The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-22
BRYAN TO REFUSE A REQUEST
SEALED PACKET p. s. BENNETT
LEFT GAVE HIM $4,000.
The WIN Also Gave lily sao'ooo Outright
ami Mrs. Bryan SlO,OOO-He viii
Insist, However. on Spending the
1000 for CharityMrs. Bryan Drew
the Will-Bryan Had Accepted Money
often From Bennett-NiiOw Contests.

NEW HAVEN. Conn. Oct 81 The myster-
ious sealed letter which tho late Philo S.
Bennett OF this city left with the Merchants
Safe Deposit Company in New York
with his will was brought to New Haven
this afternoon and opened by Judge Livings-
ton v C!raveland of the Probate Court,
where continued hearing on the admission
Of the will to probate was held. The miss
ing document had been turned over to
William j. Bryan and A. p Sloane, execu-
tors of the WILL and Judge Henry Stoddard
of this city, counsel for Mrs. Bennett, the
widow.
After Judge cleveland had read the letter
he passed it to Mrs. Benefits counsel and
u the two executors. Mr. Bryan had a
copy Of the letter all the time in his pocket.
The letter was.
NEW HAVEN. May, 81, 1900.
MY DEAR WIFE: In my will just executed
have beuueathed TO you SIS 600 and tho
Bridgeport houses and have in addition to this
made you the residuary legatee of q sum
which will amount 10 s25. 900 more. This will
give you a larger income than you can spend
while YOU live. and will enable you to make
bountiful provisions for those you desire to
find the following provision:
Il give and beQueath unto my wife. Grace
lmogene Bennett. $4,000 in trust. however.
for the purpose set forth in sealed letter
which will be found with this will. 1t il my
desire that the $50. 900 conveyed to you in
trust by this provision shall be by you paid
to William Jennings Bryan OF Lincoln. Neb..
or to his heirs u survive him
ain earnestly devoted TO the political
principles which Mr.. Bryan advocates and
hoeve the welfare of the nation depends
upon the triumph OF those principles. As |
Am no, so able as he to defend those prin-
cpes with tongue and pen. and as his political
work prevents the application OF his time and
talents TO money making. l consider 1t
duty as find IL a pleasure, to make this pro-
vision for his financial aid. so that he may be
more free to devote himself to his chosen
field of labor
II for any reason he is unwilling to receive
this sum for himself. it is my will that he shall
distribute the said $4,000 according to his
judgment among educational and charitabl
institutions.
have sent a duplicate OF this letter to Mr..
Bryan, and it Is my desire that no one ex-
cepting you and Mr.. Bryan himself shall
know OF this letter and bequest For this
reason will place letter In a sealed envelope
snd direct that 1t shall be opened only by
you and read by you alone
P.S. BENNETT.
The will was typewr itten by Mr.. Bryan's
wife, as was disclosed during the hearing,
and was substantially drawn up at the
Bryan homestead during visit there Of
Mr.. Bennett. The will leaves other funds
in trust to the Bryan family, $4,000
10 Mr.. and Mira. Bryan for them to use In
educational and charitable works, $4,000
10 Mrs, Bryan for charitable uses under her
direction, and 81 500 for the founding of a
free library in the little town OF Salem, H.,
10 be known as the Bennett Bryan Library.
Salem ia Bryan's old home, and he said
during the hearing to-day that he had pur-
chased his boyhood's homestead, out of his
own pocket, for a site for the memorial
library.
Before the hearing was adjourned this
afternoon Mr.. Bryan announced in court
after a sharp cross-examination by the
Widows counsel and the publicly declared
intentions that Mrs. Bennett would stub
hprnly contest the provisions in the sealed
letter, that he would not accept a cent
for himself but that he maintained his
right to spend the $4,000 for educational
counsel said that Mrs. Bennett was thor
'Ighly competent ia expend that sum for
tine purposes named and that not cent of
T. would go to Mr.. Bryan, if it was possible
prevent it.
Thomas } Stoly. Francis Bell and Louis
u Rristol, all Of Brooklyn, N. Y, testified
, M they signed the will az witnesses, but
acu SwOre that he did not see Mr.. Bennett
Sign the document They said Mr.. Ben
lett told them that the signature was his
~ T. took place in the office of the Bennett
4 Sloane Company, 100 Hudson street
New York. Then Mr.. Bryan was called
g. Tho witness stand. He carried a big
IL i 4 r.
low they had obtained the sealed letter
Nr. Ryan said that the letter should not
I've opened except by Mrs. Bennett, to whom
4 was addressed.
Il understand" interiectcd Judge Stod-
dard, that Mr.. Bryan. either personally or
IT. trust. has or will have some claim on
Mrs Bennett if she has anything to do with
J ave advised her not to receive the letter.
We arr prepared to contest the claim that
J h, yari of the will in any way. But il
the { urt chooses, we have no objection to
the opening of the letter here. My client
las TO knowledge Of what il in the letter"
The letter was then read, Mr.. Bryan
after this started to tell the story Of his
r"Iai,nship to Mr.. Bennett. Much Of the
private correspondence between Mr.. Bryan
and Mr., bennett, whose mutual acquaint
Hnce dates back only to the formers 1895
CAMPAIGN, was read by Mr.. Bryan himself
cut # tho roll Of manuscript which he had +,
Mr. Bryan selected letter after letter and
TUNED them over to Judge Cleaveland as
exhibits in the case.
Tie freedom with which he read these
letters surprised those in the crowded
court room He explained that he first
tecame acquainted with Mr.. Bennett while
riding on u train from New York to New
Haven in the campaign of 1895. Mr.. Bryan
continued.
next met him after the election that