Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-04-07
GEORGE s. RICHARDSON'S WILL.


A Construction by tho Court, and Dlstribu-
ton Of tho Property Accordingly, Request
ed by nj. Widow. -...
Mrs. Anna Moore Richardson, widow
Of Georgs s. Richardson of Snow Hill,
through lsidor Rayner and Isaac Lobe
Straus, her solicitors, has instituted
uuit 10 the Circuit Court, Baltimore,
for tho construction Of tina will OF her
husband in reference TO her right to no
absolute estate In one half Of the per-
sonal proparty Of which he died pos
eoased, and TO determine tho validity of
several valuable dsviess and bequeets
TO ths committee Of tho Presbyterian
Church Of Snow Hill upon various
trusts. The court iB also asked to sup
erintand generally tho administration
Of the assets of the testntOr'H estate.
Relief In respect TO various particular
trust ostnteB created by the will is
asked for in the bill.
Tho proceeding 10 understood to be
M amicRblo one to obtain coustruc-
tion OF tho will and q distribution
accordingly OF tho property, both real
and pefsonsl, embraced by 1t. Senator
John Walter Smith, John =. Moore and
Marion 4. Iiargis, the executors and
trustees under the will, and about 80
persons. being the heirs-Ht-law and
residnary devisees and legatees OF the
FROSTY terian Church, nro made de-
fendaDts
Mr.. Richardson, the lata husband of
the complainant, was one OF the leading
merchants OF the Eastern Shore, hoing
the founder aud senior member OF the
firms 10 Worcester county of which
Senator Smith is at present the head.
Mr.. Richardson died on October 10th,
1896, leaving an estate estimated to DO
worth about 1925, 200
Mr.. Richardson devised pnd he
qusathed real and personal property
valued in the aggregate at about 500.
600, to go mostly, after the death of
Mrs. Richardson and others. to the
committee OF the Freshly Church
of Snow Hill for the Makomie Memorial
Church Of that town; upon certain
trusts, which are charged Icy his heirs
atlaw, and also by Mrs. Richardson,
to be void 30 creating perpeiuitisH, and
because tho objects and beneficiaries OF
the same are too indefinite and uncer
tain for court OF equity 10 Rdmis-
ter or enforce the trusts. The court
Ia asked to pass upon these devises and
bequests. aud somo very important and
interesting questions relating to the
law Of charitable uses are presented by
the bill.
The testator also gave considerable
real estate aud various estates during
witlowhood 10 personal property to Mrs.
Richardson, and by the 2Gth itum of
his will he provided that these devises
and bequests should be accented by her
"in lieu of her legal dover ia his
estate" The court Ia asked to con
strue whether. under the latter para
graph, the Widows legal share in her
husbands personal property is barred.
Her legal snare would be one half OF his
personal property absolutely, as tho
| testator left no children.
The court is also requested to deter
mine whether In the event of the de-
| vises to tina church being declared
| void, the realty embraced In them de-
wolves upon the heirs Of the testator or
passes to hia reBiduRry devisees, oil
which Mrs. Richardson is one, mas
much as the language of the residusry
clause sheds some doubt upon that
| point.
The bill further aaks the court to
decree that Mrs. Richardson is entitled
to settlement and accounting of all
the partnership business of her deceased
husband in Worcester county, and to
assume jurisdiction over several trust
estates created for her by the will, and
to decree to her a full accounting from
the executors and trustees, and also ia
assume "a general Jurisdiction over the
settlement of oil the property and estate
embraced In the will, and to construe
the same and award to Mrs. Richardson
and others entitled thereto such prop.
erty, real and personal, as she or they
may hs entitled to under proper
construction OF the will"
This Mackenzie Church is connected
with the New Castle Preshytery.