The evening times., 1900-05-29
PERRY'S niece A NISER |
The Old Garbage Picker Left an
Estate Worth $50, 600.
Died I'm n Lonely Hut-An Inspection
Revealed Many Fine SILK and Satin
York and BOstCn-Her Money Left
to Prevent Cruelty to Animals.

NEWPORT. R. l.. May 29-The will OF
Sarah E. Gardner. who claimed to be a
niece Of Commodore Perry. of Lake Erie
fame. was offered for probate in the court
here yesterday. She lived as miser. and
left an estate valued at $4,000.
Miss Gardler was about seventy years
old at thc lime of her death, and her body
was found IN a wretched howell she had oc-
cupied alone for years on West Broadway.
In 1912 her mother was killed by rail-
road train in-tAis city. and since that time
Miss Gardner had lived as a servant in the
houses OF Admiral Luce, Matilda Cass
Ledyard. who died year ago in London.
and number OF other prominent society
people in Newport.
When the deceased became too cid for
active work she secured a little hut on
West Broadway. which became her home
up TO the time OF her death.
For the past twenty years Miss Gardner.
stopped by age and emaciated from want
OF proper sustenance. had made her daily
round Of the garbage barrels of Newport
and lugged to her hut the result OF her
days labor. She was never known TO sell
any Of the old rags. junk. snd bones that
she picked up in her travels. and it had
been mystery for years how she disposed
OF them. When she cied however, IL was
no longer a secret.
Every room in the house was found to
be crammed TO overlooking with the prod
uct OF her years of labor.
When Miss Gardner died her only friend
was notified and a search OF the house vas
made. during which a will was found
which had been drawn up by herself The
document was characteristic of the woman
Ii left her household effects and wearing
apparel TO any person or persons who might
attend her IN her last illness.
This was looked upon as a grim Joke.
as Miss Gardner had never been seen in
anything but the most filthy rags. but
when search OF the rubbish in the house
was made there were. found elegant silk
dresses. house gowns and expensive dress
patterns which had never been worn by
the deceased and were in the original
packages. probably never having been
opened from the time Of their purchase
None Of these. had been purchased in New
port. but bore the wrapping papers OF we'll
known stores in New York and Boston
The deceased was a Spiritualist and
was said to be guided IN all her under
takings by the spirit CT her mother. whom
she consulted through a medium in Provi-
dence. Her visits 10 this person were made
secretly. and on those occasions the exec
utor named in the viii says she would ar
ray herself in her finest garments. and the
transformation from the wretched rags she
habitually wore was so great that she
could go about the streets without the
slightest fear OF being recognized by her
most intimate neighbors.
He further says she was very lavish In
the sums she bestowed on the medium
through whom she communicated with The
spirit Of her mother. In the search OF the
house a number OF bank books we're found
the amounts found in them calling for de-
posits OF more than $50. COO
In her viii she provides that the resi-
due OF estate. after her funeral expenses
are paid. shal, go to the Rhode Island So
ciety for the Prevention OF Cruelty to An
imals- There are no known heirs-at-la
TO contest the will