The Evening critic., 1885-05-04
BIG WILL CASES IN NEW YORK.
Seven Estates which Have Melted Tia Q
Lawyers SI,2OO.OOO.


will, and after nearly four years OF bitter quar-
rel seem as far from settlement as ever. The
Hammersley will case Will also last several
years. Becky Jones, the contumaclous Wit
ness, having been released from Jail, an i'm.
portant element In the testimony has been
lost. Let no one henceforth sheer at woman's
tongue. Becky Jones has defended her patron
by all.conquering silence. The Durant estate
has Just become a bone OF contention. Durant
had hardly been dead month when the war
OF the heirs begins. The law fees and costs In
The above. mentloned cases are not much less
than 100000, and how much more will be
spent no one can even estimate This Is the
way the lawyers get rich, and to show this In
mated In some other leading cases already
David Wood estate, law expenses..,s 10000
Jumel contest, law eXpense5,..., $50 900
Commodore Vanderbilt law expenses 1861
Daniel Parish, law expenses..... 225,000
RollwaTen, law expenses ....,...... 100000
James d. Taylor, law expenses....., 100000
James Roosevelt, law expenses..... 100000
Total. ..,....'..'..''. '........ 100000
The cause OF the excess In the James b. Tay-
lor estate is due to the fact that the lawyers
took ell there was. The deceased left ali his
properly 10 his widow, but the quarrel over
the viii was 30 protracted that the latter be.
came at last an object OF charity.
Both John Jacob Aston and his son william
left their property TO the children Of their sons,
this being the extent of entail which N. Y. State
laws permit. Peter aoelet's immense estate
went TO his nephews. Alexander Stuart left
his entire property u his brother Robert, who
had been his lifelong partner. Robert died
soon nfterwarc, leaving everything 10 his
widow, who Is now with one exception the
iichest womap,ln the country. Peter Gllsey's
immense estate was divided among his chill
dren and the same course was pursued in the
case OF James Brown, John W. Ohanler, and
Charles Morgan, whose aggregate wealth was
s20,o00,0C0. The rich bachelor, John Q.
Jonee, formerly president OF the Chemical
Bank, left his property (S2,000000) TO his
nephews and nieces. James Lenuox, the div
tineuished philanthropist bequeathed his
tstate to HIS sister Harriet, who still main.
tains that benz ncence which has 80 long been
connected with the name.
- A. II. Stewart, former autocrat OF tho dry
goods trade, lef his widow burdened with an
Immense quantity OF real estate. She is prob.
ably The richest woman In the country. Mrs.
Edwin ID. Morgan, whose death 10 tue latest In
the ranks OF wealth, made some handsome
requests to charity. She made John L, Terry
and Henry Day her executors, and ordered
that they should not be required to give Sc
curliy. What a remarkable degree OF conf.
dence 10 place half million In the hands OF
these two men, but all who know them feel
confident that this confidence is not mis-
placed.
contest, and some remarkable developments
are expected. Anderson made a million out
OF tobacco. but his principal distinction was
the fact that Mary Rogers, the pretty cigar
girl, whose death still romans mystery, was
In his service. "Will fights" are among the
oldest features In New York litigation. The
Watts requests was long delayed by the CON
test In the courts, and the same statement APP
plies to the Sailors Snug Harbor, a noble IN
stitutiOn founded by Captain Randall. The
heirs made every possible effort 10 set the Will
aside, but without success. The Roosevelt
Hospital bequest was also contested, but the
heirs were unable to defeat the benencent
purpose. II heirs, indeed, could have their
wiehes, there would be but little good done
with dead mems money. To avoid all troubles
Of this kind Peter cooper established the
Cooper Institute during his lifetime, and sa "
the success OF the scheme long before he went
10 his rest. This is really the better way, II
practicable, and, indeed, man Will always
feel more Satisfied TO be his own executor.
Speaking OF lawsuits, the settlement OF the
Marie Garrison case was one OF the important
legal events OF the season, IL has been nine
years I'm progress, and might have lasted nine
years longer had not the defendant grown
weary OF the annoyance He therefore brought
II TO close by the payment OF round million,
OF which sum the lawyers probably got one
quarter. The nature OF this action Is very
clear, but ite details are obscure and compli-
Gated. IL wBB occasloned by an agreement 10
exchange certain railroad stocks into which
| old Commodore Garrison had been drawn and
which he did not care to fulnll. He was sued
| for breach OF contract, and $4,000,OO0 was
claimed for damages, but the plaintiffs were
| fortunate enough in getting one-quarter OF
| that sum. II may be generally noticed that
wrapping etocks Is like swapping horees. Each
one tries his best TO cheat the other. Old Com
modore Garrison had hard life. He was al
one time estimated at S2O,OOO,OOO, but he los
| immensely during the shrinkage, and was
compelled to make an assignment Then h'
| Ost his son by a railroad accident, and 4
! these calamities was added that prolonged lit
igation which has Just been settled.