The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-08
A GREAT WILL OONTE IT.
Young Mr.. Hopkins and the Estate O.
His Foster Mother.
From the Philadelphia Press.

Ills roster Mother.
From the Philadelphia Press.
New York, Sept SIT is the gossip of
the lawyers here that young Timothy Hop
kins' suit TO break the will of Mrs. Searles
protracted, and important probate trials
perhaps since the Jumel will case. The
lawyers seem to think that Hopkins is not
disposed to accept ANY proposition looking
to compromise. He stands on his rights as
the adopted son of Mark Hopkins and Mrs.
Hopkins, and he does not believe that these
rights can be imperiled. although Hopkins
did leave mis- millions outright to his willow,
and although she did not imperil her fortune
by marrying Searles.
Hopkins is now in this city, and although
the objection to the probate and the subss-
quent contest must take place in the Massa-
chusetts courts, yet it is really New York
case, because Mrs Searles' lawyers are
among the most distinguished at the New
ork bar, and very much of her property is
held in Mississippi. Besides, Mr.. Searles is a
resident Of New York. although since his
marriage TO Mrs. Hopkins he has not spent
great deal of his time here.
There can be only two grounds, in the
opinion OF the lawyers, upon which a suit
could by any possibility be successfully
maintained. One Of them would be an as
sertion, accompanied by proof, that Mrs.
Searles was not in a condition OF mind
which made her competent to dispose Of her
millions If that is the ground to be taken
her New York attorneys, who are now act
ing for Mrs. Searles, declare that the case
can very soon be disposed OF, because it can
be shown In court that Mrs. Searles, I'D to
her last illness, was in possession OF as Wig
orous an intellect as she ever had and many
persons thought that she grew keeuer as she
grew older
1t is not thought that young Hopkins will
make any such claim, but he will RELY
entirely upon the charge of undue influence
exerted by Mr. Searlss. II it should be
proven that Mr. Searles had unduly infu-
enced his wife to bestow the great fortune
OF Mark Hopkins upon himself, the proof
will cause great surprise to those who know
Mr.. Searles. The number Of his acunaint-
ances is limited, for he was always q
reserved and almost timid-mannered man,
who did not seem to his friends to possess
force of character enough materially TO in
huence the opinions OF nybody.
The romance which led Mark Hopkins
mature widow to take this comparatively
young man for a husband is a secret one.
but the few indications the public saw of
affection, suggested that 1t was the woman.
rather than the man, who first became in
fatuated, and there were many who said
that Mrs. Hopkins married Searies, instead
or Searies marrying her.
During their married life, while Searles
was the most devoted of husbands, he was
nevertheless something of slave to her
affection. The lawyers say that such rela-
tion does not indicate the exertion of IN
due influence, nor even if it be proven that
the widow of Mark Hopkins became 80 in
fatuated with her young husband that she
was only toe glad to leave everything that
she possessed TO him even this would not be
a sufficient or )und for bceaking the will.
The property was hers to do with as she
saw fit.
Nevertheless the story of the courtship
of this curiously matched couple, and OF
their married life, is pretty certain to be
told iu court, and while the story is an hons
orable one enough, some of the incidents
are peculiar and have humorous side For
that reason alone the case is bound to at
tract attention, and when the enormous
cum involved is considered, and the great
corporate interests whose control is to some
extent at stake, are regarded, it is easy to
see that the lawyers are justified in assert
ing that the contest is likely to prove the
most celebrated aud sensational probate
battle in this generation.