The herald., 1894-09-19
THE PRATT WILL CONTEST.
Beginning Of What Will Be a
Noted Case.
A Big Estate Suit That Requires
Many Lawyers.
Struggle of the Heirs to Obtain Their
Share-A Second Will Said to
Havs Been Executed
by Mrs. Pratt.

At the long table in front OF the
room yesterday afternoon. sat strong
collection of legal talent, upon the occa.
sion OF the commencement of the hear
ing in ths contest over the will OF Mrs.
Annie A. Pratt.
There has been vast amount OF pre-.
liminary skrmishing in this case. COM
mensurate with the s;zs OF the estate.
which when rst inventored was valued
at nearly $1,000, 900.
The incsHsant litigation that has en-
sued shortly before and ever since the
death OF Mrs. Pratt, has been pretty
well ventilated in the newspapers, "a
was seen when the work of empaneling
a jury was begun. nearly every juror
having read more or less about the dis.
putes between the heirs.
The contest of the will left by the lady
will become celebrated case before 1t
is completed, and the elias shing OF legal
intellects 10 expected to result in some
interesting displays for the spectators.
The afternoon yesterday was spent in
getting a jury. and that job wac COM
pleted before Judge Clark took recess
until this morning.
Some very nice points are to be urged
in the hearing of this contest. 1t will
be remembered that Mrs. Annie A.
Pratt died in this city at the homo Of
Gen John Mansfield and wife, whore
she had been living for several years
before her death. Before her death
Charles F. Hanlon OF San Francisco, on
behalf OF aome of the heirs, began pro.
ceedings against General Mansfield and
wife, claiming that be had obtained
possession of money belonging to Mre.
Pratt's estate, which he should NOT
have. The death OF the lady gave =
new turn to the dispute. 1t continued,
but in another direction. The dispute
began with the filing of Mrs. Pratt's
will by General Mansfield, in whose
possession it had been.
This will was dated April 2S, 1881,
and bore a codicil of date June 3, 1885.
Il purporteG to be entirely in the hand
writing of Mrs. Pratt, nd contained
numerous bequesta, of which the fol.
lowing Is summary:
TO her sister, Mrs. Louise G. Parker,
and daughter, Lucy @. Goodspeed, in
trust for her mother, Mra. Eliza Maria
Parker, $50, 900. which was to go to Mrs.
Louise g. Parker and Mrs. Goodspeed in
case OF the death of the old lady; che 10
now deceased.
To Louise G. Parker, 100000; to her
sister, Mrs. Anah e. Mansfield, $50, 900
to her nephews, Charles H. and Russell
P. Mansfield, $4,000 each; Gen. John
Man sfeld, $4,000; Mrs. Nora Mansfield.
, wife OF Charles, $1,000; Mrs. Catharine
: Roth and Mrs. Helen Ostrand, nieces. Of
. Fairabsult, Mimi, $2500 each; Mrs.
| Ghprloe O0l. 10 IT
! Cross, 5000; Charles p. Pratt, $40 acres
OF Aguas Frias rancho in Butte county
Louise G. Parker. $40, 0C0 to be expended
i'll charities. All the restof the estate to
20 share and share aike to Lucy 9.
Goodspeed and Charles r. Pratt, or their
heirs.
The codicil of 1886 provided that in
case her daugh hter-in-law, Mrs. Kate M.
Pratt, mafries again, the bequest Of
1000 to her reverts to her two chill
dren, May and Orville G. Pratt.
BY this will Mrs. Pratt appointed her
sister, Louise G. Cross, her son, Charles
P. Pratt (deceased), and her daughter,
Lucy O. Goodspeed, executors without
bond.
The will has been contested by Mrs.
! Lucy Goodepeed, OF San Francisco, end
Judge E. l.. Campbell. as guardian Of
bU6 AtEoI VI Oudticc Ihtts
Mrs. Goodspeed has for counsel Charles
F. Hanlon of San Francisco and J. s.
Chapman OF Los Angeles, while the
Pratt heirs are represented by Senator
Stephen M. White, Judge J. O. Camp
bell OF San Francisco and Charles Mon
roe of this city.
The petitioners for probate of the will,
Mrs. Mansield and Mrs. Gross, are rep
resented by Messrs. Wells & Lee and
MesHsrs. Silent, Houghton d Campbell,
OF Los Angeles.
, Yesterday the venerable General
} Mansfield occupied a seat at the table
at the side of his counsel. There were
aleo in the court room Mrs. Lucy @.
Goodspsed and the two Misses Goucher,
pretty girls, who were very much inter-
9 ested in the, to them, novel proceed
r ings.
t One of the probable events OF the
q trial, as intimated by counsel. will be
testimony OF second will by the de-
= ceased, dated in 1884. and drawn up in
8 the office of Mr.. HanIon after the date
/ of the frat will, but before the date OF
4 the codicil OF the first will in 1885. and
{ which would give the great bulk of the
estate to Mrs. Goodspeed and the heirs
OF her brother Charles p Pratt, de-.
ceased. If the codicil of 1885 is held 10
republish the will of 1881, the Mans
fields and others will receive their be-.
quests. But if it does not, and the con-
testants can prove the 1885 will, they
D will not receive much from the estate.
I There will also be, as developed by
| examination OF jurors, attempts by the
, contestants to show undue influence over
MIR. Pratt by General Mansfield and
wife.
The examination of jurors was con.
Quoted with considerable care, and the
jury as impaneled consists of the follow
ing:
, John Beckwith, P. B. Chase. I. w.
. Clanton, Robert E. Clark, Josiah +.
, Durrell, Richard S. Dering, Daniel Grid
! ley, Geo. A. Harris, VIM. Hall Kelso,
. Andrew Osgoodby, r. s. Ramsur and Fl.
S. West.
One of the jurors, Mr.. Oagoodby, is
the Pomona man noted as the author OF
the famous Murckson letter. The TAX
ing OF testimony will begin this morn
ing.
General Milee has been notified from
Washington that the Apache Indians
captured with Geronimo are TO be trane-
ferred 60 Fort Sill, Indian territory.
Geronimo and his braves were captured
in Ariz ma aud taken TO Mount Vernon,
Ain. Geronimo has become justice ol