The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-29
FOR AN Ex-sLAvE's FORTUNE.
Litigation over the Wills of Cynthia
and Edward d. Hesdrs.
E,rau, fac Ne,n York Jsn,a.

From the Nelg York Times.
a decision has been handed down in the
court of appeals declaring the will of Ed
ward d. Hesdra to be genuine. Hesdra at
the time of his death was a resident of
Nyack, but he had formerly lived in New
York, aud the larger part Of the property
bequeathed ia the will is situated here. II
is IN this city that the heirs reside, and a
number OF Jewish charities are benefited.
The value OF the estate IL 500, 0Ou.
The history of the contest over this prop
erty dates back to 1879, when Cynthia
Hesdra, an ex-slave. died, leaving her prop
erty to her husband, Edward d. Hesdra,
who was Hebrew mulatto. Hesdra had
always been n free man, and was said to be
The son OF Virginia planter. The compile
were married while the woman was still in
slavery, but her freedom was purchased and
the pair came to New York, settling in
Amlty street. Cynthia was an industrious,
saving, and money-getting woman. Size
established laundry and soon
SO ,ured large and profitable trade.
In the course OF a few years Mrs. Hesdra
had paid for the property in which she
lived, and had also bought the house, l03
Macdougai street, three houses in Sullivan
street. near Bleecker street, and seven or
eight other properties. In addition 10 her
laundry trade, she carried ON a quiet
money-lending business among her neigh
bors, and nhe rapidly grew rich. Finally.
firing OF the city, she removed to Nyack,
where she also established Laundry, and
skllfully retained her city trade
la February, 1879, Cynthia Hesdra died.
As she died childless the estate reverted TO
her heirs at law. HesdrR outwitted them,
however, by triumphantly producing a
document which he asserted was Cynthias
last will aud testament, making him her
10 hot ..1 A
by one Stephens, justice of the peace at
Nyack, but upon doubt as to its genuine
ness all the subsequent proceedings have
hinged.
Eminent legal talent was engaged by the
| contesting heirs and trial ensued, which
was full Of dramatic incidents. Robert Il.
Deyo, then of Dorshelmer, Bacon a. Deyo,
exerted himself to break the will. but Sur.
| rogate Calvin filed his decision Oct. 20, 1880,
sustaining its validity. An appeal was
taken TO the general term of the supreme
| court, and on this hearing Theodore y. w.
| Titus, a colored man, who was a notary
| public, testified that Hesdra had offered
him 1000 to draw bogus will, whereupon
the decision OF the surro cate was set aside.
A long trial followed before Judge Barrett
| and jury in the supreme court, in which
the will was again sustained, and Hesdra
| came into full possession Of the estate.
But his troubles had only begun He
| took to live with him at Nyack q young
woman named Amanda Tordorf, whom he
| represented TO be the daughter Of his
brother, Solomon Hesdra, but 10 has been
pretty thoroughly established recently that
| she was an adopted child and not blood
relative. In few years Edward died, and,
as in the case Of his wife, no will could be
found. Thus Amanda Tordorf came into
| possession OF the property, claiming to be
the only surviving blood relative.
There was introduced another will, which
the heirs asserted was fraudulent, and an
| other contest ensued after letters OF admin
| istration had been granted to Amanda Tor
dorf All the singular circumstances
surrounding the introduction of the first
| will were recalled by the manner in which
| Willard II. Onderdonk pretended 20 have
| discovered the second document. Eminent
lawyers were again retained. Gen. b. II.
| Tracy acting as counsel for Amanda Tor
dorf, and other leading lawyers for the
Hcsdra heirs and the state. Surrogate
| Wyant had sustained the will, and hot
| fight followed in the general term Of the
supreme court, where the decision OF the
surrogate was upheld. Then followed an
appeal to the court Of appeals, which has
ended, as above stated, in favor of the will.
This document gives 10 the First jewish
| Society of Nyack 81 900, TO the trustees of
the Nineteenth Street synagogue, New
and to the jewish hospital Of this city
$4,000. The sum of 81, 600 is set aside for
monument and burial lot. Amanda Tordorf
is cut off with 5000, and the remainder of
the estate goes to the Tordorf and Hesdra
heirs.
But the litigation In this now celebrated
case Is not yet ended. Cynthia HeAira's
heirs, who are represented by Henry
Clinton Dewitt, have just begun an action
Of ejectment in the supreme court of this
county against all the benefciaries under
the first will, alleging that the will was
fraudulent, having been forged by parties
in interest. In the case of the original will
the heirs assert that they can prove a con-
spiracy In the making Of the document,
which was confessed by Stevens after the
statute OF limitations had barred his prose-
cution. They say that he was willing to
right the heirs, but his sudden death pre-
vented him from doing SO.