The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-01
THREAT OF A WILL CONTEST
BECAUSE MRS. HOPKINS SEARLES'S
MILLIONS GO TO HER HUSBAND.

A San Francisco Lawyer Says Timothy
Hopkins, tho Adopted son. VIII Dispute
the win-Execntor Hubbard Say. There
I. Nothing to Base ~ Contest On. and
that No Southern Pacific will be Sold.
According to a despatch from San Francisco
the will Of Mrs. Mary Hopkins Searles. tho
widow Of Mark Hopkins ono Of the founders
OF the Central Pacific Railroad. is TO lie con-
tested BY her adortcd son. Timothy Hopkins
Mrs, 1lopkins.Seares died last Saturday ut
Methuen, Mass. Her will, which was fled for
probate on Thursday at the Essex Registry.
in Salem beGueatbs all her property to her
husband edward +. Scarles. til, archite t..
whom sho married on Nov 8. 1887. At tho
time OF her death 1t was said that she was
worth $30.0000DU.
About thirty years ago a woman applied for
employment rs cook at the san Francisco resi-
dence OF Mark Hopkins She was In doep dis.
tress. and 1t il said that the millionaire himself
engaged her. Then the woman's husband was
taken into the service OF the family. They
died. and left a son. a bright boy whom Mr.
Hopkins took a fancy to- Mr.. Hopkins odu-
Gated the lad. The millionaire had no children
and when lie died Mrs. Hopkins adopted tho
boy. who took the name of Timothy Hot kins.
Some years ago he married niece OF his foster
III.
young man is now treasurer uf tho Southern
Pacific. lie is in japan. but his attorney Rus
sell Wilson Of san Francisco. says that unlo.s
ths adopted son is. fairly treated by Mrs. Hop.
ktns- Searie-'s will. ho will certainly make a
contest.
The executors Of tho will are Mr.. scnrles.
and Thomns II. Stillman and Thomas Hub
bard, meenbors 81 tho law firm OF Butler, still,
told a SIS icnorter ,esterday that he did not
.cc how Timn,thy hopkins could contest:
nuhnr RS HDS this Ss sasse vii" THO e'a an Ms
Sion TO provide in this viii for my a Iontod son.
I,mothy horkinS Is Intentional and not oe-
taslOned ny acct lent or mistake Mrs. l'Op-
kins-senrlts knew what she was about when
she made that provision. She considered TINT
her and that he had q good place as Treasure
Of 'he southern tn raelii" She belssed I'M, The
Houns IopHns can berin c"ntest Is o To- el W
that Mrs. Hopkins-Searles was Of unsuund
IN nj or was unIMly influenced wien she enc
The ,will'was made on July IL. 1883. when Mrs.
Hopkins-Searles was in perfect health and was
able iinuncier. She nut that clause in her, will
Sas ss SnsSSsd son he could that
known In san Francisco last saturday It was
the Huntington and stanford Tor, es in the
s.nthT r., racii,r and the central Pacific roads
great road. Huntington Stanford. and tie
Crockers were his associates. Probably eight
STATS Of Southern and Central Pncillc lai!ro.l
stock; This she Is said to have allowed MIR
ssS ana %ai L.. iss is$S OF III
vas den;h would throw
her stock on the marke ct. and that the Stanford
and Croker interests would combine. take til.
stock. ant iorco Huntington out OF tho lres-
dency at IL" annual election next May. Moth
Jig, like that is going to hanpen. Executor
Hubbard SAID yesterday that none OF the stock
M5 searl rs ~, he told SSS reporsr w
ana his nssocintes established the hlr road
they agreed that each mans interest il it was
be x keIi rs 40 hnS St the
The estate Of Mr.. Honkns-Senrles consists
stock: The New York rElpertv, is tho house.
Mion they w ae hrre " at
harrington is me paince Mrs. iopkins bull.
some years ago at n cost OF over $500 400, A
lars that was erected by Mark t'onkin is tho
create part Ct the propeerE,y n that city -
bnildin: thn Great Harrington palace that siie
met the man VIII, inherit. her Great wealth.
in the Eerk shi Hills. Mrs Honkins enen H
him Is chief architect ! ne widow ard he met
every DAY and talked o: INC manson: l,wasn't
affection. and on Nov. x. lsST. thcv were mar
rieA in ms city. Mr.. SearIes was then Al. and
ing at Methucn.
SPECULATION IN SAN FRANCISCO.
SAN Francisco. July 31.-The details Of the
will OF Mrs. Hopkin. -Senrle.. disinheIitinG her
miilioDs to Mr. Searles creatsi ssreater sen en-
sa!ion here thnn the news Of her death.
are I now very ca@picated ne i o.
her railr az, odiugs had boon LEFT to young
iiorkines. then III" Stanford and Crocker lac;
has always wor kel with Croker. Tlere If not, :
shn n "e hands II M seass W nna"r
Will He is known 10 be GinRossd t" rras
Hun inEton will captur" him with promises o!
giving INN Tue prss!cn y Of ne Southern
ton to retain tho real p,,wcrand would pre-
vent stanford and Crocker from securing q
controlling interest. railroad man said to-
Though Huntington may disclaim any feel.
i.G against stnnfor he is q a., hltt"r nsans.
man 10 forgive any one. aud should not DO
surprised TO see him bring Seares into the
entail positions. Huntington has little con H.
snce in any 1.srs Of I n r9 ns and ne would
men. a, least the no Sibity Of such changes
makes life diTaerse;nIle to %l,,cers in the BIZ
his heavy hand viii TALL. Re mas done much 10
mnroy" RI, ,oad n ld, but he is hated as
Spnnkine II Mrs Searles's will. another an
thority said TO day:
to break his foster mothers viii The only
chance for young I o. kins Is TO prove mental
cnnn", possibly lrove. and undue Influence
will DO difficult to establish"