Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-09-06
COMPROMISE MAY END THEFIGHT.
The Lawyers Nearly Reach Settlement When the
PriniEal Contestant Is felsgraphed for BY His
'uslsr Mothers WidSwsr-Al Parties
Agree Not 70 Sacrifice the Real
Estate by Forced Sale.

L
Yorbhe was full of fight. For years
he had been the acknowledged
heir to S3O.OoO,0OO, but unexpect-
edly he found himself deprived OF
even slice of it. A comparative
stranger had been bequeathed 1t all,
and he man of all others whom he
hate most. They had never been
frierls from the time they first met.
Nor7ears the had been bitter enemies.
Irisl blood courses through Ilmothy
Hop,in's veins, and an 1rishman VIII
figh for less sum than $40, 200, 900 as
longaS he has breath.
OF the other hand, Edward f. Searles,
whomarried the widow Hopkins, is not
a fiater. All through life he has been
onebf the most reserved and common
plae sort of men. He vas a tirst-rate
decorator, and could hang portieres and
wallpaper aud select the upholsterlDg
for. set OF furniture With good taste
andadmirable Judgment But he never
had a lawsuit in his life, never
wragled with any one, never
use, harsh language towards his worst
enely, and in fact never did much OF
anyhing to attract ATTENTION until he
married the widow Hopkins and her
$4,000, 900.
Tie work. heard of b In when he did
this Then he came into notice again
WIN he was left widdwer and an heir.
When word flashed scross the con-
tinnt that Timothy Hopkins was on
hisyay here to contest the will that
disaherited him, friends Of Mr.. Searles
preicted that he wotld compromise
rater than stand fight in a court OF
prpate.
yhen Timothy Hopkins arrived here
heound his attorneys discussing pro
posd settlement with the attorneys ioI
Mr. Searles. He was speedily inviteu
10 axe part in the conference, AM ioi
tw,daus 10 arA Judge BoplS anu Law
| yeiRussell Wilson have been In almost
cobtant communication with Messrs.
Buler, Stillman & Hubbard. Mr..
Sefles' representatives and the man
ages of his entire estate.
lot much progress was apparently
mae at first, for Lawyer Joseph ii.
Chate, OF Evarts, Chcate 81 Beaman,
wa retained to assist Dir. Hopkins San
Frncisco lawyers in directing his con-
tes' in the courts. The conferences
broght out the fact, however, that
thee was disposition on the part OF
Mr.. Searles to make an amicable settle
met with Mr.. Hopkins and the minor
conestants, provided they would be
conent to accept reasonable share OF
theiortune.
Tie estate is so peculiarly situated
tha to realize on the productive part
world be detrimental TO the interests OF
everybody. Many millions are invested
in ulatial refdences that cannot easily
be Sld, and the Southern Pacific securl-
tiesmust remain intact TO keep control
of tie property. So much Of the income
is aso absorbed by the heunproductive real
estate that it Is difficult 10 separate any
par of the fortune without materially
depeciating the remainder
The lawyers discussed yesterday what
amount of the fortune would satisfy
the demands of Mr.. Hopkins, and, al
though nothing like an understanding
was reached, it was deemed advisable
to wait until some of the real estate can
be disposed of 20 good advantake.
This is about as far as negotiations
went when the conference was inter-
ruptsd late in the afternoon by tele-
gram to Mr.. Hopkins summoning him
to 60 to Methuen for private confer
ence with Mr.. Searles. Mr.. Hopkins
left on the afternoon train. This move
of Mr.. Searles was unexpected, and is
regarded as further evidence OF his re-
ported anxiety TO settle with Mr.. Hop
kins without unpleasant notoriety.
The above information was given by
a close friend OF Mr.. Hopkins, who has
been strong champion OF his cause
ever since he was disinherited. He says
that Mr.. Hopkins will get at least
S., 900, coo for his share, but he is not
certain that the disinherited son would
be satisfied with even,that amount.
"Mr Hopkins certainly has strong
case If II goes to court" said the friend.
'He will be able TO prove by incontro-
yertible evidence that prior to her mar
riage with Mr.. Searles he was the ac-
knowledged heir to the bulk OF her vast
estate. He can show, also, that the old
lady was not in the full enjoyment
OF her health and intellect when
the marriage took place and
that afterwards undue influence was
used to poison her mind against him.
The few words he may have uttered In
criticising her marriage were magnitled
many times when they reached her
ears. Even in her last illness she was
secluded from every one who was not
known TO be allied with Mr.. Searles's
Interests.
"The attitude assumed by Mr.. Hop
kins lis not that OF the ordinary con-
testalnt OF a will. To be sure, ne was
not bound by the tie of flesh and blood
70 the Hopkinses, but in every other
sense. including legal adoption, he
was the best OF sons. They took
him when little more than an
infant and reared him as their
own.l II Is no fault of his that
he was brought up as the son
of millionaire and permitted to ac-
oujrth the tastes and habits OF man OF
Great wealth. From childhood he was
with luxury and extrava-
rancle and for more than thirty years he
VAS ltaught 10 believe that he would
,omel day possess almost the entire for
tune of his foster parents. 1t Is not to
be Wondered at that he stands
readk 70 engage in q bitter
,truskrle for his rights when ne nnds