The herald., 1894-03-31
A BITTER FIGHT TO COME
THE WILL OF MRS. ANNIE A..
PRATT TO BE CONTESTED
by the Children of Charles Pratt-Sensa-
tIonAI Charges Made In Long
PEotest-rhs VIII Alleged
to Be Illegal.

The entire trouble between the rela-
tivss OF the late Mrs. Annie A, Pratt is
to be opened up again and determined
effort made to break the will of the de-
ceased, filed ior probate recently by Gen.
John Mansfield
The contest will result in the airing OF
all the family relations and disagree
ments, and has been brought about by
the determination of Judge e. L. Camp
bell as guardian of the minor children
of Charles Pratt, deceased, son OF Mrs.
Annie Pratt, TO contest the probate of
the will.
Yesterday was the day eet for a hear
ing upon the probate of the will, but it
was blocked by the fling OF long pro-
test by Judge Campbell, and proceed
ings were continued until the protest
can be heard, no definite day yet being
fixed.
The protest is filed on behalf OF Annie
M. Pratt and Orville G. Pratt, the minor
children OF Charles Pratt, by +. L.Camp-
bell OF San Francisco, their guardian.
They contest the probate of the will
already offered by Gen. John Mansfield,
referring to it as pretended will, and
the allegations are in substance as fol-
lows:
That Mrs. Annie A. Pratt died at the
county of Los Angeles, On or about Feb.
ruary IS, 1894, leaving estate, real and
personal, in the stste OF California, of
the value of about 100000; that the
only next OF kin and heirs-at-law are
Lucy @. Goodspeed, who is the sole
surviving child of the deceased, and ia
unmarried; and the minor children re-
ierred to are entitled to the share OF the
estate TO which their father, Charles
Pratt, would have been entitled had he
lived, he being Mrs. Pratt's only con.
1t is alleged by the contestants Of the
will already filed for probate. in which
Mrs. Pratt made disposition of the es-
tate, giving various sums to all hey rel
atives, with the bulk o! the properly to
Mrs. Goodspeed and the children, that
it is not good will.
In the petition for probate it was
stated that the will was entirely in the
hand writing OF Mrs. Pratt and executed
in 1884.
This the contestants deny, alleging
that it is not entirely or at all in the
| handwriting OF the deceased, or dated or
signed by her; that it was not at the
date alleged or at any time signed by
her, and that no one for her or in her
presence subscribed her name to it, and
that the signature was not at tho time
or any time acknowledged by the de-
ceased to have been made by her or with
her authority.
That the will does not dispose OF the
whole of Mrs. Pratt's property, of what
she should die possessed of. but shows
upon its face that she intended to make
! dispositions OF large portion OF her
property at some future time by means
OF codicils; tkat it appears from the
| pretended will, that large part Of the
estate OF Mrs. Pratt remains wholly un-
disposed OF, and it WAS not her first in
! tention that it should be her last will.
1t is alleged that paragraph 15, by
which $40, 900 is beQueathed to Louise
! G. Parker for such charitable purposes
aH she might see fit, Is null aud void,
because it is vague, uncertain and in
determinste, and the objects of the be-
quest are not designated.
That the will and the codicil thereto
were procured by duress, through fraud
and the undue influence OF Mrs. Louise
G. Gross, the proponent, and of Mrs.
Anah E. Mansfield, the sister of de-
ceased, and Gen. John Mansfield and
others, for their benefit and to the dam
age of the protestants.
1t is alleged that at the time OF al
legged execution of the will Mrs. Pratt
WAS of unsound mind, and not compe.
tent to make any viii! or codicil.
The contestants therefore ask that the
will and codicil be declared null and
void, and its probate denied, and such
further relief as may be proper.