New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-08
THE COURTS.
LASAK WILL CONTEST ENDED.
HEIRS DECIDE TO COMPROMISE AND ENJOY 'hh
BENEFITS OF THE BIG ESTATE

HFIRS DECIDE TO CONPHoM.SEs AND ENJoA 'AAA
BENEFITS OF THE BIG ESTATE
The long Legal fight over tho large estate len
by Francis ". Lasak. who made the larger s"a'O
Of his money as the partner OF John Jacoo Na'''
In the fur business has been settled after Dragging
along In the courts for about four years. Mr. LasaR
began life as IN emplOye OF the first john jacob
AstOr After several years he became partner ana
shared the profits Of the business with lhe iunaer
OF the Astor family in America. Like the eiuer
Asttr Mr. lasak Invested tho profits OF tue business
in real estate IN various parts Of this city. Inc
land increased In value npidly, ana when mr.
Lasak died, at the age OF ninety-hve his estate Nas
said to amount to several million dollars
-Four daughters survived Mr.. Lasak They were
Anronett, Lucinda Schermerhorn, Cordelia ChauVe''
CpheIia J. Cuthbcrt and Victoria A. mackenzie
III r, was also one grandrhld, Margaret ;. IVES me
wife Of DP. Prank l.. Ives; she was the dangh'er
OF III, late Edgar Lasak, son OF the tesator' BY
the terms OF the win Of Mr.. Lasak, MIS- Cu'hoct
received onethird Of the estntc absolutely, and Mrs.
thauyet and Mrs. Mackenzie ench received the In
come Of of,,thld Of the estate, but these ia'ter
be1ucsts % Mrs. >Cbauvet and Mrs. Maonenzle were
subject 10 some small deductions for CHARITABLE oe'
quests and also to the sum OF 10000, when was
given to Mrs. Ives. and the sum OF 10000 tho
Income Of which to go TO Mrs. schermerhorn.
Mrs Ives and Mrs schermerho.n wcrs not salts
lied with the amounts which they were to receive
under the will. and they begun contest Ill lhe
SurrOgatc's Court Of Weschester County In TINS
contest they we're unsuccessful, the will being al
mtted TO probate. An appeal was taken to the
General Term Of the supreme Court, and finally to
The Court OF Appeals. In all these courts the con-
testaus wsre defeated. and the will was upheld After
the courts had decided against them In the VIII
contest Mrs. SchermcrhOrn and Mrs. Ives begun
eleven ejec,ment suits against the holders OF the
real estate left by Mr.. Iasak One Of these cases
WAS tried In Wsstclcster County and resulted IN
Il disagreement VI the jury.
There seemed TO be n fair prospect that the cases
would drag along until all the heirs were dead and
IN the meantime the property would be tied up and
no ore would have any benefit Of 1t. The Female
Guardian society and Home for the Frendess and the
Chdren's Md society had contingent Interest IN
the estate, at the death Of Mrs. Chauvct and Mr.
Mackenzie these societies received the bulk OF the
twO-thris OF the estate which left in trust for
these daughters. All parties became discouraged at
the long delay and overtures for a settlement were
made.
Alter much negotiation a ssftlemant was finally
reached saturday last. BY the terms Of this settle
mn The real estate Is disposed OF practically as II
there were no Will. Each daughter gets the share
which abe would have received had the estate been
divided according TO low had Mr.. sak died ntestate
The division. however, Is subject 10 slight DEDUCTIONS
10 the amounts received by the daughters for the 40
ciics mentlned. These societies instead OF waiting
until tho death Of Mrs. Chauvst and Mrs. Mackenzie
will get an amount al once which will b. somewhat
smaller than they would have received had they waited
until the death Of these two daughters, and providing
the contestants had been defeated finally.
The different parties 10 tho legal ncft were rep
resented n follows: Robert >ewell. Christopher Fine
and Aaron Kahn for Mrs Schermerhorn Charles p
MncIaan for MRs. Ives Calvin Frost and lioadly,
Lautefbach d johnson for Mrs. Cuthbert; eA-JudSe
Donohu. for Mrs Chauvet bartlett Wilson a Hayden
Cor the Fcinoe Guardian Society and Home for the
Fracndlcs, Frederick ". Van Worst for the Childrens
Aid society Judge Reynolds for Mrs Mackenzie and
Emmlit Robinson for the New iork LIE and Trust
Company, which was Interested as depository.
The reason given for the practical d-inheritance Of
Mr.. schermrrhon by her father was THAI Mrs Lasnk
began suit against her husband away back in>ls6'
and thai whdi the couple parted Mr.. schcineriorn
went With her mother while oil the other children
wen With Ihdr fniher.