The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-13
THE GILMAN CONTEST OFF.
An Agreement Reached Between the
Many CIuIn.anfs.

Many Claimants.
NEW YORK, March 13.-There viii be
10 fight for the fortune of George +. Gil
man, who died recently ia Bridgeport
That decision is the result Of several
conferences held yesterday between the
representatives of the various interests in
the estate.
Subject 10 legal requirement and to the
formal assent Of all of BIr. GiInGn's
heirs, an agreement was made whereby
the estate will be equally divided among
those who have valid claims to share in
the property OF the merchant Mrs. Hall
viii be included among the benefciaries,
The preliminary steps toward this
agreement were determined on yesterday
afternoon at the conference referred TO.
Last night a further conference was held
by the lawyers of the different claimants,
at which 1t IS understood the final details
were arranged. Henry = Knox. who for
a great many years was the legal adviser
Of George ?. Gilman, was mainly iastru-
mental in bringing about q friendly ter
mination to what promised 10 be pro-
tracted and costly fight in the courts.
Mr.. Knox knew the exact value of the
estate. He was aware. probably better
than anyone else, of the merits of the
claims which Mr. GiiInan's relatives had
aire LETT either a deed or viii in favor
Of Mrs. Helen Hall, Mr. Knox would prob
ably have drawn up the instrument
To the representations which Mr.. Knox
was able 10 make to the prospective uJI-
giants, it was said, the decision to
divide the estate without resorting TO the
courts was due.
That Mrs Hall had in her possession
some ante-mCrtem documents which
would give her the right to intervene in
any contest that might have been begun
/ between the fuIl-bIo0d and half-bIeod
relatives Is 10 longer doubted. But as
was aScertained on good authority
us f1t!I ana i3er advisers realized the
/ extreme lmprCoabibIy Of either deed or
4 VIII being upheld by the courts in view
OF the known ecu=ntrlcltY Of Mr.. Gilman
and Of the stress which the opposing fac
Tors would lay upon the influence which
/ MS Hail might have exerted over the
old man.
It was for this reason that whatever
testament MIS- Hall had has not been
puDIlCIy produced The explanation is
made that she merely desired to make
use of IL TO insist thar she should receive
some benefit from the estate
Frazier Gilman, who represents the
half-blood heirs. said that the total
Falue OF the property so far as could be
aScertaiued, was not more than aborT
I sos. 9y1. Like the Black Rock rFog,art,-
many Of the real holdings of Mr. Gilman
/ were mOrtSaged-
ACCORDING 10 JLe terms OF the tentative
( settlement 100000 viii be set aside to ad-
minister the estate. to pay the necessary
legal expenses and for taxation, and 10
[ leave working capital for the tea bust
( ness The remaining 81 ea0.G80 will be
equally appcrtioned among the heirs
/ Each VIII receive q share amounting 10
between $fe0.9e9 and SIPS ESQ
While the Individual consents of all the
Iuli-bIood relatives have not Yet been
subscribed to the agreement. no fear Of
/ opposition is felt 1t is recognized that
should a contest follow II would nrOhabl
not be finally decided until 1t reached the
/ United States Supreme Court, which
/ would mean stretching the case over a
I long period Of years and the swallowing
| up of the major part of the estate in
/ legal expenses