The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-06-12

p" might be, would have control of her fol
tune, and in that event Cornell might b
n left in the lurch.
Jenny McGraw was dying of consump
ton. Yet the executor of her father
will determined that she should be mar
/ ried and that she have as a husband
:, man warmly interested in the welfare o
y Cornell University and unlikely to wisl
l. to alter the provisions of his wife's will
! The man selected was Professor Fiske
! He became an unconscious agent i'll ;
most remarkable compact - "cOnspi
+ racy" is among the terms found of rec
v ord in the litigation that resulted from
this romance. President Andrew ID
o White had been appointed United States
2 Minister to Germany, and had obtained
/ a leave of absence from his post a
a Ithaca, to enable him to fill his new of
: fee in Berlin. Miss McGraw was travel
ing in Europe and Minister White invited
her to be his guest in the German capi
. tai. Knowing Professor Fiske's affec
i ton for the dead lumberman's daughter
Mr. White also besOught the professor tC
be his guest in Berlin. After the two
/ had thus been brought together, Judge
, Boardman not only suggested, but re
/ lquested, that Jennie McGraw should
marry Willard Fiske. He even told his
, ward that marriage was necessary fol
the prolongation of her life. On ac'
count of her weakened physical condi'
ton she was reluctant to be married, but
Mr.. Boardman's S arguments prevailed, land
on July IL, 1880, at the Legation in
Berlin she became Mrs. Fiske. The will
of a woman made before her marriage
becomes void afterward. Mr.. Boardman
who had been advised of this fact, and
who was present at the marriage cere-
mony, had brought the old will with him,
and he now informed Mrs. Fiske of its
invalidity. Thereupon, she at once drew
up new will in her own handwriting.
Willard Fiske ''nOw my husband" in
stead of S3,000 was left S300,000. OF this
fact Professor Fiske knew nothing. That
Mrs. Fiske was moved by wifely affection
is demonstrated by the fact that the resi-
due of her estate was not sweepingly de-
vised TO Cornell University, but express
provisions were made for its expenditure,
these including comparatively small
sum for a students hospital, and the
bulk of the estate being set apart for
what was to be known as the McGraw
Library Fund, she being moved to direct
the money into that channel on account
of her husband being librarian of the
l
ing thus far succeeded in his plan, had
also clinched the arrangement which he
had made by presenting to Prof. Fiske
for his signature an ante-nuptual agree
ment, whereby the bridegroom waived
all rights to his wife's property. There
wasn't mercenary hair in Fiske's head.
He had absolutely no conception of the
value of money; no thought even of it.
He signed the agreement without a mo-
ment's hesitation. OF this, however, his
wife know nothing, and when she after
ward, upon the wedding journey, discov-
cred this paper among Others that had
been given her by Mr.. Boardman, she
was about to tear it up, but was prevent
ed by her husband, who did not even
know that one penny had been be-
queathed to him by his wife's will. The
newly married couple travelled through
Europe, and at every seat of learning
they were the recipients of much atten-
ton. In hopes that Mrs Fiske might re-
gain her health, they spent the winter in
Egypt, the Khedive placing at their dis
posal his private boat, on which they
jOurneyed over the bosom of the Nile.
But the hand of death was upon the poor
woman. She shrunk away before her
husbands eyes, until she weighed less
than eighty pounds, When all hope was
gone, and it was only question of how
many months she could live, n rapid
journey was made across Europe and
back to New York, where they landed
September 10, 1881. Friends who met
them at the Quarantine Station were ac-
tually accompanied by both physician
and an undertaken, not knowing which
one would be needed. One friend "A law
yer, who had become familiar with the
inner aspects of the romance, said to the
mourning husband: "Did you know that
a woman's will made before she is mar
ried isn't worth anything?" Fiske re-
piled; Il don't know anything about
it." The lawyer friend made rejoinder:
you have no rights If Mrs. Fiske dies
without will" Fiske calmly, and al
most contemptuously, waved aside all
suggestions upon the subject.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fiske returned to Ithaca.
During the fourteen months of their
married life, all spent in Europe, there
had been building at the head of Lake
Cayuga, by Mrs. Fiske's directions, one
of the most magnificent houses in New
York State. From the promitOry on
which it stands it commands view of
Lake Cayuaga from head to outflow, and
in the opposite direction permits the eye
to travel up beautiful valley for twenty
miles. II is 400 feet above the waters of
the lake. At the time of the return of
| the bridal couple there had already been
expended upon this residence 5000, 600,
but it was not ready for occupany. Prof.
Fiske was taking his wife to his cottage
on the college campus and on the way
4
her magnificent property. As Mrs. Fiske
looked toward the edifice that her money
was erecting, she murmured family: 81
shall never live there, but, viii, l have
no doubt and hope that you will pass
many pleasant days within those walls.
That was on the 14th of September. On
the 30th of September Mrs. Fiske died.
The will made fourteen months before
made no provision for the completion of
the house nor for its support, but direct
ed that all property forming part of the
estate should be sold and the proceeds
distributed according to the terms of the
will, of which Mr.. Justice BOardman was
made the executor. What in various
legal documents now of record has been
termed conspiracy" had been COBB
pleted. Cornell University was the gain
er more than 81, ,000, 600 through scheme
! in which Willard Fiske was an unwill-
| ing agent. He, however, had no thought
of the money involved, and had he been
treated with ordinary decency would
never have become famed litigant. He
grieved sincerely for his wife, and every
day while he remained in Ithaca, with
his own hand placed flowers upon her
grave, and after his departure until the
present time that duty has has been per-
formed by a florist employed for the pur-
pose. After the funeral his distress be-
came so great that he determined to es-
cape for a time from the scene of his be-
reavement, and announced his intention
of going to Old Point Comfort. Mr..
Justice Boardman, learning of this de-
cision, came to him and said; 81 am
glad you are going away. / think it is
the best thing you can do. But before
you 90 will read the will. Where isit?"
Professor Fiske replied, "Why, / thought
the document was in your possession"
to which Judge BOardman answered, 81
have the old will, but the new one gave
to Mrs. Fiske." 1t is a striking com
mentary upon Prof. Fiske's lack of mer-
cenary traits that he had no knowledge
whatever of piece of paper whereby his
wife had disposed of an enormous prop
erty, and in which he might be supposed
to be interested. A hunt for the missing
document was at once organized. Mrs.
Fiske had brought twenty-seven trunks
from Europe, and each and all Of these
were ransacked fruitlessly. After this
had been done, Professor Fiske said that
there was little handsatchel in which
his wife carried her jewels, and that she
was very particular In never entrusting
il 20 the care of servant. Perhaps, he
suggested, that might be the receptacle