The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-13
THE GILMAN CONTEST OFF.
An Agreement Reached Between the
Many CIgimnnts

NEW YORK. March 12.-There will be
no fight for the fortune of George F. Gil
man, who died recently in Bridgeport.
That decision Is the result of several
conferences held today between the rep
resentatives of the various interests in
the estate.
Subject to legal requirement and to the
formal assent of all of Mr.. Gilman's
heirs, an agreement was made whereby
the estate will he equally divided among
those who have valid claims to share in
the property Of the merchant. Mrs. Hall
will be included among the beneficiaries.
The preliminary steps toward this
agreement were determined on this af
ternoon at the conferences referred to.
Tonight further conference was held by
the lawyers of the different claimants. at
which It is understood the final details
were arranged. Henry E. Knox. who for
a great many years was the legal adviser
of George f. Gilman. was mainly instru-
mental in bringing about friendly ter
mination to what promised to be a 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.. Gllman's relatives had
against the property. and II the million
aire left 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 TO make to the prospective lid
giants, it was said today, the decision to
divide the estate without resorting to the
courts was due.
That Mrs. Hall had in her possession
some ante-mortem documents which
would give her the right to intervene in
any contest that might have been begun
between the full-biood and half-blood
relatives Is no longer doubted. But as
wa:' ascertained on good authority today
Mrs. Hall and her advisers realized the
extreme improbability of either Il deed or
will being upheld by the courts, In view
of the known eccentricity OF Mr.. Gilman.
ana OF the stress which the opposing fac
tors would lay upon the influence which
Mrs. Hall might have exerted over the
old man.
II was for this reason that whatever
testament Mrs. Hall had has not been
publicly produced The EXPLANATION is
made that she merely desired to make
use of it to insist that she should receive
some benefit from the estate
Frazier Gilman, who represents the
half-blood heirs, said today that the total
value OF the property so far as could be
ascertained, was not more than about
$1,000 Like the Black Rock property
many of the real holdings of MIR. Gilman
Were mortgaGed
According to the terms Of the tentative
settlement. 100000 will be set aside to ad-
minister the estate, to pay the necessary
legal expenses and for taxation, and TO
leave working capital for the tea busi-
ness. The remaining 100000 will be
equally apportioned among the heirs.
Each will receive a share amounting to
between s100.Va and SIPS. .0O0
While tine individual consents of all the
full-blood relatives have not yet been
subscribed to the agreement, no fear of
DpDOSitiDn is felt. Ii is recognized that
should a contest follow it would probably
not be finally decided until IL reached the
United States Supreme Court. which
would mean stretching the case over
long period of years and the swallowing
up of the major part Of the estate in
legal expenses