The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-21
BACK FROM WINCHESTER
Party Which Accompanied Judge
handley's Remains Has Returned.
BUSINESS WAS SUSPENDED
Executors Discuss Schedule A" and the
Value of the Estatc-Thcir Estimate
Only n Little Over Miiliou-Bnl.
timOrc Suns Account.

At 400 O'Clock yesterday afternoon
the party from this city which accom-
panied the remains of ex-Judge John
Handley to Winchester, Va, returned
home. They returned in the special car
in which they made the outward trip
and left Winchester Tuesday afternoon,
stopping for the night in Harrisburg.
On their arrival here I.emuel Amer
man and John r. Richards, two of the
executors of the estate, We're inter
viewed by u Tribune reporter, 1t was
learned from them that the business
places and schools of Winchester We're
closed from 1890 to O'clock the day of
the funeral which was the most largely
attended of any similar event i'll the
city's history.
What transpired in Winchester Is
best told in the following dispatch from
a correspondent to the Baltimore sun:
why lie Liked Winchester.
"rhe remains of the late Judge John
Handley, of Scranton, Pa, We're re-
ceived here Monday night via the cum
erland Valley railroad and deposited IN
the Episcopal church until Tuesday
morning, when the final services were
semblage ever seen here ON similar
occasion. His friendship for the late
Thomas Jifkins. of Scranton, once
resident of this county, was the oc-
casiOn of his first visit here, some tif-
teen years ago, and the acquaintance
then formed ripened into intimacy with
number of Winchester people and
since that time he has been frequent
visitor
Several years ago he purchased the
lot in Mt. Hebron cemetery in which
his body now lies, and 1t is believed that
had his life been prolonged he would
have become a citizen OF the town.
His strong sympathy with the south
during the war and his admiration for
the great Confederate leaders, Lee and
Jackson, doubtless had not little to do
with his choice of II burial place. 1t is
Immediately in front of and adjoining
the center of the Confederate ceme-
terry.
"A called meeting of the common
council was held Monday afternoon, at
which his death was officially an
nounced, resolutions of sorrow passed,
'
the plans adopted for public and dprivate
recognition of the sad occasion. The
council and all of the city and county
officials attended the funeral in body.
The firemen, in citizens dress, were
also present, and the hundreds who
could not gain admission to the church
thronged the line of the procession in
an unbroken mass for nearly a mile.
The most beautifulamong thenumerous
and handsome floral offerings was de-
sign in rare and expensive flowers con-
tributed by order of the city council of
Winchester"
\ Baltimore Estimate.
The Sun editorially contains the fol-
lowing:
THE benefactions to the city of Win
chester Va, by the late Judge John
Handley, of Scranton, Pa, We're far in
excess of the first announcement. Be-
sides leaving $780, 900 for free library
for the city he makes Winchester the
residuary legatee of one-third of his
estate, estimated at four millions of
dollars. AS all the bequests as far as
known do not aggregate half million
dollars, it will be seen that Winchester
will get at least a million dollars, prob
ably considerably more, in addition to
the s250,0O0 library fund The interest
on the latter fund will be compounded
until 1t reaches $500, 900. OF this sum
$3.50 600 is to be devoted to the erection
of the 'Handley Memorial Library and
$3.50 900 for it's maintenance. This is in
n eH1a frif ri
ately recognized at Winchester yester-
day by a great outpouring of the peo-
pie at Judge Handley's funeral.
1T is said the judge was strong in his
sympathy for the south during the late
war, and it is significant that some
years ago he selected as his burial place
lot in front and adjoining tho center
of Stonewall cemetery where over 5000
Confederate soldiers are buried Win
chester is a historic town, and recently
has been the recipient Of several hand
some favors.'
The Suns account Of the funeral illus
trates the description given the reporter
by Mr.. Amerman and Mr.. Richards.
In the presence of Mr.. Richards a
question bearing upon the estimated
value Of the estate was asked of Mr..
Amerman. He said:
you must understand that since
Judge Handley's death we have been
almost entirely occupied with arrang-
ing for the funeral. As far as his busl-
ness matters are concerned we have
only been enabled to have the viii pro-
bated and could only guess at the value
of his estate.
Little More Than One Million.
81 am of the opinion that Judge Hand
ley was worth $1,000, 900. Mr.. Richards
places the figures higher-about $l,25O,-
00O"
Concerning the now famous Schedule
A" which Is missing and was men
toned in the will as containing certain
individual bequests, Mr.. Amerman said
"It certainly was not with the will
when we located that document The
will was filed in the private safe, which
we were unable to open until the com
bination was found I'm Judge Handleys
pocket. a number Of useful documents
may be found when we finish looking
over papers Of which there is a wagon
load"
The gentlemen were warm In Their
praise of the treatment accorded the en-
tire party by the citizens of Winchester
mi A