The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-11
FIGHTS FOR WEIGHTMAN CASH
MRS. WTSTER BEGINS ACTION TO
BREAk MILLIONAIRE'S WILL.

WCrc
Cut or After She Declined to Wed the
AGED Chemist-Jeaiousy and Infu-
ence Of Mrs. walker Mentioned.
PHILADELPHIA. Pa, June 10.-With the
filing OF a petition against Mrs. Anne NJ
Weightman Walker daughter Of the late
chemist William Weightman, Mrs. Jones
Wister, his daughter-in-law, to-day began
her legal fight to obtain for her six dauRh-
tiers a share Of the sixty millions left to Mrs.
Walker by her father.
Insane jealousy and the influence Of
Mrs. Walker are set forth as the two chief
reasons why William Weightman disin-
herited his grandchildren. Weightman
is pictured As weakened mentally, physi-
cally and morally at the time he drew up
his last will. 1t is further charged that
the late chemist was made to believe
that his widowed daughter-in laws mar
riage to Jones Wister was not from reasons
OF affection, but 4from baser and highly
improper and immoral motives" and that
this fact and the fact that he had been re-
jected as a sutton by Mrs. Wister, led to
his disinheriting her six children. His
jealousy is called both insane and un-
natural.
Mrs. Walker Is pictured as constantly
intriguing against the children OF Mr..
Weightman's sons. The petition points
out that shortly after Mrs. Walker took
charge OF Mr.. Weightman's household,
after Mrs. Wister's marriage, Mr.. Weight
man made codicil to his old will, by the
terms Of which his bequests to his grand
children were cut down to trust funds
during their life.
This, the contestants lawyer asserts,
shows the first results Of Mrs. Walkers
undue influence which, they allege, resulted
a little later In the destruction Of the first
will and the writing, under Mrs. Walkers
influence, OF a second document.
The petition was drawn In the name OF
Charles D'Invillier. brother OF Mrs. Jones
Wister. who for the purpose Of bringing
the contest had been appointed guardian
OF Martha Weightman, the minor daughter
OF Mrs. Wister and one OF the disinherited
grandchildren.
Judge Ashman or dered q citation against
Mrs. Walker to show cause why the will
already probat ed should not be set aside
and why the quest ions brought up by the
co mt estants regar ding Mr. Weight mans
condition and Mrs. Walker . influence should
not be put to trial.
The allegation concerning the codicil
is az follows:
THAT your petitioner is informed that
the said william Weightman executed
writing, or writings, in which he Re-
queathed to each Of his said grandchildren
81 900 900, and to his daughter s-in-law, the
said Martha Rogers Weightman, and said
Sabine d'I. Weightman Wister, each the
sum Of eco 1o0; 4 more particular descrip-
tion Of A~n1ens xfieffS, of writings, your
petitioner Is unable at this time to give
The charges against Mrs. W alker are
related thus:
.The said William Weightman at the time
Of the said alleged testamentary writing Of
Aug. l, 1895, was So years Of age with the
usual infirmities Of age. augmented by
previous severe illness, which had left him
and by reason OF which he then was in an
exceedingly feeble condition, physically,
mentally and morally. From the death
OF his wife In the latter part OF 1884 the said
William Weightman lived with his son, DR..
William Weightman. Jr., until the latter's
death in 1880. and thereafter with his daugh-
ter-in-law, the said Sabine dI. Weightman
Wister, and her daughters until 1898.
During the time that he lived in the
family of his daughter -in-law, Sabine d'I.
Weightman Wister, he received the most
sedulous care and attention and mani
tested the warmest affection for his grand
children, and as your petitioner is informed
and expects to be able to prove. in the early
part OF 1888 urged her to marry him, but the
refusal OF his request did not then produce
any apparent resentment or estrangement.
an 1894, a gentleman sought her in mar
riage and asked the decedent TO give his
approval to his proposal. At the time
the decedent acquiesced, but Subsequently
began to exhibit extreme jealousy OF this
sutton and became possessed OF a morbid
suspicion that the said Sabine d.. Weight
man Wister had turned against himself
and did not care for him.
HE alleged that she was untruthful to
him, and had not been sincere in her ex-
preston of regard for him; that the gentle
man to whom she had been engaged and
subsequently married on June 20, 1896, was
man Of Incorporate habits and not proper
husband for her, all Of which was abso-
lutely without reason or foundation; that
his grandchildren would be taken from him,
and would be obliged to give up the name
OIL NelButndH anu tdhc tIlat OF WlSteT,
that any property acquired by them from
him would pass into the control OF
the said Sabine d.. Weightman Wis
ter. and that the marriage Of the said
Sabine d.. Weightman Wister was not by
reason OF affection, but from baser and
highly improper and immoral motives,
and that the relations Of her hust andlooked
down upon the decedent socially and had
circulated r,imors that he had wished to
marry her. and that his opposition to the
marriage was tasa upon his disappoint-
ment because he, tie said deoedent, was a
rejected lover, all Of which statements
were untrue and without any reason or
justification whatever.
As "A result of the false and malicious
nisrer reservations with which his mind
was poisoned or asa consequence Of his re-
sentiment because pf the said Sabine d..
weightman wister having him and making
a second marriage the decedent became
possessed Of morbid and insane suspicion,
jealousy and hatrti OF the said Sabine
d.. Weightman Wtter, and while 40 in
fuenced and contplled and IA result
thereof, he executd the paper writing
Of Aug. /, 1895, wheeby he disinherited all
of his grandchildren.
m - ,>o&i<tox totis.too m v,,,,.L 49, l.