Evening star., 1895-03-07
Stories About a Contest Denied by
the Family.
THE SONS UNITE IN A STATEMENT
They Say There Has Been No An
tagonism.
THE WIDOW INTERVIEWED

report which gained wide circulation
to the effect that the heirs to the estate of
the late Frederick Douglass would contest
the will on the ground Of undue influence
having been used by Mrs. Douglass to OBJ
tain favorable consideration in the will
is denied by the principal parties involved
in the report.
The report, which was sent in press dis
patches from Rochester, N. Y, last night,
after setting forth that the will would be
contested, proceeded with the statement
that the feeling between the children of
the first wife of Mr.. Douglass and the
widow had not always been friendly, and
that during the latter days of Mr.. Doug
lass life he decided much of his property
to Mrs. Douglass without the knowledge
of the children by his first marriage. They
were, the report continued, intensely exer-
cised upon seeing their fathers property
slipping away from them. The estate has
been said to be worth S2OO.OOO. The report
proceeds to give the information before
the probate of the will that the children
are to receive but a very slim portion of
the estate. 1t further states that as far
back as 1850 Mrs. Douglass began to get
possession of her husbands property.
Denied by the Sons.
Lewis H. Douglass and Charles r. Doug
lass the sons of Mr.. Douglass, today made
the following FORMAL Statement:
1.-The statement telegraphed from Roches-
ter. N. Y. to the morning papers of the
country that there is, or has been, any
antagonism between us and our fathers
wife or his widow, at any time, is utterly
false. That there has been any consulta-
tion with any one at any place or at any
time in regard to any will of Frederick
Douglass, our father, We have no know1-
edge. We are absolutely unable to account
for the statement made from Rochester.
The man Lee, who says he. is bound to
secrecy by all parties, tells an untruth If
he includes the undersigned in 'all par
ties" We have had no conversation with
him at any time in regard to our fathers
affairs. His statement is wholly unwar-
ranted.
LEWIS H. DOUGLASS.
''CHAS. R. DOUGLASS"
Denied Mt Cedar Hill.
Mrs. Douglass was seen by a Star re-
porter at the family home at Cedar Hill
this afternoon. The widow received the re-
porter in kindly fashion and had this to
say about the story: 1T is tissue of
falsehood." She would not discuss the
matter more fully, but 1t was plain that she
felt aggrieved. She had at that time heard
nothing from the sons of Mr.. Douglass, and
therefore did not know whether they would
make a contest should the will be preju-
dicial to their interests. She did not say
this however. All that she did say in d.
tissue of alsehood." 1t was plain there
fore that what she meant to characterize
as tissue Of falsehood'' was that part
Of the story setting forth that she had
used undue influence. Questions as to
whether she knew the contents of the will,
and if so, what they were, the reporter did
not ask, because he felt morally sure that
she would decline to discuss the PROPOSE
ton. After she had repeated emphatically
that the story was tissue of falsehood'
the conversation turned to memories Of MIR.
Douglass, and she spoke in this vein. The
reporter also spoke with Mrs. Sprague,
daughter of Mr.. Douglass. She, too. had
but recently learned Of the report. She
said: Il am very much exercised over II.
So are we ALL" Both Mrs. Douglass and
Mrs. Sprague live at the homestead, SEEM
ingly on amicable terms. The sons and
several grandchildren have been frequent
visitors at the old home, and the grand
children have spent long terms under the
roof.
Grandchildren Mny Contest.
Referring today to the disposition of the
estate Of the late Fred. Douglass, the
guardian of certain grandchildren of the
deceased assured a Star reporter that If
the widow of Mr.. Douglass should be dis
covered to be, by the provisions of his will,
practically the sole or principal beneficiary,
the will would surely be contested.
1t was explained that Mr.. Douglass be-
ing possessed of real estate here, the will
or an exemplfied opy of it would neces-
sarily be filed here. Neither the will nor
copy of it has yet teen filed anywhere. it
1t said, although 1t Is believed by Mr..
Douglass family that one or the other will
be filed here in few days The widow is
supposed to be In possession Of the will,
but 1t Is said that no one definitely knows
its provisions.
The impression here Is that the deceased
amply provided for Mrs. Douglass, ,apd that
his heirs-at-law were not neglected. The
estate Is variously estimated to be valued
at from S1OO.O(O to $200OOU and is said to
include real estate here, in Rochester, N.
Y, and elsewhere, besides considerable
personally.