New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-23
THE COURTS.
RICHARDSON'S MILLIONS DWlNDLlNG'

p1cuARDsON'S MILLIONS DWINDLING.
1rcArEEs CHARGE TRUSTEES WITH DEFRAuDING
THE ESTATE OF TIE HARLEM LAND OWNER
Tho apnlica;lon made yesterday to Surrogate
Arnold for the removal of William T. Washburn,
Mary r. Washburn and Emma X. Richardson as
trustees and executors Of the VIII OF benjamin
Richardson. the Harlem property owner uiscIoseu
a peculiar state OF affairs. Representing the heIS
at law too numerous to mention Charles H. beck-
EFT made motion that the executors De reneVen
of their trust. openly charging them with fraud
chcanery and absolute dishonesty In their conduct
OF the trust reposed in them.
In 1859 Benjamin Richardson died, leaving an es-
tate valued at about sloOD,coO consisting OF prop
erty in Harlem, Chicago and Salt Lake CITY Inc
will made equitable requests to all the relatives
except Miss Louisa Burrill. She was 10 receive
s. 900 She contested the will. claiming 10 be Rlch-
ardson's common-aw wife. and the executors hau
10 nav $4,000 to her settle the claim
Then TO the surprise OF the legatees the MUTUAL
Life Insurance Company began thirty-one separate
suits against the estate, TO foreclose as many
mortgages held against the estate by the COMPANY.
Then the parties in interest woke up ana oenanueu
accounting.
Mr. Beckett said that he would submit affldavits
showing that the executors had drawn $4,000 out
OF the funds Of the estate, and had pocketed the
most Of the money.
The check-books show that sos 900 had been used
by william T. Washburn to pay personal DEBTS
Mr. Beckett called attention to the fact that when
the executors paid Miss BurrEl her Sop"" they
did not get her 10 release the estate from further
action on her part for dover right and this over
sight whether intentional or not. may Involve the
estate in an endless and costly litigation 10
further mudd.e up the affairs OF the estate MISS
Rurril has begun twenty-seven different actions
against those to whom Mr.. Richardson during his
life gave warrantee deeds to property sod to them
49,. hat executors
have left the taxes on this vast estate unpaid
during the last four years. and as a consequence
the Mutual Life Insurance Company has been com
peeled to pay them For doing 50 the rate OF interest
has been raised. and the per cent mortgages are
now drawing T. and 10 per cent penalties thereby
The expenses OF the estate, as now conducted II
is charged. % per cent or "A per cent OF the
total valuations
At the time that Richardson died Henry c.
Wood was conducting a law office at No liO Nas-
sau-st. Washburn had Wood qualify as trustee
of the estate and entered into partnership win
counts that the entire expense Of running the Once
saddled the estate, even 10 the saIarleS OF
the host Of clerks and Office assistants ueec'Nes
and supernumeraries.
Mr. Wood is now dead. but the affidavit OF one OF
the office boys named Schuch. II true shows CON
clusivey that there crooked work going on,
for he alleges that he used to sign fictitious
gregating about 800 per week. not cent OF which
he ever handled expended.
These fraudulent vouchers extend over period
Of four years and Schuch says he signed them by
direction. This practice was stopped when Schuch
raised the question as the probity OF the UahSac-
Woods books show that he balanced his
checks TO each page OF the checkbook in many in
stances six and seven debts were made on the
stubs.
In behalf Of the executors. ex-Surrogate Daniel
G. Rollins nterposed specific denial 10 each OF
MED on the well-dehned principle OF law that
whom the testator trusts the court should trust