New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-28
THREE HEIRS FORGOTTEN.
A STIR IN THE ROOSEVELT FAMILY.
9. s. V. RoosgvELrs WILL CONTESTED ny HIS


contest and a defence Of his WILL precipitated by
Robert b. Roosevelt They number about twenty.
Mr. Roosevelt left property worth si,6OO,OOo,
according 90 the statement of the heirs the Doilei
OF the family lawyers and tho estimate OF real
estate mon He had no children and gave his
wife the use Of the bulk of his property dutin9
her life. all this Oh her death to go to most OF
the testator's nephcws aud nicces, VINO were inc
children of James A. Roosevelt, Theodore loose
Welt Sas Weir Roosevelt and Robert d. hooseNch'
Cornelius s V. Rooscvets brothers. Inc ciliurch
of Silas Weir Roosevelt were James WesC f'oose-
colt Frank Roosevelt, Hilborne L. Roosevelt
now dead and Cornelius Roosevelt Inc children
~ Theodore Roosevelt were Theodore Roosevelt,
Anna L. Roosevelt, Elliott Roosevelt ana Corinne
Robinsop. John f.. Roosevelt is tho son OF H. ID.
Roosevelt. two other children being Emm ana
Robert b. Roosevelt, jr The chiidnn OF James
A. Roosevelt were Alfred Roosevelt, W. Emleh
Roosevelt, Leila Roosevelt Schuyler ana MARY
Il. Roosevelt, now dead.
laura Gertrude Roosevelt and Virginia Roose-
Welt provided for in the will wero the o""s"sSrS
Of Samuel Roosevelt, a cousin. Maria Geddcs
Mcnsnu. c. V. s Roosevct's sister-ir-law, and
Laura Roosevelt Mcnsng and Elfreide Grosvenor
Nens,nc are her daughters, provision for whom
was made in the will.
sOMy SURPRISES IN THE WILL.
Whom a search for Mr. Roosevelts viii was
made il was found in his house at South Orange
n I nv Mrs Roosevelt who delivered IL 10
James A. Roosevelt, who was mdde one Vi INC
executors The disclosure OF the contents c"use"
a wave of excitement in the KooseVelI lahlly'
The document expressly provided that Oorheiiu9
Roosevelt should net receive n cent OF the estate
Rat more astonishing than this was the omission
Of the names of two Of Robert b. hooseVel.
children. Miss Emma Roosevelt and Robert y.
pnosovnit ir while John Il. Roosevelt came III
3or a sbare of the estate and was also even lnade
nossible executor. The will bears the datc on
March 8, 1884, and TIC wlthesse were J iI W.
Cameron Joseph MoSback and L. A. carey.
The deeedent first beQucaths to his VIC, Laura
II Roosevelt his household furniture SILVER ana
plated ware, jewel:y, paintings rs" anu car
riages etc, ard then AUTHORIZES thc cA'ru.i'a
and executors to lease his real estate lor u
term not exceeding twenty years, ana 10 AMER;
rcrair and build on the real estate Slso 10 SCI
or convey at discretion aud to invest the proceeds
in other real estate or in bonds ana ottg"ses
on land and real estate in tine United o,''es, or
in corporation bonds created under inc mWs
NJ the United States or any or tic States; also
TO exercise discretion as to the disposition OF
The personal property, investing any, proceeds
in bonds stocks as already described A yer
the death OF Mrs Roosevelt, the executors are
directed TO pay the following annnities to the
following persons during their lives: oetn
Grosvcnor Porter. a brother-in-law, and GroSyenor
A. Porter. 81 600 each; laura Gertrude heose-
Welt and Virginia Roosevelt, daughters OF sam
mel Roosevelt $500 each; Maria Geddes Mgnsing'
n sisterfn-aw and 10 her children, Lauf, I'O9sc-
Welt Mensing and Elfrcde Grosvenor MenSlhg;
s. 600 each II one or two 81 the last three snouin
die before the death of Mrs Roosevelt; the sia,ooO
is TO he divided among the survivors, or TO go
to the survivor.
