The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-15
Mrs. Lsnclonl C]niHsts VIII OF
Founding Nov Dead.
SIZE AN OLD.TIMEOpzRA SINGER
RG Dates % Not Agree win ihs Records
and BensfIcIadss Defend iAa BGulasis
Mads Them.

Now York. Feb. l5.--Out of the mystery
which hid Charles X. Myers origin comes
IcsteIla Lencaoni, once an opera singer
and now a volubie little woman OF 30 TO
claim as his mother the estate OF S5O.-
900 ne left by will TO the children OF his
benefactor and friends who had been his
r,,nils when he was conducting school
at Matawan, N, j., more than % years
ago.
Mrs. Lencioni's ssnt TO have the VIII ser
aside was tried before Judge Smith In the
Brooklyn Supreme court yesterday. she
alleged that the benefciaries OF his VIII
had induced him 20 make 1t by undue In
fluence.
II was an odd story which the trial re-
vesIed. A Mrs. Haggard. who lived In
Yonkers. adopted a founding boy OF nve
years in 1851. according to the defendants.
who deny that the plaintiff was the moth
er Of their friend. The boy grew UP. stu
dious. reserved and extremely sensitive an
20 his origin.
When ne was IL years old he attracted
the attention OF John Klein, prosperous
New York business man. whose residence
was In Brooklyn Klein educated him.
The boy. who had taken the name Charles
X. Meyer. became a lInguist and a deep
classical student. He opened a school In
Matawan, N. j.
Among his pupils were Albert A. Greg
ory, Lucia NJ Parker. William Lustin.
Edison W Bissell and Jennie stryker
He did not prosper and through the In
fluence Of Mr.. Klein. Myers obtained
position IN the New York postofiice. and
he remained in the foreign mails depart
ment for % years.
IN 1896 Myers. who was living at Sos
BEDFORD avenue. became III. He had never
married. and his only friends were An
ME E. Klein and Adrienne Klein, daugh-
ters OF his benefactor; his old pupils and
John Searle
While In the hospital Myers made the
wiil which is now contested. He be-
oueatned $4,000 10 Annie and Adrienne
KLEIN. and directed the distribution of the
yest of his estate among his old pupils
and his friend, Mr.. Searles. J. Grattan
McAiahon, Brooklyn lawyer was APP
pointed executor OF the will
Myers died two years later. Two years
sfterward Mrs. bencioni appeared TO
claim the estate.
she testified yesterday that her son
was born in 1850. and she gave him 10
Mrs Hazard to board. because she was an
opera singer and was travelling with her
husband She did not hear of her sons
death until two years after II occurr-
cd she said.
DR. John Mead Calender testified that
ne had examined Myers when he was III.
and that Myers was not, In his opinion,
mentally capable OF making a will. He
said Myers was suffering from a hemor-
yhage In the brain.
Mr.. Chadsey. for the defence said the
plaintiff was not the mother OF Charles
Myers, but said that at the time she said
her son was born Myers was five years
old To prove that Myers intention was
20 benefit his friends he introduced a will
81 Myers handwriting, made six years
before his death. In which he wrote:
Il ignore all claims OF relationship.
have had TO stand alone from my earliest
childhood and what ] have had TO suffer
] have kept from the world and those
whom I here recognize as my friends.
have tried 10 be true to those. l wish 10
be buried in a retired spot in Greenwood
Just large enough TO be fenced in, and |
desire that no stone be placed at my head
or at my feet"