The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-15

The settlement of the estate or John
Sullivan a rich bachelor who dled IN TINS
civ Sentember 26, leaving property valued
ar upwards of $4,000. is daily becoming
more distant The latest complication Is
the discovery of an alleged nuncupative
will by the terms of which document
the entire estate, including everything
from the Sullivan block to its owner
personal trinkets. is willed to Miss Marie
Carrau. of this city. This alleged VIII mas
not vet been probated. but its appearance
puts an entirely new phase on the ques-
ton of the disposition of this esate.
W. F. Hays a local attorney, who repre-
SCENTS this latest claimant. when seen last
evening, admitted that the alleged Will
was In his possession. He showed 1t TO
a reporter but refused to allow copy or
a photograph to be made of it, He would
not, he said consent to have his client
interviewed. He says that his client was
engaged to marry the wealthy pioneer.
and that they would have been married
long before the present time but for the
latter's death. 1t was Mr.. Sullivans in
tention, Hays says. to tour the old world
with his bride. las Is only natural" said
Lawyer Hays last night. "Mr. Sullivan
was inclined to be secretive about his
love affairs as he was an elderly man
and well known here, and he probably
feared the joking that he would have
had to endure had he made his inten-
tons known"
Not Signed by Sullivan.
The alleged will Is not document sign
ed by Mr.. Sullivan. but is what is known
as a "nuncupative" instrument Mr. Sui
Ivan left no written directions as to the
disposition of his property. and under
such conditions. If a testator realizes that
his end is approaching. and makes
clear statement of his wishes in regard to
the property, such statement. 1t is con-
tended, holds as we'll as signed docu-
ment. II must. II Is stated be Immediate
~ reduced to writing. signed by those who
heard the. statement, and submitted to
the direction of the probate court to be
managed exactly as are regularly drawn
wills.
The story. of the alleged relations be-
tween Mr.. Sullivan and Miss Carrau. as
follows:
MIR. Sullivan first met Miss Carrau
French instructor. He began the study
of that language under her direction, and
became acquainted with other members
of her family. Finally he took apart
ments at the home of Louis p. Daussat,
her brother-in-law, who lives at 1913 Sew
enth avenue. Here he roomed and
family.
"A few weeks after he moved into these
rooms he was stricken with the Illness
that caused his death He was cared for
by Miss Carrau. under the direction Of
DIR. silva Carman. who was an old per-
sonal friend Or. Carman left. med-
cines for Mr.. Sullivan's use. and directed
Miss Carrau as to how to nurse him. Late
In the evening of the day preceding Mr.
Sullivan's DEATH he told Miss Carrau.
who was caring for him. that he wished
her to. call the other members of the fam
lily. In response to this summons Louis
p Daussat Augustine Daussat. his wife,
and Miss Hermance Carrau entered Mr.
Sullivan's room. In their presence he said:
! want you to remember that will all
my property and personal effects to
Marie. When asked why he made such
a statement he replied in substance, one
never knows what may happen
Memorandum of suIlivan's Words.
THE members OF the household return
ed to their sitting room in the lower part
of the house, and II is said engaged in
conversation. provoked by this statement
Miss Hermance Carrau was near a desk
and she idly penciled memorandum OF
what had been said by Mr. sullivan
Nothing more was thought of the inci-
dent at that time
AT II o'clock the following morning
Mr. sullivan died, and during the day
Miss Hermance Carrau drew up a men,
orandum, written in ink ON a sheet Of
ordinary notepaper, giving brief state
ment of the occurrence and quoting Mr.
Sullivans language. This statement WINS
signed by the four who were present
when it Is said to have. been made"
MISS 1dIfdu ana MT. IduESat
two of those who petitioned for the APP
pointment of an administrator after Mr.
Sullivan's death. The question has been
asked, How could they make oath that
they knew of no Will as is necessary In
making such a petition, and then later
produce this document? Their counsel
answers this by stating that Miss Car
rau and her relatives did not know that
the document they held was, In fact a
VIII. They say that shortly after Mr.
sullivan's death. Col T.. d. McCutcheon,
cd
petition for his appointment. and rs
they knew him and did not know that
they held a will, they readily consented.
The appointment was not, however,
awarded to Mr.. McCutcheon. II Is said
that after o'Brien was appointed Daus-
sat consulted several attorneys u this
city as to his rights, believing that his
sister had some claim under the declara-
ton Of sullivan These attorneys IL IL
said, did not fully understand his state
TO the fact that ne held a nuncupatlye
will IL not known, Ia is claimed
for several weeks. hy reason OF this fact
that such "A document was I'm existence
Does Not Fear Montana Relatives
MIR. HAYS, counsel for Miss Carrau. is
OF the opinion that nothing need he
feared from the claims Of the alleged rel
atives In Butte and St Louis. He states
that last spring Mr.. sullivan was IN Ire
land and while there settled the estate
of sister who recently died. He says
that at that time Mr., Sullivan caused
made in the hope Of finding some rela-
tives but that such search was unsuc-
cessful. He therefore feels confident that
no relatives exist II is said also that Mr.
Sullivan explained the facts connected
with this matter very fully to Miss Car
rau after his return. and that she IS con-
versant with his lineage. relationship and
family records.
These new claimants are said to be
well known In Seattle. Miss cArrau Is a
teacher Of French. Her brother-in-law,
Louis Daussat Is a cook and is en-
ployed at present IN cafe on James
street. X Is claimed that they are MEM
bers of highly respected and wealthy
French family and when FIRST In America
were possessed OF some means. which
they lost during a residence In san
Francisco. They came 70 Seattle about
ak years ago. having been called here
to care for some property which had
been Inherited by one Of their number.
Mr. sullivan was a man Of few friends.
from choice, Or. : Carman, who was
perhaps his most intimate acquaintance.
and would be most familiar with his per-
sonal affairs, is now in New York. and