The Portland daily press., 1894-10-08
JUDGE SINNERS COURT.
Portland Girls Come Near Furnishing
a New Bleak House Story.

-
a New Bleak House Story.
A portland Attorneys Adventures in the
st. John Probate Court-the Lost Will
and the Costs Relating Thereto-the
Daughters of william j. Beatty Will at
Last Share in Their Uncle's Estate.
Readers of "Bleak Housen will remem-
Der the famous case OF Jarndyce VS..
Jarndyce, wherein the estate of certain
wards in chan Gerry was eaten up by the
expenses. That this sketch may not
have been wholly fanciful is shown by
the experience which j. n. Fogg, ESQ.,,
of this city has had in protecting the
interests of two Portland heiresses in
the PROBATE Court at New Brunswick.
The story of the affair even as given
In the papers of st. John reveals state
of things hardly creditable to the man
agement of legal affairs, especially pro-
bate matters, in the Province of New
Brunswick. The Portland heiresses are
Susan and Rebecca Beatty, daughters Of
Mr.. William j. Beatty, o. this city. Their
mother, now deceased, was the sister of
st. John merchant named Thomas
Hunter, North of Ireland man who
came to. st. John, and by careful business
ways amassed property worth about
twenty thousand dollars. Hunter died
last July, leaving besides the nieces in
this city. brother, Mr.. Samuel Hunter,
who lives in Ireland.
None of his relatives were near when
the old merchant died; and a confden-
tial clerk named Enoch O. Parsons, Mr..
James B. Daley, of Vasser & Co., of St.
John, aud Fred j. Britain, of that city,
were those nearest him. On the day of
Hunters death Messrs. Parsons and
Britain examined his private papers, but
found no will. They then went among
the st. John lawyers, inqui1ing for a
will, among those called npon being E.
H. McAlpine. All of these lawyers, in
Guiding McAlpine, denied any knowl-
edge of a will
Vassie & Co., of St. John, having a
claim of Sl700 against the estate, filed a
petition for administration. By this time
the amount Of the estate was known,
and there appears to have, been quite a
gathering of hungry St. John lawyers
Mr.. WI. Beatty, father of the heiresses
in this city, by this time arrived in St.
John. ss4aa
In the meantime.
AN ASTONISHING DEVELOPMENT
had taken place, according to the story
now public i'll St. John. On Sept. II
Lawyer McAlpine, who had previously
denied any knowledge of a will, sum
moned James B. Daley TO his Office and
Thomas Hunters will. Daley was sur
prised at finding himself executor of a
will he had never heard of. He said
afterwards that McAlpine was little
under the weather" that day. No will
was produced. Nor did McAlpine show
will when he went to the Probate
Court, which is presided over by a Judge
named Skinner. To this official Meal
pine said he had the wi and could pro-
duce it. 1t gave a diamond ring to the
wife of W. W. Britain, gold watch
and charm to Epoch o. Parsons, the
clerk, $50 to an innkepeer named John
Newman, third of the residuary estate
to Enoch o. Parsons, my confidential
clerk, who has for SO many years assist
ed to build up my buinesss." and the re-
manning two thirds TO be divided among
my next in kin, share and share alike"
The judge. upon this Representations APP
pointed Messrs. Daley and Linde, admin
istrators pendente lite. At this hearing
were present several lawyers claiming
to represent the heirs, and
IN LINEgFOR THE FEES.
July goth Lawyer McAlplne is said to
have called Administrator Daley into
his Office to get the will and take !. it to.
the Judge Of Probate. Reaching the
Office McAlpine fumbled among some
,,.raro 6noJIv co1oo+od fxro an ~th,oo