The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-10-30
Unhappy Life of Colonel Foster, of Plttsburg

Especial to THE MISUNDERSTANDING Dispatch
NEW YORK, Oct 29.-The testimony OF
Mrs. Julia E. Costerline and husband, of
Hermeto, Cal, has Just been filed in tha
orphans court, in one Of the strangest
will contests that ever was the
subject of judicial proceedings, and yester-
day the commissioner of wills issued an
authorization for the taking Of supple
mentary testimony within the state of
Florida. The litigation grows out of the
alleged unnatural conduct of Mrs. Colonel
Foster widow Of the late founder of the
Pitts0urg Dispatch. All lovers of Mark
Twain will remember the colonel who,
along with the great American humOrist,
was one of the members of the Quaker City
expedition TO Europe. and who therefore
figures as q character III "The InnOcents
Abroad" Mr.. Clements makes a fitting
reference to his death in his famous book,
which it is only justice to say Colonel Eos
ter well deserved.
He was born newspaper man. Several
OF his publication enterprises were a fail
ure Upon a small sum bequeathed by MS
father he founded the Pittsburg Dispatch
and after good many ups and downs sue
ceeded IN obtaining the wishes OF his life
u firmly established daily. He was not of
age when he welded Julia Manuel Upon
MS marriage day one of his newspaper
ventures was to be inaugurated. With a
kiss he was forced to hurry away from his
bride TO attend to the details of his enter
prise almost as soon as the words which
made them life partners had been spoken.
ANI'his act OF apparent neglect on the part of
the bridegroom preyed upon the young wife
10 such an extent that it blighted the life of
herself and husband, for as she afterwards
told friends all the love she bore him went
out with him and never returned. Years
rolled on, and Colonel Foster attained
wea tn and position In the course of time
d son was born and was called after the
fatter, Heron EFoster. The sunshine of
the babes smile, the colonel thought.
would melt the ice that encased the heart
of his wife, but in this he was
mistaken. The hatred she bore the father
this wilful woman bestowed in double
measure upon the son. His was a loveless
married life. When the civil war broke
out Foster made gallant record and was
brevetted for bravery in the face of the
enemy Returning from Europe with
Mark Twain he brought back with him a
large number of antique and valuable pres
ents given him during his trip. But
broken hearted he went and broken
hearted he returned. 'Thesc things" said
the journalist, according to the evidence in
the case, ''Dring no happiness to me; my
wants are united, happy family and love
like others have. My wife is so bitter in
her feelings; | could bear it myself. but my
poor son, my poor son." and then he buried
his face in mis- hands and seemed TO give up
then and there. When he died, with
strange magnanimty, with the exception
OF some small leEacies to his three children,
ne left the bulk of his estate to his wife.
Mrs Foster, as her daughJers''srew from
girlhOod to WomanhoOd, lived 4 restless
and nomadic life. The separation between
her and her husband was 50 complete that
he scarcely knew her whereabouts. In
the autumn OF 1855, accompanied by her
k.stwO daughters, she was upon a European
Tour. They were journeying toward
Spieza, Italy. In a railway carriage Mrs.
Foster complained OF feeling Ill and just
before reaching their destination, she sank
into Il peaceful sleep upon the shoulder OF
her daughter Rachel. 1t was the sleep,
that knew no awakening. The remains
were moderated IN a crematory at Spieza.
Her ashes were brought 10 this country
and Inferred in the Pittsburg cemetery.
Several months after her death Mrs.
Fosters will was admitted 10 probate. BY
its provision the interest of her estate,
about quarter Of million, she left to her
DAUGHTERS, with q provision that upon the
death o. both then in fee simple to any issue
either of them may leave. 1t IS estimated
that the estate was worth quarter OF a
million.
Then the son took steps to set aside the
will. He is singular. The contestant Is
mild hammered, philanthrophic man in
middle life. The cruel treatment he had
received has not ruined his life. He is a
prosperous nursery man and orange groel
proprietor of Tangerine, Florida. He was
one of the founders OF the town Greeley,
Colorado, and is director of the Lake Olo
Navigation & Transportation company and
secretary of the Tangerine Development
association, of Florida. He is deep stu
dent of social and industrial problems. He
was in his country's service during the
war, and in 1888 at great personal sacrifice
gave succor to the drought stricken farm
ers of Kansas. He probably would never
have instituted his suit had not his sisters,
= with singular fatality, treated him with
The same indifference, if not dislike, his
mother had always spoken Of him. The
testimony OF Mrs. Julia E. Costerline and
husband, of Hermeto, California, which has
Just been filed in the orphans court, plays
an important part in the case. Mrs. Costerline
says that as a favorite niece of Mrs.
Foster she enjoyed her fullest confidence
and that great many times Mrs. Foster
had told her that she hated her husband,