Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-28
THE HOLT WILL CASE
Probable Joining Of Issues at the
April Term of Court.
REASON FOR LONG DELAY
Famous Case and How 1t Origi-
mated.
THE MYS RIOUS WILL

It Is now reasonably certain that the
contest over the estate of the late Judge
Advocate General Joseph Holt will be tried
at the April term of the Circuit Court.
probahly some time next April or May.
At least Mr.. J. ]. Darlington of counsel
for the benef1ciaries under the disputed
will SO expressed himself today.
AS will be remembered, Judge Holt died
In this city early in August, 1894, dying.
II was long supposed intestate. The latter
part of last August the register of Wills
received through the mail from an un-
known person n paper writing purportinG
TO be a will of Judge Holt. The instru-
ment. dated in February, 1878, was signed,
it seemed, by three very distinguished
Witnesses-President Grant, Gen. w. T.
Sherman and by tie latteI's wife.
1t appointed Mr.. Luke Devlin of this city
executor or the estate and divided the
estate. estimated TO he worth about S150, 600,
equally between Miss Lizzie Hynes Of Ken
lucky and Miss Josephine Holt Throckmor-
ton of this city, the former being a con-
nection of the testator by marriage, and
Miss Throckmorton being his godchild, the
daughter of Major Throckmorton, L. S. A.
The Natural Heirs.
Shortly after Judge Hollis death. no will
being found, the heirs-at-law claimed the
estate, and the court granted letters of ad-
ministration to local trust company To
this day. it is claimed, the person sending
the alleged will to the register Of wills re-
mains unknown
Mr.. Devlin offered the paper for proba te
shortly after its mysterious receipt, where
upon the feirs-at-law objected, claiming
that the instrument is a forged one AMI
that even If it is not, it has been revoked
They therefore notified the other side that
they would contest the matter. So matters
have remained since lest fall, counsel for
the benehciarfes Crder the alleged will
having denied the allegations made By
counsel for the ileirs-at-law. When tina,
vas done, II was expected that counsel for
the heirs-at-law, Messrs. Jere NJ Wilson
an" A. ). orthington, would quickly make
Up the issues to be tried by Jury in the
Circuit Court. But, it is explained. thai
has been Impossible up to the present time
because or their constant engagement in
other cases.
Almost Ready.
MI Darlington stated 20 Star reporter
today, however. that he felt confident that
the issues would now be framed in time
ior submission in the Probate Court next
FRIDAY. The notice of contest filed by the
heifs-at-law, explained Mr. DARLINGTON.
permitted the framing of about every issue
Known 10 the law, and while he did ot
OF course. definitely know he imagined
me Issues as finally Trained would question
t t ssnG'ho ness OF the Signatures of Judge
Holt ana of the three witnesses: that they
would ailage undue influence and wouId
also aliege that the presumed will had
been revoked by subsequent writings or
phssicai acts of the testator. But should
The issues not be submitted next week Mr.
Darlington thought they would he shorty
alterWard, SO as 20 permit a trial of tha
case next April or May.