The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-12
DECISION in THE
BEVAN WILL CASE
Register Hopkins Decides That the les.
tatrix Was Not of Sound Mind.
OPINION THAT HE HAS FILED
Says the Language She Used Left No
Doubt in the Minds of Her Friends
as to Her Mental COnditiOn..Lct.
tiers Testamcntary Granted to the
Contestant, Mary T.. Bevnn, by the
Register.

The Bevan contested will case was
Yesterday decided by Register w. ;.
Hopkins i'm favor of the contestant
Mary T.. Bevan, only daughter OF the
testatrix, the late Mrs. Mary l.. Bevan,
of Clark's Green.
The case has excited unusual inter-
est because of the parties being so
generally known and because the
amount at stake is in the neighborhood
of $4,000 The estate in question is that
of Rev. DR.. Bevan, who was one OF
Scranton's most prominent wartime
citizens and who is also remembered
as the founder of the now tiourishing
Penn Avenue Baptist church. He died
July Is, 1856. at Clarks Green, where
he went into retirement and at ms
death bequeathed to his wife his entire
estate. stipulating however that the
real property should descend to his only
daughter Mary T.. Bevan, at the death
of his wife.
Mrs. Bevan died Oct. 9. last, and when
her will was read no end of comment
and much surprise was occaSiOned from
the fact that the daughter was cut OF
without a cent of the personal property,
and bequeathed only the real estate,
which at all events became hers at her
mothers death. The daughter who Is
now nearly so years of age never mar
DuI TtIIldl1tu at IioIiiC Ntii iis, i'i
her aged mother, to whom she was
fondly attached and who she had al
ways believed was well disposed to-
wards her. When therefore the con-
tents of the will We're made known she
was greatly surprised and as she could
attribute her mothers action to no oth-
er cause than an unSOund mind she TOOK
steps to have the will broken. The will
was offered for probate on Dec. 4. 1t
read as follows:
TEXT OF THE WILL.
Mary l.. Bevan, of Clark's Green, in
the county of LuZerne and state OF Penn
sylvania, being of sound mind and mem.
ory. do make and publish this my iast
will and testament. i'm words ana hgures
following, that is to say:
First, that my funeral expenses anu
past debts be fully paid.
Second, | give, devise and bequeath TO
my daughter, Mary Il. Bevan, and unto
her heirs. all my real estate.
Third, | give and devise unto oon my
nephew, X. l.. Lewis, the sum of 5000
Fourth, give and devise to the Home or
ninth street. in the city Of New York, IN
the state of New York. the sum of $1,000
now in the hands of Mr.. George Coray'S 5
estate.
sonal estate | give and devise unto the
following societies: Womens Home Mis-
sion society, Woman's Foreign Missionary
societies, Society for the Education Of
Colored Ministers and the Publication So
ciety in Philadelphia. These bequests are
all intended for the benefit of the Baptist
denomination in their different spheres in
equal parts, to be shared and shared and
shared alike.
Seventh, and thereby make, constitute
and appoint Mr.. stephen A. Northup ana
George w. Decker executors of this my
last will and testament. with full pow sr
and authority to do all and every act
necessary to be done by them to carry out
and give effect to the provisions and be-
quests herein made. i'm testamony whereof
/ have hereunto set my hand and affixed
my seal this 26th day of September. 1883.
(SeaD Mary l.. Bevan.
We, the undersigned. have signed this,
the last will and testament of Mary L..
Bevan, at her request in her presence,
and in the presence of each other, on the
day and year aforesaid.
NJ. II. Coon,
H. T.. Northup,