The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-31
In A CONCILIATORY MOOD.

The Contest Over the Estate of Robert
p. Hastings Abandoned.
After all, there will DO no contest and
no attempted revocation Of the will Of
Robert p. Hastings. the son of ex-Judge
Hastings, who founded the law college
bearing his name and whose division of
property among his children has been the
subject of more or less publicity. Young
Hastings viii left all his property derived
from the old gentleman to his pretty young
wife, but made no mention of his two young
children, who surely enough are benefi-
Charles under the trust made by their graud-
father
Recently there were rumors that the
young and pretty widow was looking abont
for another husband, but whether this is
true or not does not matter. The eX-Judge
evidently acted on the rumors and entered
a contest asking Tor revocation of the
probate of his sons will. charging that he
was not of sound or disposing mind when he
made that will of October s, 1888, but was
under the influence and control of his wife
when he drew the will which declared her
the legatee of all his worldly possessions to
the exclusion of The children. This contest
was only filed recently and the matter had
not even been set on the calendar for a
hearing.
Negotiations looking to compromise on
ceeded admirably, judging from the pretty
and conciliatory speeches made yesterday,
when, without previous notice, the inter-
ested appeared and were granted an audi
ence before Judge Coffey In chambers. The
widow smiled fiially upon the old gentle
man and he graci0usly returned her ques-
tion as to his health. The audience In cham
bers was informal, though no outsiders were
present save the two newspaper reporters.
and that they should be made acquainted
,xffh oil thaf far of thaa .oI
to be the special solieitude of the pretty
young widow and was her request cOmmu-
nicated TO her attorney.
Fully aware of what the outcome of the
hearing would be. Mrs. Hastings was not
withstandng i'll at ease in these proceed
fngs. and she kept up nervous tattoo on
the carpet with her neatly nodded bottines.
William Giselman, who recently resigned
the Hastings trust, identified the will as in
the handwriting of the testator, and said
that In talks with him he had said he would
leave all 10 his wife, having full confidence
in her motherly affections that the children
would be provided for by her. Mrs. Hast
lngs was asked specifically concerning the
allegations in the contest and denied that
she had Influenced her husband in the max
ing of the will-in fact, did not know one
was in existence. Her husband had con-
versed about the subject of a will, but had
never informed her OF its contents, save to
say that when dead she would know how
much he had thought of her.
During these interrOgatOries the old gen.
tleman was a passive listener. AT the close
he announced that he had no proof 10 offer
in fact there was no necessity to offer
any. He arose, however, aud addressed the
Judge in most complimentary terms of his
sons widow, aliudng 10 her kind, moth
erly. gracious, bountiful and unsolicited act
looking to the future care aud welfare of
the two children. Judge Coffey expressed
his pleasure at the happy outcome of the
affair, and with this the contest proceed
ings were withdrawn and dismissed, and the
will accepted as the last testament of
Robert p. Hastings and the widow as his
sole iegatee.
The act Of Mrs. Hastings for which the
old gentleman so profusely thanked her
was her signature of document which will
be recorded to-day and which decided to her
attorney. l.. NJ. Hoeff1er, in trust for the
children, an interest of one-h half in real
estate of the value of Sl45, COO she to have
the income Of the same during life, and
said interest In the property to go to them
upon her death. This property Is all the
real estate of the late Robert p. Hastings,
except that located in Lake County, and the
value of all the real estate is estimated at
some $780, 900.