The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-09-25
A LEAP YEARS MARRIAGE
Searles Says Mrs. Hopkins Did
the Proposing.
He MARRIED FOR LOVE AND MONEY.

Hat Love, He Says, Was the Principal
Reason Why u. welded woman who
Was = Score of Years MS ssnior-Th.
Contest Commenced.
SALEM, Mass, Sept. 23.-Timothy Hop
kins, OF San Francisco, the adopted son Of
Mrs. M. r. $. Hopkins. Searles, sat among
half dozen noted lawyers In the probate
court yesterday. He was ready to contest
the wealthy womsn's will without regard
to cost. Hs had refused, 1t is said, to com
promise the case for t2,5Oo,000
ssarIes wss on Hand.
Edward r. Searles, OF Methuen, who
married the widow Of Mark Hopkins, and
to whom the s3o, ,OOO, 900 or more OF her prop
erty WAS left. to the expressed seclusion Of
Timothy Hopkins, was on hand to stand
by the will. He had several prominent
lawyers to aid him also. They were VII.
liam Allen Butler, Wilhelminus Mynder.
see, Gcnevnl r. II. Hubbard aud Thomas
f. Stillman. Of New York; Colonel Solo.
mon Lincoln, Of Boston, and Richard
Dodge, of Cambridge. Judge Rollin 4.
Harmon sat on the bench when ths court
opened. The witnesses to the will, Msssrs.
Dodge. Thornton and NoAis. were called
to the stand by Colonel Lincoln.
The Widower Test'Hes.
WAS Mrs. Ssarles Of sound and dispos-
Ing mind, Mr.. Dodgsr asked Colonel Lin
coin.
Before the witness could answer, Mr..
Burley, counsel for Timothy Hopkins,
called for the will made prior to the one in
dispute and dated Nov. 3, 1887. Counsel
for Searles objected, but Judge Harmon
ordered it produced. 1t was made on the
date Of tho marriage Of Mr.. Searles and
Mrs. Hopkins, and gave half OF Mrs.
Searlss' estate to her husband and the
other half to Timothy Hopkins. Mr..
Sexrles was then put upon the stand. He
told his life history. which has a tinye of
romance. He was born in Methuen, Mass,
Atty years before July I last. Lie lived
there of and on until 1881.
She Proposed to HIM.
In the spring OF 1888 he met Mrs Hop
kins In San Francisco. lie went to her
with letter Of introduction, asking per.
mission to view her house, On numerous
occasions thereafter he met her in the east
and west by invitation.
Mrs. Hopkins had told him that she was
twenty years his senior. When the mar
riage was proposed Mrs. Hopkins consulted
her adopted son. Mr.. Searles did not know
what Timothy said, but hs objected.
when was the proposition Of marriage
first made"
"In the autumn Of 1899, but not by me"
"She proposed to you, then, did sho,"
"She did, SIR"
"when did you make the proposition to
herr"
I'm 1884. The marriage was agreed upon
in September Of 1887. in the early part OF
the month, at New York"
Love and for Money.
"Will you tell me why you entered into
. marriage contract with . woman TWEEN.
ty-ons years older than yourself."
II married for all that she was, love
love and money both"
(which was the stronger motive, love OF
money!
81 don't believe l am obliged to answer
that question"
Judge Harmon ruled that the question
was competent, and Mr.. Searles answered
Love"
"Did yon have any talk about the dis.
position OF her property prior to mar.
riags"
mo, sir"
He Gave Her Three Years to Think.
In the course of his testimony Mr..
Searles said that while in California he
went on several excursions into the coun-
try with Mrs. Hopkins and her daughter
in-law. He did not assent to Mrs. Hop
kins proposal Of marriage for three years,
in order to give her chance to be sure
that she was satisfied. He had never pre-
viOusly proposed marriage to any one.