New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-10
TO FIGHT MRS. FOGG'S WILL.
HEIRSATLAW EXTREMELY ANGRY.



The will of Mrs. Elizabeth Perkins Fogg, lcav-
ing more than 100000 to educational and
charitable Institutions S345 900 to relatives and
friends and a residuary estate Of more than
million dollars to comparatively distant conncc-
tions of the family, which was published i'll The
Tribune yesterday, will he, like so many other
testamcnts, a subject of contention in the courts
Although il was published that the will would
be admitted TO probate in a few weeks. owing 10
the satisfaction and harmony cXtant among the
heirs and lcgatccS, it was learned Yesterday that
the will would he contested on the grounds, prob
ably. Of insanity and undue influence" In
stead of the rumorcd satisfaction among the
relatives and next Of kin. there is great dis
satisfaction and bitterness of feeling.
Shall we contest the will" said of the
numerous bcneficiarcs of the will who was visited
bv Tribune reporter IF we do not do So. we
should be rccrcant to the trust imposed in us by
beloved rclatYc.
The unexpected disposition of the Tesiduary
estate rather than the requests to the friends ana
institutions, has caused the opposition of the
beirs-at-law According TO inquiries made yester-
dav Mrs Fogg's estate worth more than
g., ,ooO. 900 At the death of her husband, in 1851
Mrs. Fogg received Sl,000,00o in money, the
house at No $50 Finh-avc, where She
At Irvington, valued at $4,000, the stables in
Thirty-thirdst., valued at $4,000, and the house
and lots in SXty-Scvcnthst opposite the park Val
nod at $500 900 For seven years the estate has
nroduced an income of $50 600 TO 10000, and
Mrs Fogc, il is said, did not spend more thah
onc-tenth of that amount at the most WIN lhc
addition of this interest. the estate omounc' ac-
cording TO an estimate made yesterday. to more
than 81 2,200.OOO. IS the will disposeS OF only
ss45OOO. the reSiduary estate goes to John a
PhippS, of Boston, cousin of Mrs. Fogg ana
Hiram Fogc, of Btngor. cousin of her husband,
so that they ere heirs to more than 100000 e. W.
ITO that" said one of the heirs yesterday, Wc
have a right TO object. The fact Of the matter
is the will of Mr. Fogg should have been con
tested at his death in 1854. We thought seriously
of doing so. and it was only our feeling OF re-
spect and love for a relative whom we all hcd
dear the fear Of casting reflection upon him
that led us 10 dcsst from taking The VIII INTO
court on the ground that undue influence had
been exercised upon the tcStator. Mr.. ana MIS-
Fogg lived happily together, and 1t was natural
that she should get some money. But who would
have thought that she should receive the amount
that caps. 10 her? Mr. Fo.c. however, was fond
sso of his own relatives, especially his ncpheWs and
nieces, who numbered about sixteen. While gi!lnG
beoueathing all of the money To tic acphcws and
nieces in case his wife died without a will. II
was. in fact his intention that the near relatives
should have the money. He often during his
last days seemed to have troubled conscience
because of the disposition whlc, he had made oi
his money. But his wife wanted II 50. II
troubled him when il his last sickness. evidently.
The fact that he was to die kept from him
until shortly before his death. on he said,
when told of the coming end, why did you not
tell me before this There is so much 10 be done "
i am coniloert that he did not intend 10 give her
the house in SiAty-seventh-st. at all. But then
he could not change it, He felt that hc owed
some of the money 20 us lie had inherited q
great deal from his brother Hiram. who died IN
1855. lie, in fact, was the founder Of the bust
ness with China He did not have the right ~
will il away ar the time. There was "A rc,duaIy
estate also. then, which was left II tie same
persons among whom Mrs. Fog divides the $50,
600.
II was not thought however. that the rcsidu-
ary estate would be worth more than a few thou
sand dollars. By good management Of the OK
ecutOrs that resduum has produced about So, 900
for each Of the sixteen persons, that with the
$4,000 willed 10 them by Mrs Focg. they Will
receive all told about $4,000 eacn. Bat what
is that when compared with $GO0,Q0o? |, for
one, VIII never accept her legacy.
" The strange thing is. continued The Trib-
unes informant, that We were more than sur
prised when learned Tie contents Of the viii.
Mr.. Fogg and Mr. Piipps had never been spo@en
of. In fact, ! never saw Mr.. PhippS or knew Of
his existence until few DAYS before the funeral.
We were dumhfoundcd when after the funeral
the will was read naming him a., rcsiduary lcra-
tee. He and Mr.. Fo-g. both of whom are good
men, Of course. had been informed Of their good
fortune naturally. How long they knew Of it,
do not know.
As to her gifts 10 colleges and charitable in
stltuions, there is HttIc to say. The 4iit 10 B'r
wick Academy natural one Mr. Fogg
himself Was 81 there and many friends Of
the family came from tie sane Institution. There
was family pride IN The school Nalc's gift IS
explained by tine friendship with the Dwight
family. Harvard is a non-,cctaran institution.
Mrs FOeg was & Unitarian in religion. She was
also born in Charlestown.
Another heir 10 part Of tie estate was even
more severe in condemnation Of Mrs Foo.
What" wa> the c>cl1maiju she l.,s been
called great philantlroplst' Bosh, Nonscmsc
She did not know what pni'I"thropy WIS You
might as well tfv 10 draw blood iron - rorl; as
draw a dolar lrom her. Let me tell YOU an
lnstarcc in pronf
Not long before her death she asked me what
did 70 get rid Of imporundt" people answered
that helped them when needy. a> she should do
But she did not take my advice. O.c of the
women, in fact. who noyeC in her circle became r.,
duced in circumstances. and WISHED her TO aid
her with 81 month for Snort time
But do you think shc did II? 40 Size
refused 10 respond TO it, Sine allowed
tseS eSr 10 90 Snd Se sac IGnd e %
charity. | pleaded with her TO devote certain
sum each year 10 that purpose. But the appeal
fell upon deaf She did not spend 5000
a wear. | do not believe, altogether. She was
peculiar. Her door was always locked and
chained. SO that II was impossible almost to
get in the house She had no friends hardly.
She wanted none She possessed Of peculiar
antipathy for the near relatives of Der husband
She could not forgive us for getting few
dollars from her husbands resdusry estates
She was certain when he Wlllcd her the
houses and the 81 .O0n.OO9 in money that She