Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-11
THE ESTATE OF MR.. STEWART
Ap Effort to Secure the Ownership
of the Mansion.

Ap Effort to Secure the Ownership
of the Mansion.
NEW YORK, Nov. The "White
House." as the magnificent marble
palace OF the Stewards, on Fifth avenue,
is called, promises to be the objective
point OF some very interesting litigation
IN the settlement OF the estate. Already
mere is well-founded rumOr abroad That
mrs. Horace Russell nolds deed OF tnls
mansion and that she will produce IL
soon. The significance OF such report
may be seen when it is known that MIS-
Russell is the daughter of eX-Judge
hilton. 1t is supposed that the heirs UNI
der the Will WHO may be dissatlsned
WIN It's provisions Will ind IN such
Items as this ample opportunity TO upset
the document without directly contest
Ing 1t. That is, they Will call Judge Hill
ton to an accounting OF his management
OF the property. One of the clauses OIL the
VIII provided, as is usual in testaments.
that any beir who should unsuccesstully
contest It's provisions should thereby De
deprived OF the original advantage be-
slowed by the teXtatriX; but if any heir
can show that Judge Hilton has got pos
session of more than he ought 10
have, such showing Will compel the
Judge to restore 10 the estate every
thing so proven, and some at least
OF The heirs will benefit by it, No one
feature OF the entire estate is more ues r
able than the White House." and If any
way can be found to get it out OF the
Judges nds it is pretty Ger ain to go.
That there are only two heirs who could
be benefited by such contamination
does not render it any the less AkeiV TO
occur. These TWO are Charles j. Cllncn
and Mrs. Sarah \. Smith, mrs. stewards
nephew and niece by her brother, James
Cllnch. The other heirs received stated
legacies, so that any addition to the d.
visible estate could not affect them, eX-
cept as they might be moved bysentiment
TO see the property Kept IN the family as
much as possible, instead of going IN bulk
to an outsider.
Charles j. Clinch is now about 60 years
old and resident of Paris. He carries
about one hundred pounds ayolrdupois
mora than bis share 10 testify to his
habits OF good living. 1t lie not on record
that he ever earned dollar or needed to.
In his early days be secured the hand Of
an HEIRESS-LOVE of the Kind found more
frequently in romantic literature than in
real lie. she was Miss Ella Thomas, OF
Athens, Ga, a stately belle, whose
dowry, according to common report, was
a cool million. Der wealth may have
been somewhat Overestimated, as 1t Is so
often the habit to call any one
millionaire whose fortune extends In
definitely into the hundreds OF thOus-
ands; but 1t is quite certain that her
beauty was never too highly rated.
Even at the present day she is beauty;
tall and majestic, with regular features,
and complexion fresh and unwrinkled by
her half century of untrOubled lite. Yet
there are circumstances that might have
predicted Or her anything but peaceful
mind or wholly happy existence. Her
family is cursed with suicidal tendency.
One brother and two sisters have brought
about their own death. Mr.. Chinch set
out from Paris as soon as the news of
Mrs. Stewards death was announced and
arrived to-day. AS he is one of the eX-
ecutors of the estate, the testamentary
circus may be expected to be- in about
the time he meets his colleague, Judge
Hilton.
Mrs. Smith is the wife of ex-Judge j.
Lawrence Smith, of Shutdown, Suffolk
county, l.. l. Her husband is not a first
rate lawyer. He got his title about ten
years ago, when ne was elected by popu-
lar vote to be the County Judge of Suf.
folk. 1t is a position that carries with its
title the munifcenJ salary of $1,000 per
annum. He is not wealthy. Mrs. Smith
is now about so years old. One of her
daughters is Mrs. Prescott Hall Butler,
who comes In for stated legacy OF 5000,
900 under the will. Mrs. Smith and Mr..
Clinch are assured of something like four
and hall millions apiece by the provls-
ions of the document, but what the
quality and condition of the property to
be turned over to them Is nobody knows
unless it be Judge Hilton.