New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-14
NEWS FROM THE SUBURBS.
RECALLING A NOTED WILL CONTEST.
DEATH OF n. D. HEsDRA, or NYAcK-THE STORY
OF HIS LIFE.

DEATH OF X. D. HEsDRA, OF NYAcK-THE STORY
OF HIS LIFE.
Edward D. Hesdra, the husband OF Cyntnla
Hesdra the oolored woman whose Will GohIeso OK
CITED 50 mTGh wfY bs rne story O Of Hedra
life briefly sketched, is as follows, o was sd. his
Portsmouth, ya In 1911 to which sdnc Place be aS
twelve wears old they moved with their two sons
Solomon and Edward, to this city. EDWARD e en,
gagged later in the cabinet business ana IN
married Cynthia Moore, He laid suDstantiaI
foundation for fortune, but it was swept away by
business reverses He then, with his wife, con;
Quoted laundry business and togetnee 'ney The
property was vested died IN February 1879, at an
advanced and to left her her husband Her
nenbews nieces and cousins contested the will but
Surrogate Calvin and later the Supreme court, DC
cided against them. Two years ago, ono OF the COLI
testants died and Mt Hesdra bnIiea ner Az mo %
| probably 60 to Mrs. Amanda Iord9ii, 2 wldomeu
| niece with two children. She attended him during
hi. last which Gbs1 t of the jewish church.
| and was buried with Jewish ceremonies. ne VIE
an intelligent man and spoke four languages WIN
huency The estate consists OF property In NyaGk,
New York Jersey, Connecticut and us
value is lessened by membranes incurred tnr9gn
the expensive law suits Quentin McAdam 81 nos-
dras lawyer. is said to have received SlO,OoV as
his fee for winning the suit Little Is known OF tne
condition Of the estate, but it Is believed that It's
| value does not now, exceed S2o.O9o =, 90 tbo
nrnnsrty had been earned by the wife and declared
| that the win was forgery. Mr. Hesdra asserted
that he bad turned mis- y over to s
that she should will the whole property TO MN u
she died first He could find no VIII at llrst, ana
him even sixth share. After long
Mr. Hesdra, on April 80 1879 took
package of old papers to his attorney, and the de-
Il was executed in 1876 at Nyack. This will was
offered for probate and the heirs confessed IT, al
eging that Peter stephens Justice Of the PEACE zee.
who attested the document, had signed TO u the
| names of ). W. Garfield, another witness and that
of Mrs Hesdra. The contest ran through 1851 ul-
til October when Surrogate Calvin sustained INC
will.
| JEFFERSON SENTENCED TO BE HANGED.
| Judge Moore in the Kings County Court Of Ses-
sions. Yesterday, sentenced Alexander jefferson,
| the negro murderer, to be hanged on FRIDAY,
| August l. Jefferson killed Henry Hicks and MIS-;
| Emma Jackson, on December u, 1882 and trled
to kill Miss Annie Jackson and his brother Celes.
tIal Jefferson, Ill OF them coored. The motive was
| jealousy Of Aunie Jackson, whom he suspected or
| Intimacy with his brother He was tried for the
| murder of Hicks aud found guilty, and the de-
| cision of tho court has been affirmed by the Cen
| eral Term of the Supreme Court and the
tence Judge Moore gave the prisoner a chance
| to speak and he made rambling eXplanatlon, al
hitting his crime, but protested because ne was not
called 10 testify at his trial and contradict the
| statements made by some of the witnesses. Judge
| Moore told him that 1T was too late III the day 10
| find fault because he not put in the witness
| stand, and that no reasonable man could doubt
| that he was guilty of the crime H.,
| After fixing the date of the execution, Judge
e Moore day in the West Indies which some
| of the negroes in Brooklyn always celebrate. Inc
Judge said that lie fixed the date, as IS customary,
| seven weeks after sentence was pronounced, the
| law providing that it must be between four and
| eight weeks after. He would be willing TO write
to the Governor and ask for respite or one week.