.. which they afterward occupied; hut Mr. |
Lesles room ndJOucd that OF Mr. S0ulros.
panied Mr.. leslie and Mrs. squtes op q tffp IN Boston
ana ,they al went 10 the Parker Huufe. Mr, Curtis
sougnt 10 prove DY ts witness that tho succrss of
Frank Lesiies publishing business was dne 10 tho eors
aud sagacy OF the sous, and that Mrs Ieglies eors
DAD resulted In loss. While Mrs. Leslie was tnanaong
The Lddftg Journal, this witness said rho house iost
S5OOOO upon II, and while II WA steadily losing 5000
week be asked MS father TO stop IT, telling bn thai he
business could not atnnd that drain upon H. Frank les
lee answer was that Mia Leslie Ind started AZ and
would not let hun stop IL. The orOssexnnaton Of the
witness ny exrJudZe Fullerton was close and sev.re
The case Will DO continued Tomorrow.