Evening journal., 1897-08-13
THEBLANCHARDCASE
Decision In the Estate Of the In
testate Gambler.
PROPERTY WILL co TO A BROTHER.
A Claim which Was Set Up by a Mulattc
Woman That She Was His Widow
Is Not Allowed by the
Surrogate.

New York, Aug. 13.-William NJ.
Hoes, public administrator, has at last
won in his protracted legal contest to
protect for the rightful heirs the estate
left by the late William Lewis Blanch-
ard, the gambler, who died intestate on
March 20 1896, leaving an estate worth
about 100000.
The gambler was a brother of Thom-
as Leggett, a ragseler in this city, and
was known here, in Boston and in Port
land Me-, as Colonel Blanchard and in
South Braintree, Mass, as Big Bill Leg
gett. After his death a mulattO known
as Fanny Belkeiser Of 40S West Forty
first street put in a claim TO the entire
estate, asserting that she had been mar
ried to Blanchard, and as no one else
up to that time put in a claim to the
estate of the decedent Mrs. Belkeiser-
or, as she called herself. Mrs. Blanch
ard-on Dec. rs last secured letters of
administration on the estate
Believing that the woman's allega-
tion to be Blanchard's widow was not
well founded, Public Administrator
Hoes instituted proceedings to have the
letters of administration issued to her
revoked, and Surrogate Arnold has
handed down a decision against the wo-
man.
This is what Surrogate Arnold says
ION the evidence taken before the ref
cree and his opinion therein the appli-
cation made by the public administra-
tor for tine revocation of letters Of ad-
ministration TO the respondent Mrs
Belkeiser) is granted"
The Brother VIII Get All.
1t is now believed that the entire es-
faF mil "a /
ragseller, in whose behalf a long legal
contest has been going on before ex-
Surrogate Ransom. 1t was shown at
one of the hearings before the referee
that Mrs. Belkeiser hadat the Broadway
Savings bank signed a declaration that
she was not Blanchard's widow. When
called upon by Referee Ransom 10 eX-
plain this contradiction, Mrs. Belkeiser
declared that George A Smythe of
Boston, counsel for the decedent' S
brother, had forced her to sign the pa
pers by threatening to cause the pub
hcation of a scandalous story about
Colonel Blanchard and a young woman
and exclaimed, Rather than see one
hair Of that young girls head injured
I agreed to anything"
In this she was contradicted by her
own friend, Mrs. Mary Gill, who ac-
companied her to the bank and who
said she did not hear Mr.. Smythe make
any threats
Mrs. Belkeiser gave a detailed de-
scription of her alleged marriage sew
eral years ago to Colonel Blanchard
She testified that she drove with him
from SO West Sxty-ffth street to tn,
Liberty street ferry, picking up a Mrs
Rceson on the way and that they ther
drove to Monmouth. At Monmouth
she swore, she and Blanchard wer'
married by a Catholic priest. Severa
letters were put in evidence alleged L
have been written by Colonel Blanch
ard to Mrs. Belkeiser before the alleg
ed marriage. in which the writer ad
dressed her as MY darling girl" ny
baby" my pet" and MY queen"
The hearing before the referee LASTED
many days, and he finally reported
against the wOman's claim. and Suyro
gate Arnolds decision handed down ap
proves the finding Of Mr. Ransom tina
the woman was never married to Colo
mel Blanchard and has no claim L
share in the distribution Of his estate.