Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-12-28
HETTY GREEN'S SUIT.
Her Fathers Estate Has Been in Proc
ess Of Settlement 30 Years---the
Charges Against the Trustees.

Charges Against the Trustees.
Despite her business acumen and the
shrewd management OF her financial af-
fairs, Mrs. "Hetty'' Green, the wealth.
est woman in America, is obliged to admit
that a not inconsiderable portion Of her
vast estate is badly eutangled, and that it
drifted into its involved condition utterly
unknown 70 her.
1t became known Saturday that there
has quietly been going on in the Mills
building in New York for nearly three
years a hearing before referee appointed
by the supreme court in which Mrs. Green
seeks TO have the executors and trustees
OF her fathers estate account for a trust
fund Of about 10000 left by him for
her benefit.
Mrs. Green, through her counsel. ". II.
Stayton, alleged that there has been gross
mismanagement by the executors and trus-
tees that, whereas the law requires exec
utOrs to come in and wind up their &C
counts within l. months, - years have
elapsed since her fathers death, and there
is still a large sum Of money in the hands
Of Henry 4. Darling, one Of the executors.
Il is also alleged that. although the law
allows executors TO eXpend but 500 with
out vouchers, and that, moreover, in sepa-
rate sums not exceeding $50 each, it is al
mitted that more than 500. OOJ has been
spent by the executors for which they have
no vouchers.
Hetty Green's father, Edward NJ Rob
inson, died in June, 1865, leaving a for
tune Of about 100000, which he had &C
cumulated through ventures in whaling
and trading vessels. one million of this
went direct 20 his only daughter Hetty
/ The residue was left in trust for her.
The executors alone have had on hand
since the first accounting a sum which has
sometimes been as high as 1854. 600, and
which has never fallen below S632, 800.
Mrs. Green, as a shrewd business woman,
views with amazement the fact that the
income from this amounts 10 but 1894 600,
and with CONSERVATION the fact that the
collection OF this income has cost the es-
tate S12l,0OO.
Mrs. Green's present efforts are directed
toward having the executors close their &C
count. What action she will finally take
is not known, but she will undoubtedly
make application for the appointment Of
new trustees.
Mrs Hetty Green is not only the wealth
/ lest woman in America, but she has won
fame for her shrewd dealings in Wall
/ street, where she has many times demon
strated her ability to cope with the best
financiers. She is a little more than 80
/ years old and was christened Harriet II.
Robinson at her birthplace in New Bed
ford, Mass. She spent many Of her win
tiers during her early life in New York,
where she became iavorite in the best So
ciety. About the time the war began,
however, the desire to accumulate money
became the absorbing passion Of her life.
She disposed Of her fathers shipping in
terests and invested in bonds, mortgages
and similar securities. She attended 10
every detail involving this transfer Of mil
lions herself, and from that time her judg-
ment in real estate investments has rarely
been at fault
Soon after her fathers death her aunt
also died, leaving her an estate worth 81
OO0,0 BY successful operations in Wall
street Mrs. Green has steadily increased
her wealth. In 1855 she was known TO
have on deposit with John j. Cisco, her
banker, So, 200, 600 in government bonds
and first class securities, these being but a
portion Of her vast holdings.
She now keeps her bonds and securities
in the Chemical national bank, and also
has deposited there one of the finest colec-
tions Of diamonds in the country. She re-
CARDS these as an investment least likely to
depreciate in value, and buys them for that
purpose solely. She would scorn the idea
of wearing one of them herself.
Mrs. Green is the embodiment of econo-
my in her household affairs. Her expenses
do not exceed $1,000 or $4,000 year. It's
said that for her intimate friends and those
whom she knows to be worthy and in need
she performs many acts of generosity.
Mrs. Green Believes Her Father and
Aunt Were Killed and that Her own
Life Is In Danger.
According to the story told by her law
yer, William II. Stayton, Mrs. Green is in
fear of her life. A belief, firmly fixed,
that band of coEspiratOrs took the life of
her father, Edward NJ Robinson, and Of
her aunt, Sylvia Ann Rowland of New
Bedford, years ago, and are now daily seek
ing her life and the life of her children,
continually haunts her. Glass, she de-
clares, has been placed in her food not six
months ago; blocks of wood and stone
have been hurled at her from windows as
she was passing on the sidewalks, and on
numerous occasions her life has been
threatened
Whether or not Mrs. Green is the victim
OF strange hallucnaton remains yet 10
be learned, but that her fears have melted
her to lead the life of recluse there can
be no doubt.