The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-25
BROTHERS AT Law OVER A WILL.
Alfred Fatman Charges Solomon With
Appropriating His Estate.


Appropriating His Estate.
The Fatman will case just begun in the
New York courts viii be watched with in
terest by Savannahiens. The suit is by
Alfred Fatman against his brother Soloman
J. Fatman TO force him to disclose what he
has done with the assets OF his fathers
estate. which at his death, IN 1869, consisted
of S3O0, 600 worth Of personal property and
much valuable real estate in New York and
vicinity.
solomon is the senior member Of the firm
of Fatmsn & Co., cotton exporters, now OF
New York, and was formerly in business in
Savannah. The firm here was s. Fatman,
Mr.. Fatman left Savannah two years ago
and has since resided in New York. The
American Trading Society was the sue
cessor Of the firm here.
1t is estimated that with the legal interest,
added to the original sum left by Joseph
Fatman to his wife and sons, the estate
should now aggregate more than 5, 0OO, 600.
Solomon is the sole exscutot of his fathers
estate, and it is alleged by Alfred that he
has never made any accounting to the heirs.
Alfred was only II years old when his father
died. and he claims that he has not received
any part Of his share OF the estate. Solo
mon, in his answer, sets up the claim thar he
never received, as executor, any money
Whatever from his fathers estate, and that
when his father died he was insolVent and
owed more than $500, 600.
Alfred has secured an order from Judge
DAILY for an examination Of his brother
Solomon. and, If necessary, TO compel him
20 show the books of his firm so that it may
be found what has become of his fathers
property in order that Alfred may frame
his complaint. Solomon is making des-
perate legal fight against this.
When Joseph Fatman died he left will
bequeathing SlO0, 600 to his widow and the
remainder of his estate, share and share
alike, to his children. The will provided
that the interest of the ties tator in the firm
of Fatnan & Co., should be preserved in
tact. He directed bis executors to repre-
sent his interest for the benefit of all the
heirs.
Solomon. being the eldest of the four sons
and six daughters of Joseph Fatman, was
named as executor in the will in connection
with two others, but he was the only one
that qualified Solomon is fifteen years Al
fred's senior.
Less than three months after his fathers
death Solomon filed an inventory in the
surrogl ate's court showing more than $500, =
600 worth of personal property in his hands
belonging to the estate. of which $275, 900
Consisted of his fathers interest in the firm
of Fatman & Co.. This is alleged TO have
fbeen the only act he has ever done in per-
formance OF his trust. It is claimed by
Alfred that he never fled an account, dis
tributed any part of the estate among the
heirs or paid the legacy Of 500, 900 devised
TO his mother.
Alfred expects to prove, when the case
comes to a trial, that Solomon used the
trust funds for his individual purposes in
Inducing himself into the firm of Fatman
& Co. as q partner. Solomon's answer TO
this is that the firm was insolvent and that
the creditors swallowed up the entire estate,
real and personal. The inventory filed by
him, showing that his fathers interest in
the firm amounted to S275, 900, he now says
Yves mistake. This sum, he AYERS, repre-
scented merely the assets OF the firm, against
which creditors had liens for $500, 200.
The inventory was fled, Solomon says, TO
avoid the disgrace which would have re-
suited had the public known that the firm
was so heavily involved He claims that
Alfred knew this. Alfred, however, says
his brother never filed any document giving
the names Of these mysterious creditors.
Shortly after his fathers death Alfred
went to Europe. He Travelled abroad with
brother-in-law for some time and then
returned to this country. He came south
ana engaged in numerous kinds of employ
meut. He afterward went to England and
served as clerk in mercantile house in
Liverpool up to two years ago. Meantime
he married and was very anxious to get his
portion OF the estate. His brother refused.
20 make any accounting.
Alfred resolved to seek legal redress, and
came to this country in 1890 to compel his
brother to settle his accounts as executor
The case has been in pending in one form or
another ever since and has now been taken
Into the court of common pleas.