The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-07
m NIECEs CONTEST.
- Claimants to the Estate Of
Mrs. Jane Harmon.
,sw INFLUENCE IS ALLEGED.


IN If Jane Harmon. who died aged
: I. shis city January 9. 1894, 10 being
- The contestants are Mary
~ Taylor, Minnie Lsdbettsr and
1870 Smith. ali nieces Of deeeassd.
- muressnt that when their aunt
- LIT no husband. no Issue or
<..-.Aaut Of any issue, no father
..6xhsr and no sister or brother: that
Z. ssvsr had q Sister. but only two
-. BENJAMIN and Charles Harmon.
- a whom died before her death.
-, Arm TAYLOR and Minnie Ledbetser
8 .bsIdrsn of Benjamin Harmon, and
5skedns Smith IL the only child Of
80 Harmon. Another claimant has
~ Inquiries by mail.
=, ~ terms Of ths will found after the
"a a. lane Harmon. who was illiterats
- ssajd not write. she gave all her prop
- both real and personal, 20 Z. c. Me-
nerohss. of this city. and appointed him
- executor. The instrument Vas &C.
tuosIedgsd in the presence OF Lee De
-. a. r. Brsdeen and 1. r. Newman,
81 D. vriss. 81 the request of the
eratyix. signed her name to the doeu-
ssrt The estate 10 valued ~ $1,000
ucCls nshsn, the contestants say, was
! No vsy related TO the deceased, but was
= vtdouer OF her only daughter, Amelia
Harmon. who died In August, 1883, six
..aru betors the mother died. McCiaaahan
1 ~ mssnsirae married again. The con .
- i nsds on the following grounds:
that ths will has not been sufficiently
apysn.
Thst n u not the will Of deceased, be-
nuss st the time Of execution august Is.
b0g1 lane Harmon was mentally incapa-
e,slsd from making . will. and had been
* three yssrs of o weak mind and child
IA. that the pretend cd will WAS procured
throush the coercion and threats of she
sseuior, who had Mrs- Harmon under
kb mental control and exercised IN
uadus influence over her.
Before Mra Harmon died McClanahan
rs appointed her guardian. Immsdi-
sssly after her death he petitioned for let
m Of administration and qualified ~ sx-
srstor January q. He was cited to ap-
~ bsiors The probate court December %
"a aasssr tho complaint
Mn. Harmon left relatives in Kentucky,
nd BY eoincidencs q letter was received
tom kentucky yesterday almost at the
nms time the contest papers were filed.
fAs envelope was postmarked Peytens-
hsrs. November n. and was inscribed:
JAGfsce return In 10 day II not got TO
iAs circuit Cisark OF Seattle 90 Washing
Dn tsfTetore-
The latter indicates writer of limited
understanding and 10 written IN charac-
sss almost iilegibls. 1t is A. follows:
.novsmber ~ 1884 Seattle co Washing
isn tsrretore mr. Cleark hav heard that
Der was big astatste q comig to Ben
lannon's airs and that il was oomig from
at harmon Ben harmons sister and II
hare IL snsy thing of IL be any thars In
"a then pleas rite TO mo and lot me now
1eut Ii aud how much that IL ID and
IrAsther ID I'm court are not Pleas rite soan
eyvu Get this and rite how long IL has
u In law suit all Of tho of Ben harmins
saAdren 10 ded but 3 my wife 10 sns of
cam here name II marthey charles led
hsters wife is one name il mint Jake
Asrs wife il the one and all
aPleas mr. Cleark ists me now about IL
,ad oblig your truley A Grace and mis
vie
sri,e 10 Psysens burg oumbsiand CO Ky
y A rAoE"
The complaint states that BENJAMIN
Harmon died prior TO the death of Jane.
Asvns three children. the names of only
iss being given. The other one evidently
~ brother-in-law to the author of the
hiiss published above. Under the Wash
nsson statues Grace will not be entitled to
GAIN any of the estate. There 10 no
Fsisrsncs in the complaint to the death OF
he sister.
III perhaps worthy of remark that the
NIL being contested Is signed by Jane
Harmon's mark. and the complaint bears
the marks Of the three nieces, none Of
them heins AHA tn Wrtte