The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-06-16

they will endeavor. through the courts.
70 obtain 5000. 900 more each. They
have retained Miller. Peckham & Dixon,
and Wheeler II. Peckham. I am told,
will devote himself personally 10 the
fight. The result can only be will con-
tes. compared with which nearly every
otner contest in the history Of American
courts will seem insignificant
The fight over the millions oe Samuel
]. Tilden. and the many intricacies OF
the con,es; for the estate OF former Sen
ator James C. Fair. Of California. hardly
come in the same class as will this legal
battle over the disposition OF Joseph
Richardson's estate. The Tilden prop
critics amounted 10 barely one-third OF
the Richardson estate. and the estate or
James G.. Far. colossal as IL was sup
posed to have been. finally dwindled
down 10 one-halt the value OF Richard
sons property. The only viii contest
that might be said 10 rival this one was
over the estate OF Mrs A T. Stewart
That fight, which engrossed the atten-
ton OF the courts FOR years. involved
properties worth SO. 900 900. This vast
sum was invested largely in real estate.
however. The Richardson viii confess,
IL the heirs VIII follow up the initial
step taken yesterday. will become q.
once the most notable fight for thirty
million-doliar cash stake ever known.
When called at the offices OF Miller.
Peckham & Dixon. no one there would
discuss the matter OF the contest. James
G.. King. TO whom I was referred. was
non-committal.
as IL proposed TO contest the will O,
April "a, 1892" asked.
'I am not in position TO say" Mr.
King replied.
''Will an effort be made 70 have the
will of 1894 probated instead?" asked.
This question drew an equally non
committal reply from Mr.. King.
From other sources learned that both
Of these questions could be answered in
the affirmative. The attorneys for
George and Della Richardson could have
no other object. / was toad. in offering
the 1894 will for probate. Their prompt
action IN placing that will on the records
OF the Surrogate's Court viii make the
fling OF the last will the actual notice
OF contest. If the Will dated April "a.
1897. had been filed first the lawyers then
would have had 70 prove that Ii was not
the last will Of the eccentric millionaire.
Now Mrs. Richardson's lawyers must
disprove the validity Of the 1894 will be-
fore the $50. 900 600 estate can be divided
on the lines indicated in the last will.
The witnesses 20 the will offered for
PROBATE 10 the Surrogate yesterday are
James B. Me:calf. No. So East Fifty
Sixth street; Homer ". Nichols. No.
22i West 127th street, ana Bertram
Cruger. No. 81 East Eighty-Slxth street.
One OF the witnesses 10 his will. James
r. Metcalf. is dead. He was the head
OF banking firm in Broad street with
which Richardson Cid business. Homer
". Nichols, another witness. was a mem
Der OF the same firm. and Bertram Cru
ger. am told. was clerk employed by
the firm at that time,
The millionaire made no effort To keen
the existence OF this will n secret. on
The contrary. / am told that he often
spoke about 1t IN his home Whenever
any one mentioned the fact that that
will made nc provision for his wife the
millionaire is said 10 have replied tha,
Mrs. Richardson would die before he
did. He had lived a great many years.
and was confident that he would live
many mare.
The grim humor OF this belief is shown
In the fact that Mrs Richardson who
was a: least ten years his junior. is a
rsrnarka lly ryeii ,tra~.ar,,..5 -,-o-v- c.
long has enjoyed good health. / am told.
The millionaire, on the other hand.
often required the attendance Of his
physician n the las, ten years He used
n become impatient because ne was con-
fined 10 his home as much as he was
during his last months.
Doctor" the eccentric old man T.
quoted as having said 70 mis- physician
during his last Illness. why don't you
get me fixed up quicker2''
II can't make a new heart FOR you"
was the reply.
why not?" Richardson persisted. 'T,
a wheel in a machine gets out 0. order
a good machinis; can substitute an
othe-.
Whether this WIS the eo-entric thought
of an eccentric man or whether Il was
a JOKE never will be known. The mill
ionaire's failure - regain his strength
and % become his old self. however.
began 20 shake MS confIence
that he would i've 20 celebrate the hun
dredth anniversary OF his birth. To
this conviction. ! was told BY a friend
81 the family yesterday. Is due the fac.
,ha: Richardson. on April - last. aban-
i0ned Ms expectation oE oatllvfrg nl-
wife and made TIE vii giving her one
third Of his estate
u the property lsrt by TIE millionaire
had been real estate fns.esj q, bonAs
and mortgages The WIDOW then w1,ld
b emitted 70 c1e-tnird of t1e property /
rndsT ;Ae lax. regardless % any All I
'Ricas s1dson might have made. Rst
his n Sew Yo-k state Il true only os 1
real estate.
Ars- Richa-isgn is likely 20 share with /
Miss D@ib Richsr5>on much Q, re n |
-.-=ss that vii s..acn D .ae frh: over 1
ne millO1aire'S estate. The former.
<as Richardson's ssoood wife ghe 4
vas the widow o. C0icoei Thomas W. /
seCiay. coce 2 TsE knyrn officer ir -
-<Trn-1 regiment she ~zs rna-Tfs-! i
. Richardson fifteen year, ago Eiaoe
IA. fin- ! 8-n :oi5. Niss Rlcsz r.sso- /
l7s s2en; like time a. her fathers
home. sse nss bad nothing % &, win 4
ss- S:epu15:as-.
Tae house in Ehich Mss gscsa-src,a
ives - q four e-0-y 5-scx affair Tee
,Jiic!zg cTiglnaIiy xss upe5 en-sresy sor
yelling P1rPoses. Tee OF s-g-e s.sps
-.ia eSf@1t from tse szteEzIk % shs
frsr es7- raiszsy b~txe@1 fae sso cs;sr
rails c. re ssraccz-e- fsa- the base
nsz. Ezzs 5een astessi s5r oaEne-s par