The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-26
THE HOPKINS WILL CONTEST.
Pretty Nearly All the Property Decided
to Searles and Partners.

SALEM, Mass, Sept. 24.-This is the third day
in the Searles will contest. The examination of
Mr.. Searles was continued. He had owned an
estate in Methuen for twenty-one years Neither
this estate nor the Great Darlington property
ever went into the copartnership. He asserted
that the Great Darlington property had been
transferred by deed to him, but the deed had
never been recorded. The deed was dated Feb
ruary %, 1883. The transfer was made through
Sullman, and was executed in Europe. Neither
OF the deeds had been recorded. He did not
know OF any transfer of the San Francisco
homestead.
Mr. Burleigh then produced the deeds of the
SAN Francisco, sacramento and Summit Soda
Springs properties, in Californis. from Mrs.
Searles through Stlllman to witness.
Ar. Searles said he had even after these trans
fers considered himself and wife equally inter-
ested in the property
The deeds to the Menlo Park property were
also put in evidence. None OF these had been
recorded. There was also deed on $500 acres
OF timber land in California The deed put in
evidence conveyed the land absolutely to wit
ness.
The same property had been conveyed to him,
witness said. by the marriage settlement This
was made six m onths after marriage and was
executed in Europe The title OF the Rock Is
land property stands in his name. The Fifth
avenue house was purchased in his name. The
title did not pass until the deeds had been re-
corded. No one suggested that these be kept
from the records that neither Timothy Hop
kins nor any of his wifee relatives should know
Oh them. No one gave any reason Tor so doing.
Another long schedule OF stocks transferred
from Mrs. seares TO the copartnership OF
searles, stillman & Hubbard was put i'll evil
dence. telegram from Mrs. Hopkins to Tim
othy Hopkins, at San Francisco, three days be-
fore the marriage, was read. IL said: 1.-The
marriage proposed and refused four years ago
was consummated November 5, at II a. m II
possible, let +. I. s and myself receive your
congratulations. | am writing TO You. We do
not sail before the 18Th" witness did not re-
call hearing the telegram before. Had heard
that before the marriage Timothy Hopkins had
detectives following him. he did not like II,
but still had no unfriendly feelings Tor Timothy.
Timothy had said in the presence OF his
mother that he had looked them up, as he was
DESTROYS OF knowing the character OF the man
his mother was TO marry.
The will of Mary F. searles, dated November
p, lsS7, with codicil dated June Is, 1sSS, was
produced at the afternoon session of the court.
Mr. Searles knew OF the will, but did not know
OF Its contents until since his Wifes death
This will gave $4,000 to John HARDWOOD, a
former c0aehman, and the residue was left in
trust 20 Edward +. searles, Timothy Hopkins
and Thomas F. StiIlman, to pay an income in
Hopkins during their lifetime. and on their
death 10 whomsoeyer they might designate by
will, or falling 10 execute will, to be paid to
their next of kin. TIE executor was the same
as the trustee. The codteil, dated June Is, lsSs
substituted the name OF Thomas Hubbard for
that OF Timothy Hopkins trustee and exc
eutor, but otherwise confirmed the will
Mr.. searles had understood that ali the real
estate, except the homesteads in san Francisco,
Great Darlington and Methuen, were placed in
coparineFship. He supposed the titles to the
estates were conveyed by unreeorded deeds
vested in him until something occurred TO dis
turb them. He did not understand that they
were step toward placing them in the assets OF
the copartnership. They were placed in his
name TO protect the property. He had never
heard Mrs. searles say before her marriage that
she had promised her first husband TO hold her
entire property in trust for Timothy. He had
never heard Mrs. searles say, when she first saw
her Little granddaughter, "Here comes the little