Connecticut western news., 1896-11-12
CONTESTS HER WILL.
MRS. HIcKS-LoRo'S FAvoRITE NsPA-
 Ew FILES OBJECTIONS.

He Denies That the Eccentric woman's
 Great Fortune Had Been Reduced Re
 fore Her D~ath-she Made Large Be
 quests to Loyal servants
 NEW YORK. Nov. 1.-The odd will of be contested by her favorite nephew. J. W. H. Crnrmelin of Amsterdam. Holland.
 During her long stays abroad Mrs Hicks Lord often made the ancestral home of the Crommelins her own. Her nephew knew nothing of her death till a friend in New York sent him newspaper contain ing a two column account of it. This news was closely followed by letters telling of her strange will and intimating that the estate had nst crumbled away by her uS, of the principal, as was rcported at the time. but that instead of a paltry S40O. o0n she still retained what represented some of the many millions that had come to her by inheritance and her two mar riageS
 Mir. Crommelin Is a well known banker in Amsterdam, and his family Is one of the most famous in Holland. He decided to visit America and find out the truth for himself. He arrived here on the Neither lands-American liner Spaarndam week ago last Sunday. He brought letters to American branches of Amsterdam houses, and through them a law firm has been en- gaged to investigate the circumstances of the preparing of the will and to bring the contest Mir. Crommelin has been enjoy ing himself in New York in social way and is now on sightseeing tour in Wash ington. The papers will probably be served within few days
 Mrs. Hicks Lord was born in Surinam, Dutch Guiana, in 1Sa7. Her great grand father wa Sir Francis Rumbout, an Eng fish gentleman, who two centuries ago got concession l2 miles long and miles wide on both sides of FiShkill crock. parts of which have since been owned by such New York families as the kips Van Courtlandts and Schencks.
 Acquired a Fortune In Dutch Guiana
 Sir Francis married a Schenck. and Alb ner IA. their son, married a Miss Wiltse. Their daughter Adeline was the mother of Mrs. Hicks Lord Her father was Unicc Peter Wilkins, whose sister was the anoes- tor of the contestant. Crommelin Wilkins. the father of Mrs Hicks-I,orSi, was rich Dutch planter, who acquired fortune in Dutch Guiana. The family returned to Matteawan, where the father died
 As young and pretty girl Annette Vii. kins was married to Henry Hicks a New York shipping merchant, many years older than herself. He died in 1860, leaving her a large fortune, including mansion at lC West Fourteenth street and valuable lands in Toledo.
 Mrs. Hicks was married later to Thom. as Lord, a New York millionaire, nearly SC years old, who had four sons and two daughters Among the sons was Frank Lord, the famous pistol shot, who is ever letter known in Europe than in America. Thomas Lori lived at S5 West Seventeenth street. He was the youngest of seven broth l CTS, who had come to New York from Eas- Haddam, Conn.
 The wedding took place at Matteawar on Dee. 3l, 1877. Tho Lord family made ( terrible TOW, for the old man was wortf | s6, 0O0. 900. The strangely assorted coupl, were in hiding for a long time. Detective- searched for them in the south, and they were finally found living in her West Four tcenth stpeet mansion. At night they dit not venture to have lights
 On Jan. 3, lS7S. Justice Van Brun signed an order forbidding Lord to dis pose of his property, and ii was shown tha | he had given his wife s2. 900 week foi some time before their marriage. The sui was settled during that year by Mir LnrS | giving his property into the hands of trus tees and his wife relinquishing her dowcl | rights He died n year later, leaving tn, bulk of his property to his widow. ! Mrs Hicks-Lord's Lavish Expenditures Mrs Hicks-Lori bought the mansion al | B West Washington squarNn, which fol | three winters had been tenantei by Gener ! El George B. Mcclellan and his family | She gave there such entertainments as New | York had never seen and always wore hel ! S2o 900 stomacher of diamonds. There, iI ! her breakfast room, hung the maps of he | property, and there she did business witt a shrewdness that was the marvel of hel | friends
 There she died on the night of Aug. last of cerebral apoplexy and was buried ir the Schenck plot at Fishkill In her hous- was great collection of paintings. jewell and priceless enamels. Itwas reported aft CT her death that she had sold the hous and was lising in it at a rental of s4.o0o 1 also that her property had dwindled iron i millions to hundreds of thousands. Her will. which is now to be contested was read on Sept 2S. The residuary estat 1 was left to her nephew, Jefferson Fletcher and to her cousin. Sarah E. Townsend The bequeSts which excited comment wen l those made to the few trusted servants who had been long in her employ and haS stood by her through thick and thin.
 To her colored maid, Maria Miller, wh' had been with her ?5 years, she left al annuity of sl00 week for life. To Thorn as Dyer. her coachman, who had been il her employ P years, she left ss5 a weel for life The maid also got some of tn most valuable furniture. The parlor maid Margaret Vincent, got S3S week for life
 Young Fletcher got an annuity of s4o a month for life. valuable lands at Hicks vile. O., and furniture. Anna Ward go Mrs. Hicks-Lord's famous yellow diamon' earrings and Sarah F.. Townsend he
 gowns and hric-a-brac. The Audubon books with silver bindings, the sruffc' birds and the volumes on arctic explora tion went 10 the Denox library and he famous Crawford paintings to the Metro politan museum.
 RemSen X Parsons of 69 Wall stree filed the will. of which the executors ar George Bell and Thomas .. Townsend
 Fatal Gas Explosion.
 l SCRANTON, Pa. Nov. il.-An explosion of gas in Storr's shaft No. 1. owned by tn Delaware, Iackawanna and Western com pany, burned Thomas F. Williams, mine