The morning times., 1897-01-21
]. c. W|LLARD's MILLIONS
ALI Likely to Go to His Son and
Only Heir.
PROBABLY LEFT NO WILL
His Real Estate in This City Is
Assessed for Half a Million and
Is Worth More Than as Much
More-Its Location and Valuation.
Facts About His Life.

The entire fortune OF the late Joseph c.
Willard, so far as has developed, Will
go direct TO his son, Hon. Joseph E. Willard
of Fairfax Courthouse, Va. 1t is esti-
mated to amount to between two and three
millions of dollars. Its exact value would
be subject of difference between expert
appraisers with the papers before them.
1t was supposed at first that Mr.. VIII
lard had left will, but that seems very
doubtful now. Mr. Joseph E. Willard, when
asked about 1t yesterday, said:
There is nothing on that subject 10
make public.''
Several attorneys, who might have cen
engaged to draw the VIII, were asked
about its existence. All replied that If
such document was ever drawn they had
never known of it.
There was report that will had been
made, naming Mr.. Caleb Willard as ex-
ecutor, but this seems to have been based
upon the fact, that the son has been
stopping at his Uncle Caleb's house dur
during his present stay here. Some sur
prise was expressed by persons familiar
with the facts, when this arrangement
was suggested.
The late MIR Wizards original methods
are well known. 1t will be nothing sur
prising if lie has left his estate to follow
the course prescribed by the laws OF the
District This would place everything in
the hands of his son at once with absolute
control The son is man of discretion, a
member OF the Virginia legislature. and
has been familiar with his fathers az
fairs for a number of years. The most
natural thing to do in a will would have
been to put the property in his hands, with
any bequests TO relatives and friends
left TO him to execute. The same purpose
would be served equally well by memor-
andum left in his sons hands or by verbal
instructions.
The bulk of the estate is believed TO be
in Washington real estate. Mr.. Willard
paid taxes on property of an assessed val
uation OF S591 ,156. 1t is worth more than
81 100000. OF this only S153, 500 is
assessed to improvements These are so
distributed, however, as to bring some
income from nearly every piece of ground.
The largest single lot OF ground in the
city limits is that upon which Willard
Hotel and Hall stands. 1t is the eastern
half of square 225, and contains about
$4,000 square feet of ground, valued at
S22S ,S27 Tie improvements are assessed
at 500 900.
Mr. Willard owned in the same square
two other lots, Nus. and 3, upon which
are the buildings just west of the Owen
House. The two are assessed for SIS, ,013,
with improvements valued at S7,30O.
Atthe rorthwes st corner O. Fourteenth and
F streets Mr. Willard owned the vacant
lot, containing 3,11S feet, and assessed
70: $50, 739 This is the lot which Mr.
Willard is said TO have refused to sell on
the ground that he didn't want any build
ing erected to obstruct the view of his
lotel and han from his residence. which
is Immediately across the street from the
vacant lot.
He also owned the lot and building at
the northeast corner of Fourteenth and
PENNSYLVANIA avenue, just ACROSS from the
Eolel, as well as several other houses in
the same block One or two of them i'm
mediately soin on the east and south
the Ebhitt House, which is owned by
his brother, Caleb willard. 1t is said
that few years ago, when there was
a plan to add to the Ebbitt, he refused
TO sell his brother the necessary ground.
\ good deal of feeling between them was
created at the time
Mr.. Willard also owned the lot at the
northeast corner of Fourteenth street and
New York avenue, 4,0S5 feet. valued at
S16, $40, with $500 improvements; the
Iotand building where the branch poStoffice
is isiocated, on F street, between Fourteenth
and Fifteenth; the lot at the northeast
corner of Twelfth street and Massachusetts
avenue northwest, 4,603 feet, valued at
S11, sos, with 81 200 improvement. His
only property in the city outside the north
west is located on Canal street, between
First and streets, southwest, eleven lots,
with 81 900 improvement.