The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-02-26
A WILL IN IMPOSSIBLE INK.
TIE INK CONTAINED a CHEMICAL
CALLED EOSINE,

beeu mnue-Ine Eestator WINS .
Gordon and the impossible VIII Was
Discovered by Lawyer Henry c. Adams.
Chancellor McGill. Judge OF the Prerogntive
Court OF New Jersey. on Tuesday last filed an
opinion rsvoking a probate he had previously
granted on a pretended will OF George 7.
Gordon. the late millionaire printing press
maker OF Railway. The Judges decision in
effect declares tho will q forgery. and the SEN
s~ational feature OF the evidence uron which
the decision is based was the discovery in a
red ink used. in what vas asserted to he tho
original draft OF the will made In 1868. n
chemical not invented until 1874. and not i'm
ported to this country until after that.
The chemical is eosine. tits commonly used
now In the manufacture Of red ink. and Is the
substance which gives red ink it's bronze cast.
which is noticeable where the ink has been
used in writing. but Is more noticeable on the
edges OF inkstands and on pens and rulers.
A will offered for probate soon after the
death Of Gordon was not probated. owing to
the discovery that the witnesses had not signed
It in each others presence. The principal
bensfciaries. however. under that Will. the
widow and daughter OF Gordon. agreed to u
division Of tho estate which was satisfactory
to tho other heirs at law. and the matter APP
parontly was settled.
But . retired lawyer named Henry c. Adams
Otkhu III Iotcsh yVht 'oi"oH NN"N'' ~
endeavor to obtain tho assistance OF some
heirs at law in an enterprise which was finally
ended only on Tuesday last when Judge Nc
Gilrs decision was rendered.,
In 1868 Adams lived with his father and
brothers on rI Q farm Th near ar6 hn msn S:s sdIo,1 Mn
acquainted through their common Interest in
don had made a viii in 1855, which might DO
draft Of it which he lAdamsjha d retained. Mr..
Doane refused to act upon this proposition:
e. 6h' Go Ads%' ! pf tfcthsr 81 sh' d %sssss f +: c do1dsn.
;sss:5 to is sstsser PeT SorS S515: a. Has ssstio sfss
see him. Cuthbert Gordon, Jr;: declined to
i neesps A%u ADAMS t did not write or se conm eGd-
cato to the widow Or dsuShtsr OF George Cor
sons Who dealt With the Estate. Finding that
The heirs at law were satisfied with the ar.
daughters management. he gave up his efforts
di ia isG Fa asf ana af renlt aeneSs' from rom q her e.ss:
tRG.s and %,a her 6.S Til bss mot r being : ss' Ismitssgcs to
caused a renewal OF Adams's activity; In 1880
n nh yr ssst to giasf t 4 Hi eoat g tiSR Of IL lPw 1.r;
AG = Gordon's Tii H. Adams's letter to tn:
tell you something worth knowing" g.
AR 6ad sIssutsd 2 "! in 1858 which hs
s Ssiss sG the "sS VII hi'f itssii s sa sPr5 ss.a c sFa,t 'rf Hs
that It must Be as his istther's Ihomestead, near
a asss 's;;s Th se r ne YOU'D to b sfs Z t I k IL t 1sT
fssnt Esst tn S!th ps I'll: !sT,S ssna t. {, f sis sssts sss
Oval Adams. w who ocenpisd the Halfway
3 III p. q ( a a"t suo Ms's %, sSn't tassn t"' 9 s saie
siS.ssiais %ii Tt With Il: 5u sissf Ms2ii IF hs Stats A.. 1 Tes
nop,nred a forsery; when finally onsned in ths
written On 'I Llus paper IN Black ink. Ths;
draft. which was on white PAPER: was also
quantity Of red ink had been used In intsrlinea-
tons: The sisniheant pars grnph Of the new
fthe ~testator had not succssded In doing SO
before hi. death. the Henry Adams farm for
sure. tho purchase. but no. lower prico than
SSa9oH w~ S, 9Spsioned. Commenting upon
I'll Is also TO >" here noted that the Adams
farm nrisa for ~ M nSMb s + p Gilsct wSr tn b Sn nSrebas, he
Dt tontinuin nsSith the Judge says - ~ Oi'"A''u'
nays IA i S sSs%i ID: fsS IS f Il a. SlsSq i. ld SsR:f
he drew the disputed, paper at the instance OF
M Mr. S ssId r. WAS Vas p r@pisd' q draft from T baSa
sircsdy states that Mr: Adams. testified most
PAPER Vas offered in evidence that it was the
Identical document from which the will OF
bored I" tha' til. intHerlinsasions in that draft are
almost all ma e, VIII red mi; and that Mr..
listed when the will was copied from the draft.
With Il view to testing the truth Of this tssti-
arisntiHe = morris who nTDn0nnnpI the red ink
to he a product Of sosins. a substance invented
by German. chemist named Caro- in the year
e e"aai Sa' Al f' iirst ' t Was s'% s"id ' faF s slsS a 70 oou i%ds
snh was SO expensive it could not be, used
tthst It reeame ssnsrs,iIy Hsedin making red
east cas- that IS readily I's" dotee I p'fiqt'' Was P rseog.
1izsd IN tho red ink int'r!lneations IL til:
:h.ldc sensicnen., a%ene whom were
s sRe' c%o Sa sns s snd If: Sarl ri pie %RRhaHdise WhS ar ,a
impoTtsd sosine; Upon sps,d ~ further sxas,ination
the win on blue paper and that then no was
Suggestion Of, counsel. but 'aiterwsard he
thought upop the subject In the yIgils OF re
ntsh Roach hut su 9s Hnisf' doaSs eH nS,nssa /" sorr a,a
his previous testimony until after the testi-
mony eonesrni1g The character ! Of the red ink
49, 1t is impossible to study this remarka-
BILE case at this point without, grave doubts as
to the truthfulness of Mr.. Adams. and indeed
ss to the franknsss with which the case was
produced In court In behalf OF the proponents"
As to Adams as a witness. the Court finally
nays;
Mr.. Adams and note his apparent misappre-
hsnsion OF questions that would tend to in.
y9lye him. and note the apparent failure OF
memory Of tho most trivial and unimportant
details. am inclined to reject ths whole
and fallen to aU rieceso .ns' ""ai ma Il et to is im.
possible to rely upon tho testimony Of Henry
c. .!Ada am A.. Excluding It the M. is met not p pb,rs
have heretofore granted in common FORM"
Tbs will had been PROPOSED t9r pIobsts By
and shs and William II, Corbin had heen APP
pointed administrators In the temporary PRO;
ceedings. The proponents were represented
by Gilbert and Collins, the contestants by Bar
ksr Gummere OF New Jersey. and Theodore I.
Miller for Alexander q Green.
TWO SALOONS ON TWO CORNERS