The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
SAY THE WILL WAS FORGED
A CONTEST OYER SAMUEL p. BUCK
INGHAMtS LAST TESLA NEWT
The Will OTerea for Probate by the widow
Cut on Ets Son. Dr. Buckingham, With
RbO-Ho Produces Another VIII. which
tho widows LAWYER Pronou acc n Forgery.

ANSON1A, Conn.,, DcC, Z1.-N nSn tnC lhlC
Samuel p. buckingham of Lakewood, n. j.,
died In Stratford, Conn, last November, he was
on his way to attend the funeral of his brother.
John C. Buckingham OF Huntington, where
the brothers were born ,and brought up and
where Samuel owned property. A few years
ago Samuel went to Lakewood, n. j., to
live with his son, DIR. Frederick Buckingham.
He remained a member OF his sons family for n
time, but had a disagreement with the son. He
became acquainted with an elderly widow,
Mrs. Ellen J. Reilly, living q few miles from
Lakewood, and married her. He won't to Hunt.
ington on his wedding trip and there made his
will. leaving his son $50 and bequcathing the
remainder of his property to his widow and
two nephews.
Tho document was drawn by John G. Buck.
ingham, the brother. and was witnessed by 10.
seph Tomlinson.of Shelton, the Judge Of Pro.
bate for the Huntington district. Soon after
the funeral Of Samuel Buckingham, Mrs. Buck.
ingham presented the will for probate. DIR.
Frederick Buckingham prepared to contest. on
the ground Of mental incapacity, but before the
usual time allowed by law for contests had ex-
pired DR.. buckingham, appeared In Shelton
and presented u now will. drawn by the father,
in which the bulk of the property was left to the
son, the widow to have only what the law COM
PEELED him to give her.
This viii was va witnessed By H: b: Delis1s; a
User, and BY William Campbell. an employee
Of DR.. buckingham.
Dr. Buckingham said that the will was found
tucked under tho floor in the attic of his own
TTRbe' new !" will ! Is dated June 8; 1897, twenty
new will was offered for probate before Judge
Tomlinson in the Huntington Probate Court.
forgery. Attorney Williams secured ths admis;
acknowledged by the doctor to be in his fathers
handwriting, and then put on the stand /. NJ.
a Dse an e ssperes in OF h shS AasGn;a S Mr.. Drew bq pro:
nounced the new, viii! a forgery. He pointed
out to the court the DISCREPANCIES eTl;,n lies in the f no1 a.
say who wrote the new will, MIR. Drew was
willing to swear that MIR. buckingham did not
Besides this testimony. James II. Mills; an
aged resident Of Huntington, sworc that Sam.
and during their conversation had said that he
was obliged to leave, his sons home owing tn
He said he had Just made his will and had left
his son only $50. which was all he intended to
t S1ye h,% bis li he and mif had Sa done enough mos h0n for a him:
He said he had married for a home and had got
a f Br' b Wt1ei was on the stand on wednes.
day last and when Mr.. Williams asked him il
hesdid not write his fathers signature to the
Williams called attention to certain peculiari-
ties in the signature, with the evident intention
sign it, but that the son did. Several checks
were put In evidence on which the doctor had
WHICH, Which, fact nS he ea aseeSsrnoswaisetdnsSeda.S as ife1 also neRno "
edged having written his own name and that Of
his wife In a smaller, hand, explaining this APP
parent attempt at disguise by saying that he
did not wish the banks to think the two were
written by the same hand.
Charles s. Lange. q real estate dealer OF
collected rents in that city for $. p. Bucking.
was married he had called on him and request
ed him to send his mail hereafter to p. o. box boz
heen OneninR his letters and caSlinR the checks
without his knowledge, or consent.
On Thursday Samuel Lssseyy, a clerk in the
S Sssn'' written Rss% S s. N Mr.. 'hf Sa 1efi gia not H H"J pro:
1PSssss; Fl t haS%Ss l.. .s sSiSedl I that sa' on Nay {. y y
er. and that while they were waiting for Mrs;
said he understood his father was there to be
married and he proposed to stop it. When Mr..
s spfHSi as esssa t nem doctor %aor said said t Hss thhe he did not
think his fat er was in q suitable condition to
get married; Mr.; sProll then enoa sHi L thu that IT, on
rage, he had u conversation with Mr.. Buck;
ingham. during W ich Mr.. Buckingham said
days. and that the origin of IL was, he believed,
the drinking Of some coffee at his sons house
tasted ~queerly, but that he swallowed some, OF
It. The cross:examination failed to shake this
Mr.. Buckingham said that he believed the cof'
fee he drank contained poison. .,,. NJ
BS oidss 5sstim %nG : ss MI th spr0 The was res sssa ME- he
wished to get married was that he wanted a
home. He said that his mail had been opened
and his papers tempered with. and that even
his keys had been taken from his pockets. He
said that when his son bad come TO his room
he answercd in a laughing way that Mrs. Reiii.'
had not asked MIN to marry her, and then his
son, had shaken his fist under his nose. m
day. ali Of whom testified TO Mr.. BucEingham's
he would disinherit him because he and his
wife had tried to poison hin and because
ters. After these things had been brought and
given through many, sources. Mrs. Bucking'
benz be tbs the fr wtdS %iii, to w Wno% ea 1es pr9TPbs s Sr was p lsrt
Of her testimony related to her first hus;
band; Th S1x was sexton s1r. Of st Ns Georges Yes E ghs Hpad
been q widow twenty-three years when she first
met Mr.. Buckingham. His first wife was then
living and the two women became quite friendly
she having entertained her predecessor at heI
home on several occasions,
tho death Of his first wife was when the doctor
brought him there while on a pEofessional visit
and first proposed marriage TO her in February
D last. She did not consent then and \
engaged. She repeated his statement OF whai
he was worth, and told of his offering to FIX "
clined. as she told him the place would go tc
her children after her death, and she didn'
lie purchased a Wedding ring for her Which hat
= been taken from his pockets. together with som,
n papers and keys. which had later been found IL
another coat. He told her that he had missed
checks, and that the doctor opposed him wheI
D he suggested going to the bank to inquire abou
them.
4 Coming down to the coffee incident she re
u peated his conversation about the attempt t.
|. poison him. and he told her that no heard he
son saying to his wife:
= How much did you give hint II you CAV
: him too much he would throw 1t off hi
Z stomach"
She said Mr.. Buckingham was actually 4" stom
. account of the. alleged attempt at pol
o soning him their marriage was hastene'
h and avoid all danger. She knew nothing OF tn
q contents of tho will except that her husband ha
4 told her he had provided for her, and she hR
L never seen the will until 1t was produced in tn
Probate Court.
= Mr.. Williams, for the widow, then announce
q that his side rested, and tho hearing was cor
. tinued to next week. with the date unassigned