The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-17
CONTEST OVER PLANT WILL.
Millionaire's widow Retains Coun-
sci to Guard Her Interests.

railroad, steamship and hotel magnata
crystalized yesterday in the definite an
nouncement that Seward, Guthrie & steele
had been retained TO guard the interests of
Mrs. Margaret Plant, the widow of the
millionaire, who is said 10 be dissatisfied
with the provisions of the will. Paul D.
Cravath member of the law firm, is in
charge of the matter, but when asked
about the situation yesterday would only
say, TN have to be excused from saving
anything about Mrs. Plants business af-
fairs, but 1 doubt if there will be any
thing sensational in anything concerning
them Mr. Cravath would not even state
whether papers had been served.
From another source, equally reliable, 1t
was learned that unless a contest can he
avoided by compromise many eccentric ac-
tons alleged on the part of Mr. Plant
shortly before his death, in this city on
June % last, are likely to form the basis
of the attack upon the will. In codocils to
his will, made but a few days before his
death, Mr., Plant left an allowance of $50
600 year to his widow and a like allow
ance to his only son, Morton F. Plant
His estate has not yet been appraised. but
it is differently estimated at from $10O00.-
900 to $4,000 900, and some say even more
than the latter figure.
The bulk of this vast fortune he directed
should be left undivided until the young
est child of the son of Morton f. Plant
shall be q years old AS this grandson
al the present time is but 4 years old, this
would tie up the fortune in any event
at least thirty-fye years. Such an entail
is impossible under the laws of the state
of New York, which only permit an estate
to be tied up for a period of two existing
lives, but the Connecticut laws are not so
strict and so, in order to carry out this
idea of tying up the property, Mr.. Plant
is believed 10 have gone to New Haven
Conn, and become citizen of that state
but three days before he died, leaving his
death he'd for the purpose of making the
"trip and returning just in time TO breathe
his last.
That his Connecticut citizenship is not
recognized by some of the trustees of his
estate is shown however, by the fact that
the personal taxes of the estate were paid
here in New York on Nov. 3, and Mrs.
Plant has refused to sign herself as a res
ident of Connecticut in some matters per-
tanning to his business. One of the most
intimate friends of the dead millionaire
said last night
Mr. Plant left a rather peculiar will.
The idea of tying up his estate beyond a
second generation necessitated his going
to the only state in the Union that per-
mitted it-Connecticut. The most curious
part is that, while l was associated with
him for year, II was a revelation to me
when, after his death, I heard that any
one commended that he had taken the step
of becoming a citizen of Connecticut
Never before his death had he alluded to
having such an intention.
Mr. Plants illness was a rather pecu-
liar one Bright at all times except when
suffering from the disease which carried
him off. uraemic commissions. 1 can but
surmise that there is a possibility that at
Inc time he became a citizen of Connecu-
cut if indeed, he did, that he was not
free from uraemic poisoning. You must
understand that for a few years prior to
his death he had often been in a condl-
ton of complete Inconsistencies, owing
to his peculiar ailment
81 am not prepared to say that at any
time he was out of his head, still, there
are a great many things which indicate
that at intervals he was unbalanced A
few years ago he visited Japan and China,
and from that time he became unusually
given to self-praise and self-adulation.
Everything from That time seemed to be-
come almost subservient to the word
Plant. Hence, 1 can readily unders tand
that. if he did of his own volition become
a citizen of Connecticut in order to tie up
his estate to the children of his grandson,
it was simply that he had in his mind to
perpe tuate PLANT
Il do not know that he became a citi-
zen of Connecticut; indeed, I am inclined
to doubt it, for he never alluded to it 10
his wife of whom he was always very
fond, and whom he always consulted in
every matter connected with his business.
That alone would lead me to believe thar
If he did consider taking such a step, he
was not in good physical condition, the
more so as it Is claimed that his step
was taken three days before his death.
and when he left New York to go to Con-
necticut, he left a bed of Sickness
Mrs Plant and her stepsOn are both out
of the city at present. The former is be-
lieved to be visiting friends in Red Bank.
N. j., while Morton +. Plant recently
started on an extended tour through the
SOUTH where the principal interests of his
fathers estate lie. DR.. Ghisiani Durant of
70 West Forty-sixth street, who was Mr..
Plants physician for almost twenty years
and is a close friend of Mrs. Plant and
all the members of the household. said last
night that he did not believe Mrs. Plant
of her own Voiition had taken any steps
to break her husbands will.
'eThey had been married twenty-seven
or twenty-eight years" said DR.. Durant.
"She was a dutiful wife, eacrificlng her
self completely to his comfort, working
herself out by daily and nightly attendance
upon him. Undoubtedly the man would
have died years before had it not been for
her good care"
Mrs Plant was Miss Margaret ]. Lough-
man of this city. She was much younger
than her husband, who was nearly 50
years old when he died. She had no chill
dren. and it is said that if she undertakes
TO break the will 1t win be at the instance
of Morton f. Plant on the ground that
such an action could be more gracefully
taken by a childless widow than by an
only son.
Judge Lynde Harrison, director In one
of Mr.. Plants companies and trustee Of
the estate. it is understood, will act as
counsel for the trustees and oppose any
effort 10 break the will. Judge Harrison
was not in the Office Of Seward Cravath d
steele yesterday, and Mr. Cravath admit
ted that he had no conference with him
on the subject OF the threatened contest.
one of the closing acts of Mr.. Plants
Iife was TO publish a biography of 800 or
more pages fun of self-iaudation, which
he sent to many Of his friends. This may
he offered as another evidence of his &c
contricitv should the case come to trial.
-s-e-S----