Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-20
Mr.. L. z. LETTERS WILL
DOCUMENT FILED IN LOCAL
COURT TODAY.
Estate Divided Among Wife and Sur
vtving Children-Executors and
Trustees Named.

The will OF Levi z. Letter. the Chicago
millionaire. who died at Bar Harbor. Me-.
last week. was filed today with the register
OF Wills In this city. 1t is dated June 1.
and named Mary T. Letter and Joseph
Letter. his widow and son, as executors
ana they. together with his daughters,
Nancy Lathrop Carver Letter and Mar
suer1te Hyde Letter and Seymour Morris
OF chicago are designated as trustees
The witnesses are his lawyers, Walter v.
H. Berry and Benjamin 8. Minor and II.
y. Rowland. all of this city The will
leaves one-third Of the estate, outside of
nofs. to the widow and the rest is left for
equal distribution per stripes among the
cnnoren There Is nothing in the will
wnicn indicates the total value of Mr.. Lei
After the death of the widow her Dor
uon OF the estate goes into the general
estate. which Is distributed equally among
the children per stripes. except the 1890
acres OF coal lands in Illinois, which Is
vested In fee simple in Joseph Letter the
son. as soon as he pays of the amount
advanced thereon by the testator Spe-
c1fc provision is made to guarantee Joseph
Letter an annual income of at least $40 900
under any circumstances. and to insure him
an annual income of $4,000 in any event
AFTER the fuifllment OF the trust created
Tor the estate under the terms of the will
Chauncey Keep of Chicago is designated
as the first person to be offered the first
vacancy among the trustees, whose num-
per IS hxed at three. Seymour Morris. as
trustee Is given 5000 year for such
serving as trustee. The will specifically re-
places and reVokes all previous wills.
Lady Curzon's Marriage Settlement.
Mention is made of the marriage settle
ment of 100000 previously made on one of
the daughters, Lady Curzon. in addition to
which the will beQueaths 81. OO0OOO more as
a trust fund for her. the total of 81, zoo, 900
to be charged against her in the distribu-
ton Of the estate.
The trustees named for this independent
funq are Joseph Letter. Robert T Lincoln
OF Chicago, Francis Nathaniel Curzop of
ST. Ermins Mansions. London. and St John
fTemantie Brodrick of No. "a Portland
place, London. to whom the executors are
TO pay over in trust, either in money in
ponds. stocks or other forms of purely per-
sonal property belonging to the Letter es-
tate, to invest and reinvest in good income
yielding securities in trust to pay the
whole OF the net annual income thereof to
Lady Curzon formerly Mary Victoria Lei
teri during her life for her sole use during
marriage and upon her sole and separate
receipt. and she Is prohibited from dispos-
ing OF 1t In the way of anticipation and
upon her decease 1t Is to go In trust to her
husband. and If she leaves one child, upon
her death the amount is to be divided
equally between the husband and child. and
to be given to the husband. Mr.. Letter re-
CURED that the investments under this pro-
vision may be made in any public stocks or
securities Of or guaranteed by the united
government of India, or copyhold securities
in England and Wales. heritable securities
IN Scotland. freehold securities in the
United States north of the Potomac and
Ohio rivers and north and east of the Mis-
souri, river. or the stocks funds. debentureS.
mortgages of any corporation of the united
kingdom or of the United States paying
regular annual dividends or ordinary stock
or shares or interest on obligations the
trustees to have especially in view the
security of the investment rather than the
rate Of interest.
The Share of the Children.
Except as to the coal lands mentioned. all
the residue of the estate, wherever stu
ated. is beQueathed to the widow, Mary T.
Letter; the son, Joseph Letter, and the
daughters. Nancy Lathrop Carer Letter
and Marguerite Hyde Letter and to Sey-
mour Morris. trustees, to hold the prop
erty in trust and to pay to the widow
her own individual receipt one-third of the
net annual income of the trust estate,
she may require. Upon her death and dur
ing the continuance of the trust her allot-
ted part of the income is to become part of
the general income of the trust and sub
ject to the distribution among the chill
dren. The trustees are authorized to pay
off membranes make property i'm
provement out ofrthe net income.
The will says during his lifetime Mr..
.fn advance:' To Lady Curzon. s1,7Oo.OOO.
to be charged against her in the general
estate: to each of the daughters. Nancy
and Marguerite. 1000 shares of capital
stock Of the Chicago Railway Company.
valued at 1855 a share. and 1000 shares of
the capital stock of the Edison Company Of
Chicago. valued at $145.OOO. making a total
charge against each Of 100000 to be treat
income and principal of the trust. To Jo-
seph Letter, the son, advancements partly
evidenced by notes signed by him, but can
celed and not to be taken into account. and
amounting to $2,OO0Oo0 to be charged IS
an advancement.
Each of the children is to be charged with
per cent interest on Announcements begin
ming with the truSteeSDip and the total in
tereSt is to be added to the twO-thirdS of
the net annual income from The trust estate
and to the whole of the net annual income
after tie death of the widow and the
amount thereof Is to be divided equally
among the children or their descendants per
stripes.
The Will says that Mr.. Letter had pur-
chased title to 1900 acres of coal lands
in Franklin and Williamson counties of IL
linois and certain shares of the capital stock
of the Universal Fuel Company and directs
that 4 corporation may be formed under the
Illinois laws to operate the lands. the shares
to stand in the place of the lands and the
fuel company stock. The trustees are d.
rected to permit Joseph Letter to manage
and control these lands and the dividends
and profits are to be applied as credit to
the amount invested in the coal lands, the
earnings to bear interest at per cent per
annum. Whenever Joseph Letter repays the
estate left Mr.. Letter in full. with interest,
the whole amount invested in the coal lands
and the fuel company is to be conveyed alb
solutely to him.
One Killed in Maine Railway Wreck.