The sun., 1896-09-01
ISIT MRS. YOUMANSS WILT
A MTsTERIo ADTERTIsER HAS
SOMETHING FOR THE HEIRS.

Youmans's Ieeatees w ouid Suggest th at
the Miss,Hg Doeument May Have Been
Found-story OF Her Two Marriages.
The following personal appeared in a morning
| paper yesterday:
IL John Blgeiow. executor Charles Dudley Warner,
Belsmy sSy SSlver GS.S F,Sd daSghSss Of
man. Prot. John FisSe Of Harvard. the Hampton In
.t 1's "a Tsns ~ s AND
Yonman, VIII advertise. they may hear OF something
Mira Katherine Leo Youmans was the widow
of William Lee, who died In the Sandwich ISL
ands about forty years ago. Several years after
| ward she married tho late Prof. Edward Liv-
| ingston Youmans, editor OF the Popular Science
! Monthly. Prof. Youmans died in SS5. Nine
| years after the death of her second hus-
band. on September 8. 1894. Mrs. Youmans died
at the old Lee mansion at Ridgefeld, Conn.
| By the death of Mr.. Lee his widow inherited
his estate, which was valued at several millions
| Mrs. Youmans had no children by either mar
riage. and therefore she planned a few years
| before her death TO leave her fortune to rela-
tives OF her FIRST husband, from whom the for
| tune came, and to a few Of her most intimate
| friends. She frequently reminded these rela-
| tives and friends that they would profit by her
death. even going so far as to specify what par
| ticular legacies some OF them would receive.
She seemed to be fond Of talking about the will
| sho had made, and year or two before she
died she wrote to Mr.. Pierre Van Alstyne.
President OF the New York Stencil Company. .
nephew OF her first husband. saying that sho
had made him one Of the executors Of her will,
In place Of one named originally.
Mrs. Youmans died suddenly OF heart disease.
After the funeral at Ridgefeld and the burial
at Sandy Hill, y. V, a most careful search OF
hor town and country houses and Of safe de-
posit vaults was made. but no will could be
found. so certain were her husbands relatives
that a will existed that they even caused pieces
OF furniture TO be taken apart. thinking that
Mrs. Ioumans, following habit OF hers, might
have taken pains to hide 1t.
The search was finally given up, and Mr.. Van
Alstyne. at the request OF the other relatives.
applied for appointment as trustee Of the Con-
necticut property. Then, at the suggestion Of
the Surrogate, he made application in New
York county to be appointed permanent adj
ministrator of Mrs. Youmanss entire estate.
The application was granted and the appoint
ment was made. Just as Mr.. Van Alstyne was
about to begin settling up the estate. three
persons appeared in New York and objected
to Mr.. Van Alstynes appointment as admins
TRAITOR.
These persons were James l.. Newton. Ss
years old; his son George Newton, and the elder
Sewton's sister. Mrs. Lucy Ladd. S4 years old.
Mrs. Soumans's maiden name was Newton. and
James l.. Newton and Mira. Ladd claimed to be
the brother and sister OF Mrs. y IoumRus's father.
The claim was established, and Mrs. Ladd and
the elder Newton were recognized as the nearest
relatives OF the late Mrs. Youmans. and. no will
having been found, the sole heirs to her personal
property, the largest part of the estate. and
Joint heirs with other relatives to tho real
estate. Mrs. Ladd. MIR. Van Alstyne. and
George Newton were appointed co-adminstra-
tors. and the Newtons and Mrs. Ladd have al
ready received large portion of their share In
the personal estate.
The property. real and personal was found to
be worth. instead of several millions. something
more than 100000. The most valuable part
sandwich Islands. The other real property In
cludes a block "t buildings in HarIem. the
estate at Ridgeaeld. farm in Massachusetts,,
and some property in Ashevtlle. y. G.
All OF this property was accumulated by Mr..
Lee. Prof. NoumAns ieIt large estate at his
death but this. at the request of bis wife, was
left to his brother. William j. ioumans. who
Lee was a native Of Glens Falls. n T., as was
his wife. When both were very young Mr.
Tie young suitor made up his mind to leave the
country.
sailing vessel for Honolulu. He was one Of the
first Americans TO go to the sandwich Islands.
He had a little money. which he invested in
One day. after he had been there about two
years. a letter came to him which made him
forget all about sugar raising. the Sandwich Isl
the girl In the little northern New York village
letter told him tha, Miss Newton had concluded
that she had made u mistake when she said
:. No." and that she had decided " say " Yes" II
he wanted her to.
ofcourse. the young sugar planter wanted tho
yes. but he couldn't possibly leave his interests
In the islands and 50 he wrote to Miss newton
asking II Phe wouldn't come TO him. IL was q
good deal to - asG sGa % %y9ung girl to nndsEtHkea
Taxing passage from New York in a whaIer sho |
al n IN or nd he nd Mr.
Lee we're married on the deck Of the vessel.
Mr.. Lee gained riches and honors in the isl:
Kaiakaua as tho fuer OF the Islands. he was |
Chancellor OF the kingdom. A. his death Mr.. |
President Dole's Cabinet, was appointed by Mrs. |
Lee the agent OF her interests. She came to this
Her town residence in recent years was at the |
Knickerbocker apartment house al Fifth avenue |
hoase . own and
YouHSSnss oSo was sold shortly 1fter her death
the the old " William Cullen bryant house house
IL West siItsepIh -TTes near Ffsh svsnne
She knew intimately Emerson. " hitler; Lowell, |
Holmes IW Walt Whitman. Charles Oh bud Icy war War.
ner, Edwin Booth, Mark Twain. and other
used to nd a meeting place at Mrs. Youmans's |
house and discuss the questions which most In
Mrs. Youmans was very secretlve. and in
many of tho rare old piece. or furniture which |
she possessed were secret drawers whose exist |
ence was known only to her. 1t Is thought that. |
possibly. the person who inserted the advertise
ment may have become possessed Of one OF tho |
old pieces of furniture and may have discov- |
cred the will. 1t Is also possible that the ahver-
tser has found some Of Mrs. Youmsns's Jewels. |
She had n collection valued at $500 900, and not
q jewel WAS found after her death Mr.. Van |
Alstyne said Yesterday that he would answer
the advertisement. althouPh he thought 1t was
evident hid for money, else the advertiser
would turn over whatever lie has without ado.
The persons named In the advertisement were
all relatives or friends OF the late Mrs. YOumRns.
IL seems almost certain that the nd dvertiser
either has the VIII or knows something about II.
because to each OF those mentioned In tho ad-
vertisement Mrs. Youmans. at one time or an
other. had spoken OF an especial legacy In her
will. Mrs. Charles Dudley Warner. Charles b.
Culver. Clara Field. ,and Abram Wakeman
were cousins and Mr.. Van Alstyne anephew of
Mr.. Lee. John Bigelow and Prof. Fisks were
old friends The Hampton Institute comes In
through the friendship Of Mrs. Youmans for tho
President OF the institution. DIR. Armstrong.
CHILD RESTORED TO ITS MOTHER.