The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-03
THE RENTON WILL.
Contested by Mrs. Z. w. Sack
man and Mrs. VI. A. Gaffney.
INSANITY AND FRAUD ALLEGED.
Adopted Daughters Claim that Captain
Renton Was Insane and Imbecile
From Before 1876.

Mrs. Elizabeth W. sackman and Mrs. Mary A.
Gafnev, adopted daughters of the late Captain
William Renton. are eontesting his VII They
aiicge that at the time he made the instrument,
in 1s76. he was insane ana incompetent; and
furthermore, that the will was obtained from
him by fraud.
When Captain Renton died, July Is. 1891, il
was foand that his last VIII was drawn Decen-
Der y. IS76. 1t LETT al Of his property, amount
ing 70 several million dollars 10 his wife, but ia
case Of her death before his the estate was TO be
divided between his two sisters, Mary A. Camp
bell and Margaret A. Campbell AS Mrs. Rem
ton died several years ago. the property accord
ingly fell to the sisters, and IN their behalf John
Campbell fled the will for probate December "a,
1891, al san Francisco, where part OF the estate
is situated.
Mrs sackman and Mrs. Gafney, through
their attorney, General James l. Crittenden, of
San Francisco, have now filed their contest aad
demand jury trial They resist the probate OF
the will on several grounds. The first is that
they are the adopted children and only children
OF William Renton and are accordingly his
heirs at law. They also ellege as follows:
That at the time of signing and publication OF
said pretended viii, ii the same ever was signed
or published, By said William Renton, deceased,
the said William Rcntcn was not of sound and
disposing mind, but was, on the contrary, of
uns0und mind and insane, and men
tally incompetent to make will;
tudk Tile e5lU WI heUIOn, al tee
time when said pretended will was
made, signed and published, and from that
time to the time OF his death was totally blind.
and was person OF great physical weakness
and mental imbecility, and that such great
physical weakness and mental imbecility were
caused by old age and long and continued
spells o. sickness, which had operated on the
mind OF said William Renton, deceased, 10 such
decree that he became aud was exceedingly
weak and unsound in body and mind, and in
sane and mentally incoInl etent at the time of
q 81 iy1yo and Iii md
ton of said pretended will, and long prior
thereto.
The contestants further allege:
That at the time OF the making, signing and
publication OF said pretended will If the same
WIS ever made, signed published by said
William Renton, deceased, the said william
kenton signed the same under restraint aud IN
due influence.
That the said pretended will was never signed
by said William Rem on, deceased.
That the said pretended will was never pub
hshed by said William Renton. deceased.
mat the said pretended Will was never exc
euted by the said William Rentou, deceased.
The contestants petition for decree of court
in accordance with these allegatons-a decree
declaring that the pretended Will was obtained
and procured by means of fraud"
There is little reason to doubt that Captain
William Renton's sisters will vigorously resist
this contest and will bring witnesses from this
city and from Port B.akeley to prove that he
conducted his lumber, mill and other vast busi-
ness interests with great success for fifteen years
after the drawing OF the will, when he is al.
legged to have been insane.