The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-26
The Searles VIII Case,

On the 9Th OF November, 1887, Mrs. MARX
HOPKINS married Mr.. EDWARD F. SEARLEs.
She was widow with n vast estate in
herited from her former husband, and she
had reached the nge Of g. years. having been
born in 1920. Mr. SEARLEs was man OF no
fortune. who had been engaged in the bust
ness Of house decoration. and he was twenty
one years her junior. or 46. On the- day
OF her marriage she made will. in which
she divided her estate between Mr.. SEARLEs
and Mr.. TIMOTHY HOPKINS. her adopted
son. Subsequently she made another will
leaving to her husband her entire estate.
estimated at about $50. oOo, 900. and declaring
that the omission to provide for Mr.. HOP
XSs was Intentional. This last will has
been offered for probate at Salem in Massa-
cnusetts and Is contested on the grounds Of
undue influence and the incapacity OF the
testatrix to make will. and also because OF
alleged informalities in its execution.
According to the testimony OF Mr..
EEARLEs. he first met Mrs. HOPKINS at San
Francisco in 1883. going to her with n letter
of introduction to look over her house in
his capacity as a house decorator; and
thereafter his association with her was fire.
ouent in the West, ut New York. and in
Great harrington in Massachusetts,
where she had her summer residence.
and whittier no was summoned to
advise her rs to the furnishing OF a
parsonage she had built. During 1888, the
same year when he first met her, us lie trsti-
fies, Mrs. HOPKINS proposed marriage to
him Mt the Windsor Hotel in this city. She
was then 63 years Of age and he AZ. He did
not nccept tho proposal. but took time to
mediate upon It, and II year after. in De-
cember, 1881. at the same hotel, he proposed
marriage on his side. md she accepted tho
offer. Three years later tho marriage took
place. he being occupied meanwhile with
the superintendence of the erection OF mag
nlhcent house for nor at Great Barring
ton. Mr.. SEARLEs says that he entered into
It from romantic rather than interested mo-
tivcs. II married Mrs. HOPKINS" he tes-
titled on Tuesday. for herself and not for
money. married her for love"
OF course wo have no opinion to express
and no conclusion to maintain as to the will
and tho grounds on which it is contested.
We simply reclte tho facts OF tho marriage
"a testified tn by Mr.. SEARLEs in order to
call attention to a remarkable matrimonial
union. 1t is not at all improbable that the
first proposition OF marriage came from
that man so much younger should have
broached the subject. for shO was nh old
lsdy, rs wc count ago In women. and he
WIS only forty. In such eases the pro.
p,sal usually comes from the woman. Wa
imay;ns. Tho man may take pains to win
favor in her eyes. with II Wow to his mate
rial advantage. but he must be afraid to
suggest marriage unless she herself has
indicated that she would be favorable to tho
proposition. Young or old. tho proposal.
we believe. Is most frequently melted by the
woman's dcslre for 1t. or because she wants
to marry the man.
Whether Mr.. SEARLEs's waiting for year
to mediate on the proposal indicates that
"he wanted her 10 consider whether she had
not made mistake" or that he was bracinG
himself up for the ordeal. We shall not ln
dortako to discuss. Unqucstionaby they
were both deliba:ete. Even after the en-
Qagoment was entered into they put
or tho marrisso for three years.
and henco there was ample time for
either OF them 10 reconsider and with
draw, and as tae betrothel was not
made public they could have got out OF 1t
very quietly. Mr.. SEAMLESS evidence
shows. too. thas Mr.. TIMorHY HOPKINS.
who had been informed OF the engagement.
objected to the marriage. and his objection
was discussed between the enhanced pair.
Both OF thon. accordingly. woht ahead with
their oyes opou. calmly and deliberately.
It was not u sudden capture Of q bride or OF
. husband. They had an unusually long
sngasement Both OF them were old enough
to know their own minds. and to foresee the
differences which would be drawn from such
marriage.
All this has no bearing on tho contest Of
The viii, but 1t suggests another marriage