The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-30
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The Court Of Appeals has affirmed tho judy
mont Of the General Term Of the Supreme Court
declaring the will OF Lewis II. Blair invalid.
Iewis r. Blair died on Dec. 20, 1894, and loft
S25o,00 which will now DO divided among the
thirty or moro heirs-at-law after q decree of the
Surrogate's Court to DO entered hereafter. Tho
fight to set aside the will has lasted three years.
In the carly twenties Lewis II. Blair was ap-
prcnticcd to q barber who had q shop on the
present site Of the Astor House. When the
hotel was built. tho place became the Aston
House barber shop. Soon after 1910 the pro-
prietor sold out to Blair. Tho young mar saved
every cent that came his way. grew rich, retired
from the barber shop. and went into real estate
speculation. He never made q bad Investment;
1t Is said that he mover even made an Investment
on which tho returns wore not quick and large.
He was never satisfied, however much his lands
Increased In value. Is money camo to him no
became more and more frightened, apparently,
lest some OF 1t should get away. So far as those
about him had reason TO know, he mover did lot
himself or any ono else squander a cent Of It.
He was always most shabbily dressed. but
always wore q flaming rod necktio, so arranged
as to display the greatest possible area. He be-
lieved that m~atriinony was q sinful extravn-
gance, ana he r~efrained therefrom. Tho pay
mont Of taxes was q custom he viewed with SINH
lar disapproval. He went into such fits Of
dependency as tho timo approached when his
taxes became due that folks unscauaintcd with
his ways used to fear for his health. For many
years no changed the place OF his abode yearly to
was due TO pneumonia
On the day Of his funeral . paper purporting
to DO his will was produced. That document
named Police Sergeant William Blair and Lewis
n. Blair, his nephews, and Henry q. Lcask as
bis executors. 1t left his property at l22 West
sounty, and a half interest In property at 1919
West Twenty.ninth street to Sergeant Blair,
with whom he had lived the last months OF
his lie. There was no mention In tho supposed
win OF Blairs personal estate. which amounted
to more than s26 900, or to any reeiduary estate.
counsel together and finally employed Anthony
3. Porter OF Porter & Kilyert to break tho win
II possible, Mr.. Porter asked tho Surrogate to
set aside tho will on the ground that IL had not
been properly Witnessed. The names OF tho wit
ncsses were inserted In tho middle OF the docu.
shall come at the end. Tho contestants also al
legged undue influence, but on the hearing before
the surrogate they abandoned all tho objections
except the technical point Of non-conformity
with the statute. This objection was overruled
BY tho Surrogate. The General Term of tho
now sustained BY tho Court of Appeals.
As to four or nve pieces of real estate and as
to his personal estate, as has been said. Blair
died intestate. Soon after his death Mr.. Porter
began suit for their partition among the heirs
atlaw. The General Term appointed William
pending before him. This partition suit has
been made to include the property loft to Ser
geant Blair and others under the will that has
now been Get aside.