WHERE THE BULK OF THE PROPERTY WAS TO GO.
On the death of Mrs Roosevelt. Mr. Roosevelt
directed that all his estate subject to the an
nujtics should 90 TO these nephews and nieecs
Alfred w Emlen ard Mary f. Roosevelt Lena
Roosevelt Schuyler, Theodore, Anna h. and Elliott
Roosevelt: Corinne Robinson; John j.,
James West, Hllbome j. and frank
Roosevelt: TO be equally divided among
them The document then reads: " And DO dc-
clare and direct that part OF my estate snail IN
any event pass to, or be paid over TO- or received
by. Cornelius Roosevelt or his issue and do hereby
exclude him and his issue from having OF ie-
cciying any share of my estate. and ,,,no, ,
Mrs Roosevelt is made cNecutrix ana James \;
Roosevelt William Emlcn Roosevelt and Alfred
their tHGfs''i refusal to act John E. RoG Iaa
Of the witnesses runs: "The fo!cg ing ntfmcn
was subscribed and sealed by Cornelius '. :.
Roosevelt al the end thereof. on the day IT bears
date in the sight of and presence OF us ana cagn
of MS. The attesting witnesses thereto and NJ tho
time Of his making such SubsCriP'l3n
and sealing. the said Cornelius " ;.
Roosevelt declared the said document.
so Subscribed and sealed i,y him. to he his
last will and testament. and we do each Of MS
sign our names hereto rs attcstlng witnesses OF
his request in his Sg cdo h "@r nee ana J" '
Robert 3. Roosevelt determined 10 contest The
will. All the heirs unite IN declaring WIN one
voice that there is no feeling growing out Ol
the case save that OF establishment and sorrow
that ony niece a. nephew should have been omitted
from The lit. George W. Van Scklcn Mr. HoosH-
velt's attorney. emphasized this view OF the case
Yesterday There is no question of bad faith"
said he. Int only belief that Cornelius = y.
Roosevelt left later will than that OF ISL We
1-frer
two years
Another point made in III contest IS that rho
will was not properly attestcd. and even that Mr.
Roosevelt did moi soc il or examine what he
signed This is the dark and mysterious point.
Mr. Won Siclllen declined 10 throw any light on
this saying: There will hr time for that when
we produce our Witnesses lie also said that
there WIS no reason 50 f,r as he know why Cor
uclius Roosevelt was expressly cut of and why
Robert d Roosevelt, ir., and Miss Emma Eoosr-
welt were omitted in the will.
The case came 70 trial before Surrogate Ransom
Yesterday. Jones Il Roosevelt f0merly Jones
Roosevelt & Careyj appeared for the proponents,
and Mr. Van Sicllen aud John J: Gleason mr. the
contestant. Messrs. Jones and Gleason conducted
tic case. james A. Roosevelt testified that Mrs.
Roosevelt gave the viii to him after finding it in
the safe at South Orange. McsSrs. Carlcy and
Cameron testified 20 the circumstances attending
The signing Of the will in the office OF Jones d
Roosevelt il was learned that Mr. Roosevelt h9d
made many Wills one about every two years
Mr.. Cameron. W zen cross-t Naminrd sad That MT
Roosevelt read the will which had been prepared
and said yes" when asked If that his last
will aud testament. James 4. Speir II clerk in
the office, testified TO having prepared the copy
which Mr. Roosevelt signed.
The hearing WAS adjourned TO March Z, to enable
the contestants 10 produce their witnesses, after
the Surrogate had said that he saw nothing so for
Gleason intimatcd that he would be prepared to
prove his points and to show that The conternt'
Of the alleged viii had not been read by Mr..
Roosevelt before the execution and that the paper
Ind not been properly subscribed. Published or
atteSted
4 reward % 500 was offered A. Poles Headquarters
Yesterday FOR iniOrma'Dn about Jacob Jonas cigar
dealer Of No. ioii Gatessyc, Brooklyn, who disap
poared week ia this city Mr.. Jonas is described
Nfiy. sx q Ialf lnaiea nrnhnlly Do