The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-14

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eaca 70 De neld II trust for each OF the
three children. Mary Fiske SteTeas. now
Mrs Arthur Henry Fltzroy Paget. Hen
! y L. stevens and Mrs Ellen NJ Mefcasrr
70 revert in fee 20 their children In
case any OF them died without issue the
remaining children were 10 get his or
I her property IN trust.
After The period ot mourning for her
husband. Mrs. Stevens again took ID the
affairs o. soseGy with redoubled energy.
and soon she he'd an influential place as
leader in taAs city and Newport A
| part OF each season. especially during the
period OF London gayety. Mrs. Stevens
spent abroad with hsr daughter. In tas
| spring os 1878 she announced the engage
snelt o. Mss Mary Fiske Stevens 20
! Capt tnow LIssz-. COLI Pa-et OF the Scots
Guards. II the fsn Of the same year the
wedding took place in this city Nth law
ish display. The death of her son, Henry
Il Stevens. IN 1855, again competed Mrs.
stevens 10 reslre from society for a year.
but she returned. again assuming her in
HuentAal place, and she was recognized as
one OF Esae very few women III this city
who could socially make or tlnEaAke rseo-
pie
With declining years Mrs. Stevens
seemed TO aspire To greater social
achievements. Two years ago she moved
from her Old residence al ~ Fifth ave
FGtn avenue and FGty-seventh street
The residence was buax by the late Mary
Mason Jones. and was wei adapted for
elaborate hospitality. The mansion has a
large ballroom IN the combined styles OF
the time oE Louis XIV. and OF LoE.s XVI.
and IN this exquisite apartment i was
Mrs. Stevens greatest pleasure 10 enter
tain about 100 persons at a time. The
best mslsic. vocal and instrumental,
would invariably precede the dances, and
afuerward the guests would sit down To
an elaborate Supper.
Mrs Stevens was especially fond OF ul1-
sic, and was wont To boast that q great
artist. either of vocal or Instrumental at
taiFFmeg1ts never passed through this city
without singing IN her drawing rooms
Mrs. Stevens was tail, and Of later years
stout. with a full. r-Iady face. pecu-
lar affection OF her eyes caused her to
hold her head back and look out from
under her eyeItds. Some persons attrib-
u5ed the hab1t 20 a naughty spirit. Mrs.
Stevens was a proficient linguiSt, and It
was her custom TO go about among her
guests. pick out the foreigners. and speak
70 them in their native tongues.
Litsgsolsness was one Of Mrs. Stevens
most pronouncs sd characteristics. Il was
said that al one time she was involved
either as plaintiff or defendant In forty
seven different suits. Her name was al
frequently in suits that were trivial. Mrs.
Stevens called them petty lawsuits, and
she frequently asserted that they were
great source of annoyance to her.
Immediately after the death OF Paran
Stevens. a friendly litigation was begun
to construe the viii. This grew into a
litigation by no means friendly, and for
nearly twenty years suits and counter
suits beuw cen Mrs. Stevens and the other
executors have been In the courts. Mrs.
Stevens put her affairs into the hands OF
her lifelong friend, Arthur Leary. and 'on
the death Of her son. IN 1855, Mr. Leary
was made executor OF h2s estate. At the
time Of his death. in February. 1898. Mr..
Leary had In his possession s1,3 .le7 Of
the estate OF Mrs. Stevens, most OF
which was Invested in his own name.
Miss Annie Leary, Mr.. Leary's sister,
was named exeeutrfx OF his estate.
Two actions were brought against Mss
IeaTy TO determine what belonged TO Mrs.
Stevens. Mrs. Stevens acknowledged
that she kept no account of the prop
erIy she had given over to the care of
Mr.. Leary. Mss Leary offered 10 snrn
the property OF Arthur Leary over TO Mrs.
Stevens If Mrs. Stevens would give her
a general release of all claims against
the estate of her brother. Mrs. Stevens
refused 10 sign a release, as she thought
there might be other securities not dis
closed by Mr.. Leary's books An expert
found that almost none OF the estate was
held In the name OF Mrs. Stevens, and that
the bulk had been invested In the name OF
Arthur Lesary.
Miss Leary brought an action for an
accounting of the estate that came into
her hands as exe1utrix, making Mrs.
Stevens defendant. AT the same time a
summons was served on Miss Leary in
an action to recover all the property
of Mrs. Stevens held by Arthur Leary.
Many complications arose and mach
hard feeling resulted The case was
finally settled out Of court
The Paran Stevens estate was plunged
snto litigation again by an action brought
ny Mrs Stevens and her daughter Mrs
Paget. in the court Of common pleas Of
this city for the removal Of Mrs. Stevens
hrother-in-iaw. Charles G.. Stevens, and
her Stepson-in-law. John l.. Melcher as
trustees with Mrs. Stevens OF third OF
the residue OF the estate The mother
and daughter said that they wanted two
other trustees appointed who would CO.
operate wsth Mrs. Stevens. Mrs. Paget
said that she had long viewed with alarm
the aT9tagoniSrn manifested by Uncle
Stevens and Rrother-in-lalw Mehsher TO
her mother, and that she desired to have
her interests placed in other hands Mrs
Stevens IN lorry complaint charged Mr.
Stevens with numerous extravaganceS
and alleged that he and Melcher opposed
her in most mat ters connected with the
estate. and that " would he impossible
for her 10 look after she interests 81 her
daughter properly with them as fellow
trustees. About the same time Charles
g. Stevens had an acr4on pending In the
supreme court for a partition OF the
whole estate. Both suits are still un-
sectied.
In addition To these and other import
ant lawsuits & sesesned TO have been the
misfortune Of Mrs Stevens 10 be con
stanlly snvolved IN petty suits. which
were both annoying and expensive.
Another suit thar caused Mrs. Stevens
a good deaa Of annoyance was brought
against her last summer by her bswler
Edward I. Burge. VIII 3e she was IN New
port Mrs Stevens accused Blrge Of
steolim< soma choice hTa udy, and she
discharged HIM. On Angus the shss.ifr
served On Mrs. Stevens the papers in a
lawsuit brought against her by the but
Ter. Bur,e charged Mrs. Stevens with
tr'espatss and Islander. re sad that when
she discharged him she abused and de-
famed ; SIN. and ne estimated the DAMAGE
to his feelings at S5.eaa
a month later Walter Kalond q walter
brought suit aEainSt her IN Neu-nort 10
collect $3.50 for Wages which h. ola syue-i
we're due him. on the same dag THAI
Mrs. Stevens name was called 81 ssoslrt
an this case she was named as defendant
fn another suit lprrlEht by T. w. Nar>-
rzB. a harness maker. who wanted 70 col
le.et sif5a tire amount az an account that
he claimed had been due him Cor two
years. Mrs. Stevens rSsiained counsel
and announced thae she was willing 20
pay three times as much IN fees as the
.s>..asreFs ha- asn.ssrt- -.