, 1881-07-31
SAMUEL COLTS ESTATE.
Il Decision lit Favor of His Widow
James H. Colts Successful Suit.


James H. Colts Successful Sult.
HARTFORD. July 2s.-When tho late Col Sam
uel Colt died tn lSGe he left All estate valued at
between S2,000,000 md $3,000 QUO. Iu his will be
rave certain lcgacfcs Of the stock Of Colts
Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company to
various persons, and provided that tho remain
der Of the stock owned by him not 80 be-
qncathed should be divided "a1nong the sevcr,ll
persons and pnrtfes to whom have hcrenbefore
given lesaccs Of stock, iii the ratio and proper
ton in which said legacies ot stock arc hcrcin-
before given." Amou@ these legacies wns one
of 500 shares TO his brother, James =. Colt, for
life, with tho remainder to his children,
which hequest would have carried to
James and his children corresponding
proportions of the stock not bequeath-
ed. lsy colc,l, however. tho testntor re-
voked this legacy to james and his children. ami
Eave It to trustees for founding school which
he hau mentioned in tho will, and by 4 second
codicil he revol@sA alt provisions for this school,
and the At) .hares we're not otherwise specifically
be4ueathed, hut went into tho rcsduum Of the
stock. The revocation Of the bcquest to james
was brousht about hy. a personal quarrel be-
tho Colonel Intended to cut him Off without
penny. \ second eotlicil revoked II bcQuest OF
the use OF ~, shares Of stock to the children of
James, anu the same was given to tho four
yOs1ngt'sE children of Christopher Colt another
brother. IN ikt manner.
III 1SGa .lalncs brought a bill in equity to tho
executors and ull the e:.atees under the will,
askinR tho Court to ascertain and tix tho re-
spcctivc Interests Of all tho cgatcesj In tho resiit-
utn or the stock. which would necessarily fn-
Glide DECISION ns Il, ali the lcgacies and the
amount Of the resis]uuul- The matter WIS re-
terrcLi to the Supreme Court. and thore ably
argued Under the te:.d OF Benjamin T.
Curtis Of Boston, FOR the EXECUTORS md
the best local tAlent for .ntncs h. Colt Tho
Court decided tlt the revocation in tho first
cniicsl extended only to tho primary legtcy to
lsinGs t., aud that his interest iii tho residuuln
WAS untlistlrtsc,l. Tho executors tncrrupou
settled tue estate and puid To James Is. about
Sltkf.OoD by tic accutnuiAtions to tlnte, and hp
subsequently got lf'ont the same amount in
dividends up to the time Of his death. He was
entirely without money when he brought this
suit a'ia his lawyers 1uok hold of tho case on
commission. Meanwhile he borrowed money
! or his living expenses. and gave his notes for
Twice tho amount borrowed. making tho pay-
1ncnt conditional decision in his favor So
iailt1y we're bis obligations Of this kind TINT his
first :loo.nO was nearly all absorbed by the
tiulc he gt,t it.
About SIX years later he, Baron H. Colt, and
others. of Rhode Island, children Of CHRISTOPHER
Drought suit aKnlIst the widow OF Sa1nl1cl
cialmfuR that they were entitled to u shArr III
the rtslduum Uy reason of the 800 shares of
stock given them in tho second cDlcil, This va3
argued III the Cnitctl States Circuit Court aud
the decision OF Judge Datthfortl has lust been
1i!ed IN this city, He finds for the defendant on
all points, The opinion covers l3U pages Of legal
cap.