New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-03
ALONG-HIDDEN WILL FOUND
TT DEvIsES A WEALTHY MANS ESTATE.
HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER ENJOYED MUCH
MORE OF Ills MONEY TmAN lie INTENDED.

MS WIFE AND DAUGHTER ENJOYED MUCH
MORE OF HIS MONEY THAN he INTENDED.
The series Of legal contests and disputes over the
.s4ate left by George p. Gordon the inventor has
cached a sudden and startling development.
The interesting and dramatic series of circumstances
surrounding the case which has been before the New
York courts for many years, are briefly as follows {:
Afr Gordon. who owned the Gordon Press Works at
railway died on January 81, 1878. leaving real and
PERSONAL property estimated at ~, 100000. His real
estate in addition to the Gordon Press Works.
sisted Of land I'm Norfolk, Va. a plantation and milk
farm near that city. the Academy of Music in Nor
folk the Railway Opera House mansion and grounds
in Railway house, No. 10 Columbia Heights, Brook
,vn and several pieces OF valuable property in Brook
Ivn and at Fort Hamilton.
In the safe Of the Gordon Press Works, at the time
At his death were found among other securities
Government bonds, and mortgages, stocks. railroad
bonds patents Of valuable inventions and city bonds
amounting in value to about S6OOOC0 Mr. Gordon
was twice married. His first wife, who before her
marriage had been Miss Cornish. died many years
ago and by her he had daughter Mary Agnes
Gordon who born in 1649 In 1850 lie married
Jeonora VI. May, a mner. who lived in Connecticut
The second marriage was not happy, mainly OWING
10 the Influence exerted Mrs. Gordon by Henry
DI Bots Van WyclI man with whom she had been
aconanted before her marriage. Van Wyck took up
his residence in Mr.. Gordon's home and virtually
controlled the household. MIR Gordon's daughter who
nv this time budding into womanhood, displayed
a hayward. rebelliOus temperament, and, it IS sau'
t,rmed habits Of intempcrance.
After this condition OF things had existed for seve
years the family separated, Miss Gordon occupying
che BROOKLYN house while Mr.. and Mrs. Gordon ana
Van WICK went to Railway. Mr.. Gordon died in Nor
to,k the only persons with him al the time beng
his wife and Van WyCk. Immediately after VT
Gordons death Van WICK secured from the widow
power Of attorney giving him control over al ncr
nroperty When Mr.. GOrdons will was opehcc' IL
ras found that he had left only 100000 to his widow
absolutely 100000 his daughter for lie, ana 10
both life interest in the rcsiduary estate The re
mainder Of the residuary estate was to be ii 'poseu
Of by a cOdicil which was never produced INC
widow and daughter thus received considerably less
than would have fallen to their share If Mr.. @oruoh
had died intestate Miss Gordon disputed the WILL
which was offered for probate by \. sidney Doahe
Mr. GOrdon' nephew. and the manager of the Gordon
Press Works. and finally The will was rejected by INC
courts on the ground that it had not been properly
executed. Henry J. Cullen, j.. was appointed oo
minisaor of the estate and the property was equally
divided between Mrs. and Miss Gordon, the latter
taking the Railway and Brooklyn property, While the
land in Virginia assigned 10 the widow
Mrs Gordon afterwaId married Van Wyck and they
lived in Fishkill where they had built house. She
died from pneumonia in California on December -
last General josiah Porter, who had been Miss
Gordon's counsel in the Will contest took chure charge
of her affairs Later on Mrs. and Miss Gordon assigned
a considerable amount of their personal ana real
property to General Porter and Mr. Cullen, In trust
for other members of the family who We're 10 receive
legaces left 70 them the broken will. In 1889 the
trustees held public sale OF the real estate. Ihcy
endeavored to clear of all the property, but did not
succeed although the Railway homestead was sold "
Edward savage. who still occupies it,
After her fathers death, Miss Gordon lived for a
time alone in Paris fats, her only companion beng
Reif whom
become much attached. lii 15s2 she went 10 Europe
where she remained until her DEATH which occurred on
May 30 last in the Convent Danes Aususnnes, No. -
Rue de la sante Paris Her viii was filed for probate
in Surrogate Ransoms Office on June 20. The WILL
after making a few eeaccS 10 daughter OF General
Jos,sh Porter gives the balance of her estate 10 the
Mercantile Trust Company. in trust TO turn into cash
Oneffth of the cash realized the property is to ~
TO Pauline Reitz and the remaining foarhths u SAN
uefRiolard RuyssenaoTs, who lives at the Chateau az
Voikenburg at stegg, Holland. Miss Gordon met MI
Ruyssenaers at schevennngen, seaside resort near
The Hague six years ago, and up 10 the uAie Oh
her death was almost constantly in his society Tie
will has been disputed by her next OF KIN on the GROUND
of undue influence, and recently surrogate Ransom l.
