The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-18
soRos1s WoMAx,s WIZ DISPUTED.
she was q splritualist aud Heard ~Raps-ruFn-
coat nc q sorosis EIeetisa.

ElectioneerinE in Sorosis was described Incl
dentally in Surrogate Fitzgerald's court yes
terday in the contest OF the will OF a member OF
that body. Mrs. Elizabeth Pendleton Higgins.
Mrs. Higgins was Miss pendleton until she was
so. She was - when she died in November
last at the Hotel San Reno. leaving 100000
She left only IS. 900 to her husband. Barton B.
Higgins, and nothing to her brother. William s.
Pendletou Of Newcastle. Australia, and they
say she was unduly influenced and not Of sound
mind.
Her money came mostly from her father, John
Pendleton- She bad been At law with her
brother. Her husband Is said to be wealthy.
The contestants say she was unduly Influenced
to make the will by DR.. Z. Elliot Harris OF 80
West Ninety-third street. DR.. Harris's wife Is q
cousin OF Mrs. Higgins. The will was executed
Feb. /. 1894. in the sanitarium OF DR.. Harris
and is said to be in his handwriting. 1t gives Or.
Harris s25, 900 and makes further requests OF
$40. 900 to his three children. 1t also leaves in
trust with Or. Harris Sls,ooot FOR Hannah B.Dow-
ney and Julia HUNTINGTON. The residue OF the es-
tate goes in charity TO the following institutions
IN equal shares: Albion Academy and Industrial
school. Interuational Order OF Kings Daugh-
tiers and Sons. Red Cross Society. Brooklyn
Nursery ana Infants Hospital. Brooklyn Home
for Aged Colored People, Home for Destitute
Young Girls. woman's Guild OF the New York
homeopathic College and Hospital. American
Guardian Society and Home FOR the Frtendless.
Society for the Aid OF Friendgess Women and
Children OF Brooklyn, and Board OF Missions Tor
Freedmen OF the Presbyterian Church.
Besides being a member OF Sorosis. Mrs. His-
gins was a king's Daughter and was a oeiieFer
DR. Geory!aua v. Crosby testified that she
had known Mrs. Higgins twenty years and had
met her AZ meetings OF Sososss an1 " otHes
witness about spiritualism. and would say that
she desired TO 90 and consult a medium, arsi
would Eroan. wiring her hands. and weep copi-
ousIy. When DR.. Crosby, asked her way she
,Sos IN tn ss,' " wsi hand md did ssIa n6 ): psy her S as naeh
attention as she thought she should receive.
Or. Crosby said that Mrs. Higgins was easily
i IN waldorf 4 Mrs an H f.sSiisa told the Wit:
ness that she intended TO vote for MIS-;
T rness could get up 20 the ballot box with Mrs.
Higgins a Mrs. Pool came along; threw her arms
about Mrs. Higgins. and stEaiShtw1y tooS MS =.
another candidate. d.. Crosby asked Mrs. htg-
gins why she had changed 50 quickly. and MIS-.
peFsa. BOAT say anything about it"
Mrs. Albania Gilmore. 4 nurse. said mat hrs.
OF fer fafher and stepmother and other deceased
persons were about her. al the tiihe and were
hr, ksahet II. Heath Of Io4 East Twenty
ninth street. who had known Mrs. Higgins
forty years. testified that sac was not mentally
competent. IN MS OpIn4ou- SAV uN- tnA4 HHu
repeatedly that she was IN communion with
spirits, and that the spirtt OF her tath.r some
times gave her instructions 81" said she Al
WAYS tOlloved such instructions. and she aai in
vRriahly found that they we're Tor hcr sooo;
When asked how the spirits colmnnics ted
with her she said that she heard rappiaSs and
she trapped responses. She had tried TO induce
the witness ant bis wife 10 go with her 10
seanCes.
On cross-exim. nation it appeared that the
witness was formerly a stock broker, and that
Ms. Higgins. a client OF his hrm- had had iI!Sa-
ton W N he witness partner, and recovered
Judgment against him