New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-03
WAS SHE EVER INSANE9
M CONTEST MRS. HoPK1NS.SEARLEs'S WILL.
REASONS THAT HER RELATIVES GIVE FOR AL
LEGING UNDUE INFLUENCE.

A<-N~~'~
x,,n.nie, T. Hebbard and dozen or more other
.ons,ns Of Mrs Mark HopklusSearle who died &c"
roass aro al her country seat at Great harrington
-. nromise 10 place her will the list OF FAMOUS
o,.ssted testamentary documents. They promise
smone other sensational developments to prove 'n"'
,,rs Mark Hopkins -Sesrles was subject 10 emouo'"
,sanity and that undue influence was brought 10 Oo'l
an her in order 20 induce her to cut OH her pid'',
without a cent. Aside from Edward r sear'es' me-
seeond husband to whom the vast estate was ~,''
r.ost norton Of which is invested in the southern
pacific Railroad c. p. Huntington, as presuet Vi "ia'
railroad Is greatly interested in having the VIII
intact II tho will should be broken, there "o"iu W
probabiIty of change I'm the control OF lno ro"u '"
A possible change of president u.s.
Mr. Huntington was seen by a Tribune reporter yes
,erday afternoon He said g have heNu t"aV WV
vi Of Mrs Mark Hopkinssearles Is TO DC con.o9'0u
II would be strange If document inVoN'hs SUI" -
SIMS of money did not meet with some Cone',, ~
matter how absurd and Hmsy the pretext. VINO .nes
me- a.o hovrav.r I do not know except by what
b.ve read in the papers The will VIII take inc u"o
course and have no doubt that it will 90 through al
right ,,.,,ord \ Tr,b-
une reporter was informed that no kho"Ieue -.
intended contest Of the will had come 10 tno" 49,
through the newspapers, and that no profess - No
officially brought 10 their notice. nor cou'u wv
I'm salem, Mass, on September L. ,,,,
Nathaniel T. Hebbard cousin Of Mrs hopAns-
searles In speaking OF tho proposed con,eS, ~,
will said: "One OF her cousins was "Hi'''i i0D
hard who died recently from broken he"iU d.
pont L. l. He was always on good terms WV. VA >. .
searles and one day she told him that sio
make him a handsome gift lie was ola auu "au
orsod Tor years as a sversmth with DOmhlcK u
uaF He was industrious and sober and whenever
Mrs seares came East he was welcomed Vistor AT
her home She often gave him money. and tod
him. the same as she did all The rest Oh us 'l@U Ho
would be handsomely remembered in Ter VIII
at that time Mrs. Searles was at the WINDSOR HOTEL
c,.at harrington preparng plans for her magnificent
manor house. Mr.. Searles was not at homo wheh her
consin called She received him most graciOusy and
asked after all her relatives In this State and in Con-
nectcut She had Just got back from san FRANCISCO
and said that when she came here TO New-1orK she
wouA call on us. she was very soncltOns ABOUT her
two aged and inarm cousins. Harriet Hebbard and
lane smith. who reside at Davenport Centre y. y.
After family affairs had been discussed she made TINS
statement which William repeated TO US
9Now William. | am anxious 10 do what is right by
von ALL love all my relatives, and you arc as much
In need of help perhaps, as any of them. l don't
wish to see a relative of mine working as sversmith
have plenty for all cannot carry my millions with
me- ~, 4. .o..,,. .,o,,or t,o,, ,,o, , william
answered.
a.Weu, / will tell you how we can arrange that
said Mrs HopkinsSearles. You look around New
York and pick out good big apartmenthousc. After
YOU have chosen house that will support yOu will
buy II for you. Then you collect the rent and live
In comfort for the remainder of your llfe.'
civilian expressed fear that Mr. seares might inter
rupt such an arrangement to which Mrs. Hopkins
searles replied NO. indeed will never permit him or
any other man to come between me and my blood
relatives. You pick out the house and will buy 1t
for you. Come 10 me when you have selected it,
civilian Hebbard was OverjOyed But there was a
rude awakening short time afterward. William
picked out nice fathousc which returned rentals of
about 81 100 year. lie called at Mrs Searcs's house
and sent up his card. She came downstairs with di-
sheveled hair and dress disaranccd She talked in an
excited manner and when reminded Of her promise to
purchase a house for William she discaimed all rcol
lection Of having made such promise, and ordered him
In violent language to leave the house. He returned
from Great harrington and died in GTeenpoint shortly
afterwsrd.
"Ths is not tho only where Mrs. Searles showed
lapse OF memory, which greatly developed after
her marriage with Mr.. seares. He had some strange
influence over her and turned her against her relatives.
1t will all come out in court"
When Mr.. Hebbard asked if any offers Of com
promise had been made to him, either by Mr.. Hunting
ton or Mr.. Searles he said None whatever. We are
bringing this suit because Mrs searles should not have
tut of these aged relatives from their annuity of $500
which they had been receiving from h"r. But these
doing everything in their power to bay of
Timothy Hopkins, the adopted son. but he is too stub
born for them. ! am confident that with the Hebbard
and Hopkins interests combined will have justice
done Us. There are two other members Of the Sher
wood branch OF the family who great aVOrtcs Of
Mrs. Searles. They Betsie and Hester Mary, daugh
ters OF BetSic Sherwood cousin Of Mrs Seares. The
young women went down 70 Fairfield, Conn, when Mrs
Searlcs at -. Georges Hotel Black Rock, Conn.
and paid her long visit She always wrote to them
and sent them gifts in money and jeweFy. They also
have letters from Mrs SeareS. in which she promised
70 remember them in her will Other branches Of the
Sherwood family also have documentary evidence that
Mrs. Searlcs Intended to remember them in her Will"