The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-09
MRS. SEARLES' WILL.
The Opening Chapter Of the
Great Contest.
The Hearing viii Be Held at Boston,
September 22d.
An Imposing Array Of Legal Talent En-
Gagged by Both Sides Estimates Of
Mrs. S4artS' Wealth.
srecial to THE MORNING CALI

BosToN, Sept. S.-The opening of the
Hopkins-Ssarles will case was written to-
day when formal notice of intention to con-
test the will of Mary F. S. Searles was given
and appearance entered for contestant,
Timothy Hopkins. Judge r. E. Harmon
sat upon the bench with Registrar j. I.
Mahouey at his left Colonel Solomon Lin
coin of Boston appeared as counsel for the
will, and with him was associated Frederick
X. Dodge of Boston. On behalf of Timothy
Hopkins, Hon. E. T. Burley of Lawrence
and Hon. William C. Endicott appeared.
The counsel all decline to talk about the
case. The ground of contest will be that
Mrs. Searles was not of sound mind at the
time the will was made. and was unduly III
fuenced by her husband. Associated with
Judge Endicott and Mr.. Burley will be the
Hon. Joseph Choate of New York aud Judge
Boalt and MIR. Wilson Of San Francisco. Judge
Endicott will be senior counsel. Besides
Colonel Lincoln aud Mr.. Dodge, member
of the firm of Butler. StilImau & Hubbard,
old counsel of Seares, will BE- at tie hearing
and represent Mr.. Searles and the will in
general way, and undoubtedly one of them
will show up when the case comes to trial.
The proceedings were very brief and in
formal this morning After Colonel
Lincoln had recorded his appearance as
contestant for young Hopkins, counsel
retired to private Office with Judge Harmon
for conference as to date for opening hear
ing In few minutes they returned and
MeSsrs. Lincoln and Burley informed the
Court that Tuesday, September 22d. at 10
A NJ, would suit them. Judge Harmon
assented to this and made min
ute of it in his memorandum
book. The lawyers then took their green
bags and departed. Mr.. Wilson was pres
ent in the courtroom, consulting with his
associate. William Breakers. Timothy
Hopkins, the contestant was not in Salem.
The will, as readers will remember, left all
the property of Mrs. Searles TO her
husband without any qualification what
ever The estate is variOusly estimated at
from s25 600, coo to $4,000, 600, but those in
position TO know say that it is not above
S30000000. 1t IS enough at all events to
give cause for long legal contest. The ar
ray of counsel has rarely been surpassed.
Judge Endcott, well known as an able
lawyer, an ex-Judge OF the Su-
preme Court, and Secretary of War
under Cleveland. is considered especially
strong on ali matters relating to wills Hon.
Z. I. Burley is one Of the leading lawyers
of the State. and has declined judicial
honOrs. Colonel Solomon Lincoln stands at
the mead of the profession in this State, as
does Joseph Choate in New York. Judge
Boat of California is leading lawyer
there. Other counsel are ali able men.
HOPKINS LAWYERS VIEWS.
Judge Boait and Lawyer J. Russell Will
son OF San Francisco, counsel for Timothy
Hopkins in the proposed Searles will con
test, have arrived in Boston. VIII
son states that ex-Secretary Endic0tt
has been added to the counsel,
and that, joined by Mr.. Choate and Judge
BOalt the case will be conducted by them
to the end. ANY statement" continued
Wilson. ''Of a settlement of the case out of
court has not come from our client nor from
Us. Any talk of the future course of the
contest would be altogether speculative.
We have no knowledge of our opponents
plans, and we are quite sure they have no
information as to ours. OF the several
mansions mentioned in connection with the
estate, that at Methuen does not belong to
the properties in ISSUE as 1t was erected by
and belongs tn Mr.. Searles. Those at Great
Darlington, Block Island and at San Fran
cisco are Of the H0pkins-Searles contro-
veIsy"