The Newtown bee., 1891-04-03
Claims Against Elon's Estate.

SAoihC lag 0lASU A1AcA ASSoe~oSs
The sum total of the claims against the
Elon Booth estate, as handed in by Tx
ecutor Peck to the commissioners, is $685.
S35. The commissioners met at the pro-
bate Office in Newtown on Tuesday of
this week and spent the day in bearing
testimony relative to the smaller claims
against the estate.
The first claim taken up was one OF
William Fairchild for $3.50, based upon
the fact that, in May, 1888, he went with
Elon, by his request, to Toledo, Ohio, to
look after investments and real estate he
had there. Mr. Fairchild claimed that he
went to Toledo at a season of the year
when it was difficult for him to leave his
farm and for no other reason than to be
a companion and helper to Elon, who
was so little used to travel that he did
not want to risk going alone; that he
paid his own travelling expenses WHEREBY
err they went and all of the incidental eX-
penses of both for the trip, in the matter
of board while there and en- route; that
they were gone from home ID days and
adjacent to Toledo and other places of
special interest, which made an addition
al expense; that, although Elon did not
tell him he would pay his expenses, he
inferred from what he did say and the
manner in which he prevailed on him to
accompany him that he would pay them,
but that, after their return to Newtown,
when he asked Elon to pay him for SER
vices rendered, all he could get from
Elon in reply was, "What do you want
of money? You've got money enough,
you don't want any of my money" Mr.
Fairchild said that he had never received
IA cent of reimbursement and, for that
reason, had presented the claim.
Charles Jonas, the tailor, presented a
claim of $50 90, So and 50 for two pairs
of pantaloons made in 1887, $40 for a
broadcloth Prince Albert coat and broad
cloth vest in 1883 and 50 9S interest on
the same. He claimed that the garments
were made of the best material, was all
tailor's work and that he had never re-
ceived any money for making them.
{ Peter keeler's claim of So was for
mending shoes at different times during
the last two or three years of Elon's life.
George G. Stahl's claim of $50 was for
expenses incurred, in time and otherwise,
during Elon's stay in Toledo in May,
1888.
Charles II. Northrop, treasurer of the
Newtown savings bank, presented
claim of $500 for services rendered for
one and a half years, or whereabouts, pre-
viOus to Elon's death. He stated that it
was IL practice of Elon's, during this
time, to come into the bank on an aver
age of perhaps once ortwice a week with
interest coupons to be collected, checks
to be cashed, drafts to be made and 9TH
er property interests to look after; that,
although he did great deal of the bust
uess during banking hours and the mon
ey went into the general fund of the
bank subject to Elon's order at any time,
yet, from the fact that Elon was not a
regular depOsitOr there, he thought HIM
self justified in handing in his claim
against the estate for services rendered
him in the care of the money which, in
the aggregate, amounted to $14,4l2 II.
He also stated that Elon sometimes adj
vised with him in regard to making in
vestments and as to the value of certain
stocks, admitting, at the same time, that
Elon's general knowledge of the market
values of stocks and their desirabeness
as investments was good aud that he was
competent to transact business. Mr.
NOrthrop did not consider the advice he
gave, at times, of very great money val
ue, but stated-that the greater part of
the charge he had made was for his SER
vices in the actual care of money collect
ions and disbursements.
James Nj. Turney'S claim of $3.50 was
the last considered on Tuesday. This
was for services rendered Elon since 1884
or Whereabouts. This service had been
entirely in making loans in Kansas, West
Virginia and elsewhere, which loans had
been made for the most part by cores
pondence through the mails, with but lit
tie expense incurred by travel or express
and, although he had never presented a
bill to Elon for his services, he had ex-
pected to do so at some time. He said
that he had placed for Elon at different
times $26, 900, on which he had never re-
ceived any commission from any one,
excepting quarter of per cent on one
small loan. In view of the fact that the
investments were all first class and that
he had exercised much care and given
them much personal attention, he felt
that the claim of $3.50 was but a reason
able one.
Attorney w. j. Beecher appeared as
counsel for the estate and it would seem,
from the voluminousness of his ques-
tions, that the ground was thoroughly
gone over in the case of each claimant.
The three remaining claims are the larg-
est on the list, the Gregory & Ballou
claim of $4,000, the Mary Z. Bronson
claim of $4,000 and the l.. Il. Booth claim
of ZOO.
Lawyer O'Hara, counsel for the first
two parties, showed that it would be ut
terly impossible for counsel to attend to
these claims before May, owing to APP
pointments of cases already made for tri-
al at the April term of court and asked
for an adjournment until such time as
there might be reason to suppose that
they could be reached. An adjournment
was agreed upon until May II. The first
hearing is to be on the Gregory & Bal
lou claim, which will be held in Bridge
port and the other two in the order in
which they are put down, the hearing to
be in Newtown, Attorney G. II. North
rop appearing as counsel for l.. B. Booth
Misses Annie and TAME Sanford have
suffered with grip.
Misses F. S. and M. B. Glover, with A.