The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-29
mrs. JONES WISTER GIVES UP.
ABANDONS HER FIGHT FOR THE
WEIGHTMAN MILLIONS.

PIeAdings OF Her Daughters 10 Keep the
Family skeleton From Public View
said to Have PreVailed-MTs. walker
Now Preparing 20 Quit Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA. March 2s.-Mrs. Anne N.
Weightman Walker will in all probability
retain the S6o,0OO,O 900 which her father,
William Weightman. left her. hrs. Jones
Wister, her brothers wife, who threatened
suit in behalf Of her FIVE daughters, has,
1t appears. surrendered TN conditionally.
Mrs. Walker and her attorneys profess
to believe that this IL because Mrs. Wister's
lawyers have reported that she has no
legal cause, Friends OF Mrs, Wister say
that II she has given up the fight it has
been because Of the pleadings Of her daugh-
ters, who have preferred to lose their share
Of the esta 10 rather than to exhibit the
family skeleton to the public.
Although II seems that Mrs. Walker has
won, she has given up all hope Of taking
the place she coveted In Philadelphia SOL
cisty. She Is selling all the property in her
name and h transferring to herself per-
sonally that property which has appeared
on record as belonging to her as executriK.
Ravenshill. the old home OF the Weight
mans at Chestnut HILL Ia in the market.
Other big holdings have been disposed Of
within the past two weeks.
For years and years Mrs. Walker and Mrs.
Wister have been at swords points. Mrs.
Wister, who was Sa bine dInvilliers, a
member Of an old French family, strength
ened her already strong position in society
when she married into the Wisters.
Mrs. Walker wanted TO enter the inner
social circles Mrs. Wister kept her out.
In bare outline this Is the social feud that
has rent the Weightman family for years.
Before William Wcightman's last illness
ten years ago, when his attitude TO the
world changed Mrs. Wi5ter was his favorite.
He admired his daughter for her masculine
intellect and her grasp Of business, He
loved Mrs. Wister for her beauty, her social
powers and her devotion TO his son.
After his illness his daughter-n-law'
marriage placed powerful weapon in Mrs.
Walkers hands. She used it. The will re-
suited That was one victory for her. II
was the reluctance Of Mrs. Wister's
daughter to testify 20 words and acts
Of their grandfather in his declining years
that drove them to their stand against the
mother.
The attack on the will was simply first
open skirmi h CT the quiet f.h' III has
been going On for years. VIII h,r 1t Is a
hnal or only a temporary, victory the next
three Gays will show. but Mrs. Walker
will leave Philadelphia forever.
lawyer interested in the case to-day
summed up the situation. Mrs. Wister's
claims. he said, were that codici was
added TO Mr.. Weightman's will that she
had letter from Mr.. Weightman promis-
ing 81 ,OCO 900 to each Of the grandchildren
and also a letter stating that what Mr.
Weightman had just done would make
more noise than the Fourth Of July fire.
works; that she received a proposal Of
marriage from Mr.. Weightman shortly
after the death OF his son, who was her
first husband that expert testimony Of
physicians that Mr.. Weightman's illness
ten years ago. just before he made his will
must have impaired his mind
Mrs. Walkers replies TO these counts,
the lawyer thought, were such that Mrs.
Wister's counsel would advise her not 70
take the case to court. The replies mi ht
he estimated as follows: Absolutely no
proof can be found Of even a rumor OF a
codicil, the letter promising 81 900 600 10
each Of the grandchildren legally amounts
10 nothing more than broken PROMISE
the other letters might mean anything,
the proposal Of marriage was immateria
legaly:the physicians who mi ght testify had
never attended Mr.. Weightman before.