The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-10
a DEAD MANS SHOES.
Contest Over the Estate Of j.
Gardner Kenyon.
CLAIMS or SECOND COUSINS.
xbsy Aiisge he was insane and Undsr
Innasnes When Re Made his
wfff-Court Notes.

The long anticipated contest Of the viii
cf j. Gardner keuyon. who died ia this
city on December -. issse. leaving an e.
ssse valued 80 about 1880. was con-
nseneed in the probate court yesterday by
shree Of the dissatisfied heirs, was.on W..
Engsne w. and Josephine Moore. second
cousins of the deceased, and children Of
Mary Moore. the deceased cousin Of Ken
ron. The court is asked 30 declare the
viii void for the reason that Kenyon vas
rot SAFE and could rot legally distribute
his property. and was also under the in
anence Of Wilmer and Mary c. Palmer, At
whose house be died. The order admit
sing The wiII 20 probate. made on Deem
Der 81. ise2. 10 also STACKED and the court
ssked TO vacate is.
The contestants, who were remembered
- The extent OF s. each in the will, claim
that Kenyon's cousin, Ben iamin Kenyon,
70 whom the bulk Of the estate was left,
b sn impostor and not the next Of kin 20
the testator.
The petition flied yesterday for the an
nulfneut of the will Is signed By Watson
w. Moore for himself and as the attorney
10 fact for the other two contestants. 1t
makes defendants 20 the action A. L.
Palmer and i. a. Pontins, the executors,
wilmer Palmer. Benjamin Kenyon. Ruth
Won fsikenhurg. Martha Beaujean. Mary
Ann brigham. Cynthia Perry and Mary
G. Palmer, all of whom were mentioned a.
hesrs in the will and none of whom. with
the exception Of the executors of the will
and Wilmer and Mary Palmer. live in the
state.
After giving the relationship Of the
a a.
yon's death, the petition states that the
document or pretended will 10 Invalid
and not the true viii Of J. Gardner Ken
Jon beeaass not signed by him, or BY
any other person under his control or by
his direction and not properly sttested.
After which il goes on to allege.
That J. Gardner Kenyon was at the
time the instrument purports 20 have been
executed and long before and asterw ards,
not OF sound mind and memory, bat of
unsound mind and mentally incapable of
making VIII or proper distribution of
property. and was unduiy influenced and
eoerced by Mary @. Palmer and divers
other persons, and that by means Of false
and malicious reports made known 20 him
by Mary 9. Palmer and other persona. j.
Gardner Kenyon was wrongfuliy and In.
faneiy preludiced against your petition
srs."
The PRAYER OF the petitioners Is that the
pretended will be declared Invalid: that
the order admitting the will to probate be
get sside; that the letters testamentary be
revoked. and that a citation may be issued
20 A. l.. Palmer and Frank A. Pontius,
who have taken upon themselves the
execution OF the pretended will, and 10
Wilmer and Mary G. Palmer, and TO all
the iegatees named in said will residing in
the state OF Washington. with the excep-
ton OF your petitioners" to appear in
court on day specified and show cause
Why the petition should not be granted
Judge Langley. upon reading the petition,
granted the citation. and the case will
come up for hearing upon ii December /.
Benjamin Kenyon, who inherits the
bulk OF the estate, is q plain old Canadian
farmer, and Is not ct all disturbed by the
windfali. He came out TO visit Seattle
last May aud was IN the city several days,
during which time he made a thorough
examination ofthe condition OF the estate.
Moore's preteusions we're made known 20
him, but were thrown aside very lightly
by the old gentleman, who expressed him.
self confident OF proving his right 10 the
estate.
Watson Moore. the only one of the CEN
testants living In Seattle. Is lawyer by
profession. and vas not generally known
rs any relative of J. Gardner Kenyon un-
I'll after the iaster's death.
j. Gardner Kenyon was one of the
pioneers OF Seattle. and had lived in the
city for many years, coming up from Cali
fornia where he Was a miner and lumber
man from 1855 until he arrived here in
ISL. lie was very thrifty and accumu-
lated great deal of property. both in CAL
nofnia and Washington.