The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-20
PLAYED FOR MONEY; GOTIT.
rs IT UNDUE INFLUENCE To THEEDLE
Il RICH OLD WOMAN THIS WAY?
Rafael Woods Letters show How lie and
Hts Mother Were "working" Mira.
Il0tchklss-How Sincere Must n Person
Nc In Order to ne n Legntecs

| Rafael Woods Letters show How He and
Hts Mother Were "workirg" Mrs.
| Ilotchkiss-How Sincere MIST n Person
re In Order TO he IeEatees
Rafael Wood. nephew OF Mario +. Hotchkiss
| and beneficiary for 100000 under her will.
says that his long residence In France as the
| agent OF tho Hotchkiss Gun Company has
made his mother tongue difficult to him. He
had to bostir himself in English in the Surro-
| gates Court yesterday to explain his many
| letters He was under cross-examlnation by
| Daniel G. Rollins in the contest Of the will.
| The letters were chiefly written to Mira
| Hotchkiss and his mother Mrs. Mantle. the
| only sister OF Mrs. Hotchkiss. Mrs. Mantle
receives $4,000 under n will said to dispose
of moro than S3OO.OO0. 1t is she who contests
the will. Concerning these letters. Surrogate
Hanson said yesterday to counsel for the con-
testants
You have established the fact that they
were written by Wood to deceive his aunt. He
has admitted that. They We're undoubtedly
writtcn for the purpose Of obtaining an advan-
tage for himself. Then comes the loyal proro-
sition as to whether that constitutes undue in
nuencc. They also establish tho consent and
connivance of his mother and family for the
same purpose
Tho Surrogate thought that few were
enough. but n considerable number were put
In. Wood kept copies OF his letters to his aunt
and mother. Tho letters to his aunt before
July. 1890. were in Frcnch. At her request he
wrote thereafter in English. but used French
expressions Mt times.
In ono OF his letters to his mother he said
that 1t took away much OF tho charm to writo
to Ms aunt in English. as French letters were
the kind that were called for" When asked
what he meant by the words called for" no
snid. Letters that would best answermy pur-
What was tho charm that could best be pro-
ducel in French 2" he was. asked.
THE charm of gaining her affections"
NO money in i. But naturally knew TINT
II gained her affection she would not forget
On May -. $50 he wrote rot u an ,' afIeetionate
letter to his aunt. pinned TO which was u little
e 9W Ira w ta ms OF WIFI N1a hd
ma NIrs: Ho,ehkiss had made to her ' grave ~,
sfs ass M s n0Hs ~ @RGas
On July %. is 70. on arriving ut Paris with
Nina. lie wrote to my dear. darling mother"
They are now estrnngc,di and d! not speak to
spoke Of in court as Mrs ManIS h M'o N mar "o
rried three hl times; letters addressed to her as
his aunt Tic Wool letters eontainsd some some.
was the doing best no could for his mother.
The other letters sometimes ontaiucl larger
sums Ono letter to =" Mrs. Wood said:
Kec? quiet. watch everything and at the last mo-
get along with what little she tdecedenp gives you
referring to his first wife. Matte. and the
growing interest Of his aunt in him. he said:
Matte is realizing now what she has los, and Is get
everything. Keep the ball rolling.
He requests that his mother shoulh setAnnie,
the maid of Mrs. Hotchkss. to open all letters
to his aunt and to send to HIM all tho letters
which his first wife. Matte should send to his
aunt. Tho letter ends with oceans OF love
and thousands Of kisses.
BY the words at tho last moment act with
energy he said he meant simrly for his
mother to TO present at his aunt's death His
family believed in 1890 that mis- aunt was not
likely to last long. BY an expression in the
same letter.. everything will come out all
right no did not mean that he would come
out with 100000.
In Il; letter to his mother OF July %. 1890. he
said:
Don't give up dear mamma Fyou do we are done
fHr After somany year: Of hardwork i, would he
Your game Is to play away from her the subject OF
money. That was Nina's game visit her. You
see for yourself that she told You perfect. and
OF me growing careless Many thanks dear mamma.
for going to church on Sunday and your prayer. God
heard
He said that he had got 5000 from the father
OF Nina for his visit with Nina to this country.
When asked if h" did not think it dishon-
orabio to have the mnid Annie open all OF Mrs.
Hotchkiss,s letters. he said he did not want his
aunt troubled with letters from his !orner
wife.
He was still on the stand when the case was
adjourned until Monday.