Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-12
ECCENTRIC WOMAN DEAD.
Well Known Through Her Purchase Of
Valuable Books.

Naw York. July n.-Mrs Abby Blake
Blodgett, whose extensive contracts for
expensive books led to suits against sever
al New York book dealers, last spring.
after she had been declared to he mentally
incompetent, is dead at her summer home.
Brooklands. at Ffshkill-on- the Hudson.
She was eighty-siTT y RinGso ga and inc
The suit against the book firms was
brought by her son, William Tilden BlOd-
gett, to rescind contracts TO the amount
of $50 600 for books entered into by Mrs.
RIodpett II was alleged that she was
mentally incompetent when the deals
were made.
Alfred Lauterbach. Edwin Tracy Grcaves
and DIR. Joseph Wheelwright. declared
after searching investigation. that Mrs.
Blodgett was incompetent, and her son
was appointed a committee in charge of
her person and estate. Soon after he took
charge of his mothers affairs Mr.. Blod-
gett learned of certain extensive book
contracts which his mother had entered
into. and which. he said. practically in
volved her entire fortune AS previous &c
these transactions Mrs. Blodgett had
never evinced a love for these books. Mr..
Rlodgett was mt a loss to account for her
sudden desire for the costly editions speci-
fled in the contracts, ana concluded that
in her mental incompetence she had been
influenced by the dealers.
Mr.. Blodgett asked in his suit that the
dealers be forced to refund all the money
which had been paid on account. with in
t.rest from date Of payments, and that
turn for which the Blodgett estate would
give up all equity in the books. Among
the sets involved are n COMPLETE set OF
HaIIiwclTs edition of Shakespeare. en-
larged by the insertion Of several plates;
n set of Boydel'S Shakespeare Gallery
for which Mrs. Blodgett agreed to pay
Sl9.R0; an edition of n work on Napoleon
l.. in twenty-one volumes, n A@O; ana
set of rare books from the private l.
hrary Of George J. Wills, No. 1G2 West
Eighty-li:St street. said 10 nave been sold
to Mrs. Bodgett through an agent Mr..
lilodgett died an affidavit of George ii.
Richmond, an expert on rare books, To the
efferct that Mrs. Blodgctt was over
charged greatly in these purchases.
Of tor lGr
named in the complaints, said that this
charge of Mr.. Richmond was unfounded.
and declared that he had atidavits OF
other experts to the effect that the set
of ''BOydel's Shakespeare Gallery" could
not be duplicated at any price and was
worth every cent of the $4,000 which Mrs.
Blodsett paid for them. He said that this
set consisted of one hundred steel plates.
folio size which had been prepared from
the works of special painters and etchers
engaged by Boydcl from 100 to 1904 to
work on Shakespcarian subjects. More
than G1O0,Uo was spent on the undertake
ing and resulted in Boydel going into
bankruptcy. Mr.. Tremaine also said that
the Halliwell edition Of shakcsrelre,
gctt was printed in 1H-j in one hundred
and fifty sets 1t was originally i'll seven
teen volumes. but Mrs. ElodgetT s set was
double that size, being enriched by more
than three thousand Old engravings. proof
plates and etchings. besides many water
color Illustrations which were especially
painted for the set.
Mrs. Blodgett's fortune amounted to
S3l1.n1. of which $2l5,OO0 was personal
Her husband. William II. Blodgett, at the
time of his death, twenty-five years ago,
was n well known New York merchant.
Counsel for Mr.. Wills has said that his
client doubtless would be willing To take
back the books an agent sold for him to
Mrs. Blodgctt if sufficient cause were
shown.