sued letters rOgatory calling on the Tribunal ONH uo
Premier Instance &c la seine 10 tthe Ihe NsuoS Va
various witnesses III Paris.
I, * AT this point that the elimination of this
strange story is reached. The contest over Miss
Gordon's will, which before inc surrogate III
November naturally caused a good zeal OF nc"Sptp.i
talk Among those who read the Reports wa ilcuIi
Adams IT, lawyer and author Of Adams
GLOSSARY Of Legal Icfis.' Mr. Adams, VIC I'VE, al
orange " j.. was old friend OF George /. "ofuo.l
He remembered that ms f3thcH, also IdNNc', ~
lived next door to Mr.. Gordon IN RAILWAY. ana mas
since died, Instructed him to draw 9p TiI ~.
Gordon. This Will. which is dated III Juic' Ioo2
was executed in the presence OF Mt AOaIl9 81. dIH
his three sons The original VIII wa lcil WIN w
Adanlss father for safety. search Wa .aue a mn,
old MIR. AdaInsS papers and the od WIZ wa @
in his safe, sealed up m brown paper ,"N'iP'
ON January II last this viii was taken 10 'iaiot A.,
ucCs the Ordinary Of New jersey, VINO OPENER " III
court AZ the Chancery Chambers, jersey NV -
mouy was taken the viii was admitted 70 pr0Oit y,
as the last testamentary disposition Oi "oor00
Tfil will provides home for MS widow, Gau7n'a q,
and brother at RAILWAY, and divides thc Du,iHcS' ~
the Gordon Press Works between ms udtus,iItr,+ -
nenbeU, A. Sidney DOanc: his brother, CutlieH ~.
Gordon: his sisters, Mary Anne DOahc anu w ~,
lane I,Ocart. H4ry Atucs GORDON rctrIN-' - wa" .o
war for life and 80 900 goes 10 her hu>bdhu III -
Of her marriage Various lesaclcS are EaNcm Gov Gfc
five while his wife receives ~ 200 a year lor ne
MAJ Agnes Gordon never having been niarfI'n W''
whole of George l.. GOdOns property tlus pt>,c' O.
the next Of kin inasmuch a. her interest In i'd
fathers estate ceasing with her Geatn ar .bn v
property to dispose Of The executors uhdeI tc " ~
beng all dead William H. COrbin mas been aIpnnilIueH
administrator Of the estate Probate OF tlc VII 10.
been filed i'm the KinC- County Court ara III NoiOih,
Va. Charles ii. Beckett ana Bach q ME- Nicrcar
Tor the next of kim have served n0uce on the Meca
+iIe Tn,st COMPANY General Josiah Porter ana Henry
j. Cullen 10 give up possession 9i al ld Narv
longing 10 tho estate Of George r. GORDON ana mary
The only explanation offered for Mr.. Adauls's failure
To produce the original viii when the secOnu VIII
was rejected by the courts Is tidt nc IA, ~
lived a secluded and hermit like life ana lad ProDa.pS
forgotten all about the mater uhtH HE d'V0Hu0'
was called to ii in the newspapers