The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-20
FAMOUS L0RILLARD FARM
MRS. ALLEN TAKES PROMPT POS
SESSION OF THE PROPERTY.
Orders the Gates Locked and Forbids
Visitors to Enter-Claims
Part of the stock.
Jobstown On. j. Special in Philadelphia

DR.. Carter. an experienced veterinary sur
geon brought by Pierre Lorillard from
Canada about fifteen years ago. and who
has since had absolute direction OF the
farm and breeding stables whether the
owner was here not. sits like Cerebus at
the gate. He knows the terms OF Mr..
Lorillard's will bequeathing the famous
farm to Mrs. Allen. He has apparently
been given TO understand that Mrs. Alien
believes that possession is nine points OF
the law and that she means TO take up her
residence the farm at once regardless
of any possible contest over the will Serv-
ants were busy ell day preparing the
Lorillard mansion for the reception of the
new owner. Furniture that has been sent
there from New York and from foreign
countries since Mrs. Allen left there just
after last Thanksgiving was brushed up
and put in place.
II Mrs. Allen had arrived at the Rance
cas- mansion tonight. was expected, she
would have found everything in readiness.
A carriage was sent 10 Kinkona to meet
her when the last train from New York
and Trenton arrived. but she did not come.
DR.. Carter and the servants awaiting her
here have little doubt that she will arrive
tomorrow and make her home her until
the legal contest. If ii comes. either puts
bequeathed to her or turns her out
WILL PUZZLES THEM
Residents hereabouts. including the 100 or
more employees of the famous farm, are
mystifed about the precise terms of the
will. All that they know is that the farm
property has been bequeathed to Mrs.
Allen. who has virtually been mistress of
it for nearly ten years. But they have
he's ri ~
of valuable stock on the farm. There is
more than twice the cash value in the
stock than there is in the farm. The horse
breeding stud alone is estimated TO be
worth $4,000. One imported mare that Mr..
Lorillard purchased last fall cost him $50
600 He has in his Rancocas stables the
half-brother of Flying Fox, a horse that
considered by English breeders worth
most his weight in gold. He has there
Pontiac and Sailor Prince, each OF them
worth small fortune. This is leaving out
of the calculation about coo head of thor
oughbred cattle, dogs, deer, pheasants and
everything else that goes TO make up the
complement of gentleman's stock farm.
and in the breeding and housing OF which
Pierre Lorillard has spent hundreds of
thousands OF dollars.
1t is not understood hereabouts that Mrs.
Allen gets these With her farm. They are
believed to belong to his son Pierre. jr..
who knows al about his grandfather 5
racing horse pI operties both in this country
terms of the will gets one-fifth of the
estate. Take its valuable stock away from
Rancocas and its value is materially dimin-
ished. Mrs. ALLEN is said to believe that
she gets all the stock but the racing horses.
If the matter ever reaches the courts there
will, in the opinion Of persons in this part
of New Jersey, be much of a contest
over the stock as there will be over the
farm. 1t is TO be prepared for this that
Mrs. Alien has decided to take possession
OF the home.
FARM RUN TO DECAY.
Stripped of all its stock and put into the
open market Rancocas would not be con-
sidered very much of a bargain by the
real-estate investor. True, it consists of
100 acres of the best and most fruitful
land in Burlington county. Mr.. Lorillard
has spent about 81 600 in irrigation, new
buildings and the necessary paraphernaiia
of the up-to-date gentleman farmer. But
his chief pride was in his stock, his swift
horses and his thoroughbred cattle. Ev-
erything was shaped toward that end.
Land hereab bouts is worth $50 an acre. Put
$40 an acre on that to the Rancocas prop
erty, and 200 acres at $40 an acre would
be worth only $4,000 The house, barns,
kennels fish ponds and game preserves
might be worth Sl00, 900 more, although MIR.
Lorillard spent much more than that on
them. But this figure represents all that
the Rancocas farm would mean TO Mrs.
Allen under the terms of the Will as they
are understood.
OF late years, since Mrs. Lorillard and
the farm property has been running 70
decay. Barns and greenhouses destroyed
by fire have never been rebuilt The
charred ruins to-day a blot on the
green landscape. II requires only an hour
or two of talk with the residents of Jobs
town to understand the difference When
Mrs Lorillar6 and her children were here
a trainload of guests arrived every Sunday
morning; the very best OF the social set
in Philadelphia and New York; the men
and women who have made Tuxedo an
more beloved by the people who lived about
her than was Mrs. LOrilard when she was
she was tireless in looking after the pros
perity and even the necessities of the
townspeople; even those who were not In
any way connected with the farm. A list
of the charities of the Lorillards. under the
old regime. would be almost interminable
BEGINNING OF THE END.
When Mrs. Lorillard and her children
stopped coming to Rancocas there was
mourning. The reason was tacitly under
stood Mrs. Allen came in her place al
certain seasons of the year. Guests arrived
as before. but not the same guests. The diff.
ference was apparent even to the towns.
people, who used to gather at the railway
station and the hotel adjoining 1t TO watch
the arrivals. Old faces gave way TO new
Mrs. Lorillard took great pride in her green.
house. the most spacious and best cared fol
in the State of New Jersey. Mrs Allier
seemed to care nothing for them. II was
only within a year that she has had then
repaired and rebuilt, but they are almost
empty, and utterly lack the lavish display
of Mrs Lorillard's day.
All the pride that Mr.. Lorillard seemed IL
take in the place, even in later DAYS wa.
in the horses. He added a half-mile gras.
track 10 the three-quarter-mile turf tract
for speeding and put a one-eighth-mil,
indoor track in the famous glass harm
for winter trials. All the rest OF the spor
that could be got out of the farm-his gam,
preserve and fish ponds built at enormou.
expense-he was willing to leave 10 hi.
guests. OF late years, when the plovel
used TO go shooting with Mrs. Allen II.
never bothered about his pheasants OF
quail, nor did she. She is said TO be a crack
shot. and the plover shooting that she go
on the estate gave her more pleasure thar
anything else.
FRIGHTENING UP THE HOUSE.
Last summer when Mrs. Alien was here
with Mr.. Lorillard she began 10 suggest
various Improvements to brighten up the
place" as she termed 1t, and 10 restore II
10 its former spick-and-span grandeur. She
had the greenhouses rebuilt, the speeding
track put in shape so that guests might
enjoy IL. Lawn chairs were grouped about
10 take the place OF the grand stand. Elec-
trio lights were put in the mansion. though
they are nowhere else in the village. and
new furniture was put in the rooms OF the
spacious homestead. Most OF IL came from
New York and some from abroad. in pack
ing cases addressed TO Mrs. ALLEN. She saw
10 it's unpacking and arrangement. Among
other things vas large, ful-length por-
trait OF Mrs. ALLEN. II does not at all com