The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-10-02
All Arc Offered for Probate by
tho Misses Bradley. Al
ARE HELD UP BY THE COURTS.
One Brings Old Love Romano, to Light
Mrs. Armstrong. Whose s25O.OOO the
Bradley 6lrls Claim, Fathers Sweetheart.

New York. Oct. 2.-The contest of tho
will OF Mrs. Alicia Armstrong at White
Plains. N. Y, and that OF Francis Brad
ley at Hackensack, N. j., has brought to
light a strange ENHANCEMENT Of fortunes
as we'll as a romance dating back nearly
half century. Still another win Of
fered for probate in the Far West haA
added 10 the mystery.
The three Wills dispose of fortunes
aggregating about $4,000 and II their
terms are carried out the Misses Eva
and Georgiana Bradley, OF Clfffsidev
N. j.. will be raised from comparative
poverty TO riches. According to the pro-
visions of the three documents the two
young women are the sole legatees. But
their coming into possession OF the
money Is the suspicion that all OF the
wills are forgeries.
The Misses Bradley live with their
mother in a cottage at Cliffssdo on the
Palisades. Mrs. Bradley continues to
keep the little saloon that was eft To
the family. by her husband. Francis
Bradley. when he Died eight monihs aga
Mre. Bradley and her daughters live ip
rooms over the saloon and take turns
at looking after the bar.
+ DAUGHTER CHARGES FORGERY.
Bradleys will was offered for probats
before Surrogate Pell at Hackensack on
~ - A. 49, yD~s-
it's provisions the two daughters now at
home were named as tho sole legateess
another daughter, Mrs. AIbertinA Kotxo
of Orange. n. j., not being mentioned
Nor did Mrs Bradley get any share OF
the smalp fortune.bu she says that she
expected nothing. The estate n valued &C
les than 5000. Mrs Kotze IL not satisfied
and declares that the will Is not gems
lulne.e
'x~' IT'S a rank forgery said Mrs. Kotzs
yesterday. THE moment saw the doc
ument filed with Surrogate Pell I knew ~
did not bear the genuine signature Of my
father i
But OF the three wills that have come
into question and have made trouble for
the Bradleys that OF Mrs. Armstrong
which has been held up by Surrogatp
Silkman at White Plains. Ia the greatesE
puzzle. 1t was offered for probate by
the Misses Bradley, and after an investi>
cation was branded as a forgery and was
thrown out by the court. According to
lta terms the two young women wero to
divide the estate, which IL valued aG
about $3.50 900, In equal shares. Strangely
enough. their father was one OF the wit>
nesses OF the will. but this signature, a.
well as that of the testatrix. " held To
be a forgery.
Mrs. Bradley said yesterday that her
husband was wont to recall at frequent
intervals the days when he loved the
woman whose fortune his daughters arr
now seking. She says he made no SEA
cret of the fact that the old love had
never died. and this caused all the bitters
ress OF her life.
WILL CAME FROM MANILA. 2
The will itself is a mystery. The lesas
the malls, and that the postmaxk show
ed that II had been sent from Manila
p; l. They assumed that II was genS
uine. and accordingly offered II for pros
bate at White Plains. Mrs. Armstrong
died in Mount Vernon last May. She
was the widow OF John 8. Armstrong.
but there were several nephews and
nieces, who have made claims TO the esq
tate OF s25oooo. They say they nevef
heard OF the Bradleys until last Juns u.
forgery was filed.
The witnesses to the document were
Francis Bradley and William Loundys
Loundy was also a witness TO the Brad
ley will. According to Julius j. Lyons
the signature OF the testatrix is . clumsy
strong while the lawyer says she in-
variably signed her name as Alicia"
This viii and the one .purporting to
Identical in construction. the only differ
ence being In the names and In the de-
scription OF property.
The third will that has been brought
into the mystery ie one that was Of
fered for probate in Wyoming. In this
case the teetator was a great uncle Of
the Bradley girls. He died about eiu
months ago, leaving about $4,000 IN
mining and ranch property.
MISS EVA CLAIMS FORTUNE. x
Shortly after his death the Misses
Bradley called on Lawyer Walter sher-
wood OF Union Hill. N. j.. and retained
him TO represent Miss Eva In her claim,
10 the great-uncles fortune. She pro-
duced document purporting to be the
last will OF the western relative and the
lawyer went 10 Wyoming TO obtain the
fortune for the young woman. He says
that when he reached the home OF ths
great-uncle he soon discovered evidences
that the will was n forgery. II named
Miss Eva Bradley as the sold legatee. but
the courts refused TO accept II 40
genuine. Since that time no further ef-
fort has been made 10 enforce the claim
TO the 90 900 estate.
Surrogate Peii and Prosecutor Kocster.
OF Hnckensack, held conference yes
terday. at which II was decided TO take
steps to determine positively whether or
not the signature TO the Bradley will 10
q forgery. and II II n round TO be 90
the prosecutor says that the perpetratoS
will be punished.
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