Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-06
WAS OLD and IN HIS DOTAGE.
ON THIS GROUND IT IS PROPOSED TO
BREAK C. G. HOPKINS WILL.
Testator Was Eccentric and Rich, and
Cut on His Relatives, LenTinE the
Bulk of His Big Estnte to
Agent and Housekeeper.

The blood relations of the late Charles
Grandson Hopkins are going to try TO
break his will and get q fair slice OF the
property, valued at $i5OOOO, which he LETT
at the time of his death. Hopkins died
October 20, 1886, leaving the bulk OF MS
estate to his private secretary, Thomas M.
Barr, and his housekeeper, Miss Harriet
Elizabeth Calvert. Bars share is esti-
mated at SS25, co., while Miss Calvert came
in for about 100000. Hopkins cut off his
relatives with Il few dollars, some of them
receiving less than $50. Suit to break the
will was instituted yesterday in the circuit
court. There are twenty-nine plaintiffs and
nine defendants. Warner, Dean, Gibson d
Mcleod and Frank p. Walsh and George
L. Jones are the attorneys for the plaint-
ifs Such an imposing array of legal tai
ent gives promise of an interesting suit,
and a bitter, stubborn contest.
Charles Grandson Hopkins, the testator.
was q unique character. He was 10 years
old at the time of his death and he had
lived in Kansas City many years. He ac-
cumulated his fortune by careful invest
ment, great economy and simple habltS OF
life. He had real estate IN many parts OF
Kansas City there being a Hopkins addi-
ton to the city. He made his home in the
handsome row of three story brick flats at
419 to Al West Tenth street. Miss Harriet
Calvert, a spinster, was his housekeeper
and she carefully provided for his every
want while of late years Thomas NJ. Barr
had looked after the collection of ms rent
ais and practically managed his business.
The neighbors of the beneticiarieS of the
will whisper that eventually Miss Calvert
and Mr.. Barr are to marry. 1t Is SAID OIL
Hopkins that he was of that class OF men
which Spurns advice that friends may Of
fer, preferring rather to use his own 1udg-
ment in all matters that concerned himself.
Barr came from Oklahoma or Texas, and
when he entered the service of the late
Mr. Hopkins became a shadow, almost, to
his employer. Barr was a man OF domestic
habits of life, and rarely left the home of
his employer except on business. Miss
Calvert was left the row of brick houses
on West Tenth street, besides money and
other property.
The will of Hopkins was made February
%, 1895. Hopkins wrote 1t himself in his
home and then took 1t to the law ofilce ..,o,. Oh
Kumpf witnessed it.. This will was not
made to be broken. As though the maker
had contemplated an attempt to violate its
provisions he had thrown up every bull
wark that it was possible to do. Even the
possibility of some woman coming forward
of Hopkins was scrupulously provided Tor.
The will uses this language:
Il do solemnly swear that am not mar
ried, also that have no children, l have
noticed, however, the easiness with which
sworn testimony may lie procured and
produced in support of the claims of such
alleged person. 1 therefore make express
provision in this, my last Will, as follows:
l give and bequeath to such person or per-
SONS as snail De IOunu, proved ana eSIdD-
lished. whether before or after the execu-
ton of this will, the sum of 81 each.''
With the summing of a much younger
brain Hopkins sparingly scattered a few
dollars among all his relations, plainly
for the purpose Of circumventing any eff
fort to break his will. As few instances
of how systematically Hopkins did this
these are quoted: To the daughter of his
brother, Isaac G. Hopkins. he gave $50;
he left $50 to his nephew, Charles Grandi-
son Hopkins, of st. Louis; he left $50 to be
equally divided among the children of his
deceased niece, Mrs. Blanche Bither. of
Saginaw, Mich. He gave his sister, Mrs.
Narcissa Nelson, of Indianapolis, $4,000.
The property and money which he left to
his housekeeper were in consideration of
past kindnesses of Miss Colvert and for
the friendship 1 owe her" Barr received
his $350,OOO for personal services rendered
and for my friendship for him." Newspa-
per men who have tried to see Barr or
Miss Calvert are told that they are not
at home"
1t is claimed in the petition that Hop
kins was unduly influenced by Barr and
Miss Calvert in the matter of making his
will; that Hopkins was in his dotage at
the time the will was made, and that he
had for long time been in feeble and in
firm health and was not of sound mind
nor mentally capable of making disposition
of his property. 1t is charged that the
will was procured and was the elimination
Of q designing and systematic undue in
fluence for a long period Of time exercised
upon the mind The plaintiffs ask that the
will be set aside and such relief given the
| plaintiffs as the court may see proper:
| son, Frank P. Nelson, Henry H. Nelson
and Ida NJ. Gress. None of them is a res
ident of this city. Miss Nelson was in
Kansas City when her brother died.