The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-07-17

over great estates, all friendships, sill low
ing compaalonships become a bleak and
barren memory, and it is death which has
dealt too justly or nnjustly against one or
the other of living kindred.
Surrogate Ransom was listening to the
testimony in a strange case while ! was in
his court room. The estate involved WAS
not 5000 and yet the two disinheriteG
children were clamorinG for share against
mother end favorite child.
'sRomances without end,r said Captain
Mcintyre. the surrogate's clerk. Slowed
away in our musty document rooms are the
wills Of ali New Iork's testate dead, and
some dsy the romencer who will found a
great tale on fact will dig up the testimony
OF a noted case and will tell stranger
story than was ever conceived by human
imagination.
Some time ago il was the Faverweather
case. IN which a great estate was given
over almost entirely TO philan thropic ends.
Far back the HRmersleys were contest
ing for what is now the property of the
Duchess OF Marlborough.
Still farther back it was the Frank Les
lie will case in which two sons were dikin-
berited.
The clerk was looking over the musty
records and each great case evoked an In
teresting utterance as toits general nature.
Richard Newcombel All, yes That is
e late one He disinherited his daughter.
Alfred Bediow He disiE herited his wife
and daughter and made the estate over to
stranger. Rosa V. Burns. she was a niece
OF Victoria Woodruff. Disinherited her
husband and left the estate 10 an old Span
lard. Isaac Halsesy. He disinherited his
wife and Children"
And so ne went on from noted case 10
case, and when had tabled of q hundred
volumes went dowE into the old document
room and began my search for the romances
OF real life. Many a volume of wills lies
stored away in the lower vaults. Those
are the earlier records. But the testimony
in the cases of the last fifty years is bun
died up In volumes, some so thick with
dust that the number OF the tome could not
be deciphereG. But within were mass of
interesting facts. | turned back TO one of
the $50 volumes and conned over the will
Of Frank Leslie. He had given his entire
estate, then badly tangled up and Involved.
70 his wife, disinheriting his sons. AL
fred and Frank. They contested the
win, claiming undue influence. Then
came out the strange story of Henry Car
ter's life-that was the name Of Frank
Lesie-of his first marriage and of his sec
ond wedding. The story Of the life of
Nrs. Squires, low Mrs. Frank Leslie
WILDE was told. Here slur and there
bit OF praise.
The thrilling desthbed scenes were de-
tailed by sons and wife. Alfred's story
Yves bit Of vivid romance. He had gaineG
access TO his fathers house day or two
before the death and told how the then
speeches. man had taken his sons hand.
kiRsed il over and over again.
Then came the cold statements Of the
Leslie attorney who had drawn up the
will. The sons, he testified, had, accord
ing to Mr.. Lesle's statements, wronged
the father and the disinheritaace was the
consequence They had made his life
misery and he was clear minded when he
dictated the will then in probate.
IN that testimony also came g justitica-
tion for the WIFE, The world had wronged
her and none but be knew Of the noble
character Of her many sacrifices. Ali this
Mr.. Leslie had mentioned to his lawyer
OF course the contest was lost and the
wife Inherited the estate, now worth
many millions.