The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-23
COL. COCKERILL'S WILL.
His Sister Says He Intended to Leave
Her All His Money and to Get
Divorce from His Wife.

new ! Olh, ltll s-'--'HI'l oaS''N ~
nold has denied an application made
by Charles NJ Beattle on behalf of
Hetty G. Campbell the wife of Or.
John Campbell, of Torresdale, and the
sister and only near relative of the
late Colonel John a. Cockerill, to al
low her to examine large number of
effects which on March l We're in
transit from Egypt, where Colonel
Cockerill died last April. 1t is alleged
that among these effects there is
will which makes Mrs. Campbell the
sole legatee of the decedent, and also
an assignment to Mrs. Campbell of an
insurance policy of $4,000. In the pa
pers on which the application is based
it is alleged that for some time before
Colonel Cockerill's death he was es-
tranged from his wife, and that he had
Instituted an action for absolute di-
VOrCe from her.
1t will be remembered that three
weeks after her husbands death Mrs
Cockerll married Walter Leinau in
New Jersey. A will executed in De-
cember, 1883, in which Colone Cocker
i'll left all his possessions to his wife,
was admitted to probate. Mrs. Camp
bell said in the papers in which she
applied to the Surrogate that at the
time she knew nothing of the existence
of the other will in her favor, or the
assignment to her of the life insurance,
which were among her brothers ef-
ects, and she alleged that if these
effects and papers fell into the hands of
Mrs. Leinau before any one else saw
them Mrs. Leinau might destroy them
and other evidence of their existence.
Mrs Campbell said in her affidavit
that her brother informed her that in
1894 he had given his wife $4,000, and
that she had gone to Dakota to procure
divorce without contest on his
part and she produced letters from her
brother in which he said that he could
not live with his wife, that he had set
tied with her by paying her $4,000 in
gold, SO that in the event of my death
she will have no claim. My insur-
| ance," the Colonel wrote, 'is also made
out in your behalf" Mrs. Campbell
also says that she has been informed
by II. G. Campbell, a lawyer of this
city, that at the time of Colonel Cock
| erills death divorce proceedings We're
pending in this city, brought by Camp
| bell in behalf of Colonel Cockerill for
an absolute divorce from his wife.
After Colonel CuCkerill'S death, Mrs.
| Campbell said she requested Mrs.
COCkerill TO give her certain of her
| brothers. effects and to be allowed to
| examine the others, but Mrs Cockerill
| shook her fist in her (Mrs. Campbell's 50
| face and refused the request. Mrs
| Campbell urged that there should be
no delay in granting her application,
50 that she could have an inspection of
| the effects before they fell into the
| hands Of Mrs. Lenau. The estate is
valued at $4,000.
Surrogate Arnold, although asked for
an order to show cause on March /, did
| not decide until last week. He said
! that there is no authority under which
| the order asked for can be granted.
THE win of the deCedent," he says.
has been admitted to probate, AID
that proceedings closed by the entrS
| of a decree theI con. The petitioner was
duly cited to the probate proceedings.
but made no opposition thereto. If she
has grounds now for a proceeding
either to revoke such probate on to es-
! tablish a later Will, she must institute
the same by proper petition ana Cita
tion."
Mr.. Beattle Wnen interviewed at his
office said that even had the ap-
pliCation been granted that day it
would have been of no avail, as the cf-
fects. he had been advised, had ar
rived, and had passed into the custody
Of Mrs. Leinau. THE suggestion of the
surrogate that l open the probate OF
the old will is futile" said Mr.. Beattie
for what use would it be to me with
the documents and the evidence in ad-
verse hands? The only course in law
was the course l took. My hands are
tied in connection with the new will
but have different sort Of mine tc
explode in a different way"