The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-18
WILL IN A FUNERAL URN
Jury In the Davis Contest Approves the
Document Presented.

San Francisco, Aug. 11.-At midn;gh;
! the jury in the Davis viii contest re
! turned a verdict finding that the dis
puted testamenio-y document was genu-
! inc II the will is now admitted 10 pro-
bate by Judge COffey. an estate valued
az over 81 .0O0. 900 will be divided be-
tween Mrs Bell Curtis and her sister
Lizzie Muir. Mrs. Curtis IS the wife OF
ex-A.semblyman John Curtis. The case
was stubbornly fought by eastern rela-
tives OF Davis. who claimed that the will
offered for probate was a forgery.
jacob L. Davis arrived here in early
days. formed a cO-partnership with
Alexander Boyd, and by judicious in
vestment OF his money soon became a
millionaire. When he died in the Con-
tinental hotel. Philadelphia. last Octo-
Der. he was in the act OF debating a viii
disposing OF his property. II was then
believed that he had died intestate. A
search OF his personal effects IN this
city resulted in the finding OF two wills
leaving all OF his property TO his wife.
but as she had died several years be-
fore him. TIE wills were not Of any
value. Some four or five weeks after his
death a paper purporting - be his will
was filed for probate in Judge C0ffey's
court The will was brief, and disposed
of the vast estate in a few words. Mrs
Belle Curtis and Miss Lizzie Muir were
named as the legatees. a contest was
at once begun by relatives OF Davis who
lived in the east They claimed that
the paper offered for probate was a
forgery. and they asked in their petit
ton that it be denied probate.
The will vas found in an urn contain
ing the ashes OF Mrs. Davis. The con
testsnts claimed that the paper had
been slipped into the urn by the forgers.
and that il had been drawn several
weeks after the death OF Davis The urn
containing the ashes was brought in
court ana made an exhibit IN the case.
When the verdict was announced. At
torney Heggerty az once moved that
the will be not admitted to- probate. not
wi;hstanding the finding OF the jury
That the paper was genuine. He claim
ed that there was no evidence to prove
that II had been legally executed.
Judge Coffey said that ne would listen
10 the argument and pass on The ques-
ton of admitting the will 10 probate II
he decides 70 admit and accept the dis
puted paper the estate viii be divided
between Mrs Curtis and Miss Muir. as
they are the only ones nsYnet in the pa
per that the jury declared Is genulne.
san Francisco. Aug. 1.-THE Will o.
Jacob Il. Davis. who died In Philadelphia
a few months ago. which d!sposes OF an
estate valued az over 81. 600 90. was 20
day admitted % probate. Judge Cofey
overrul.ng the objections OF the unsuc-
cessfGl contestants.
Letters OF administration with the VIII
annexed were issued 20 Lzze Aulr and
Mrs. Belle Curtis. the nieces. who ara
nama3 in the will - cole iega:ees. The
bond % the administrators was fixed a.
$3.50 900.
Alexander BOYD. the partner % Davis.
testified that the estate consists Of a
one-hait interest IN The partnefship
property % Boyd & Davis and tha. the
value % the One-haIt interest OF Davis
- 81 .o42. 72l.
The attorneys FOX the contescans pro-
pose 70 move for new trial