The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-20
SUES VOR DR.. GVAASS ESTATE
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Nv " WV" W ~
PANS, Iths 10 Aeslon waa entefsi IN
Tho C0uf, ~ Tifst instance aud wits Wrte
rrsv@l on June ls In ths ctsr n The Thunt#a
" kvans Muasum snd institute a,rleiy
N plhiatlelplna aaalnat the essVutufs "
Tho will ~ the late IN. rhosnss " Evans,
farineFly dentis, TO frnptesa kunenie,
whUin he aliei Ia escape "a England on the
fall II tho Efnplte
The living eSecr Ots In France are Arthur
G, Wallets and Charles y Muller Tho
late Dr.. Crane waa aleo an executor. IN
Americas the living eSecuior IL the Rev.
William lIeberton, The other executors
were the late Joseph W. Wilson and tho
Lat q Horace \. Ely. The American exec,is
tora had authorized thor colleagues In
fr ance. by power Of attorney, to aCs ia
their behalf.
The correspondent Of THR SrN this NON.
Ing interviewed q. II. Norris and Joseph
". Catherine. lawyers for the society's
trustees. who came here 10 institute tho
proceedings. They @y that the French
estate, largely consisting Of houss property
in Paris, was originally valued at 81. 800, 600,
but that Il has now greatly deprecated.
DR.. Evans also left personally which, with
the income aooruing from the real estate,
amounted In December, lpDi, to 600. 600
francs. 70 Ia alleged thai this 10 all gone.
or, at least, has not been accounted for,
nor has the money received on behalf Of
the estate since that date been accounted
for.
It Is calculated that the executors would.
OF 8 per cent. on the real estate, be en-
titled to GEO., 900 commission were the prop
erty In America, whereas the executors are
entitled TO no commission hero. Messrs.
Norris and Catherine say that the executors
practically demand what amounts to 25 per
cent. Of the whole estate here and In America.
They declare that they are In possession.
and that the society will not be able to get
control owing to the peouliarities Of the
French trust laws, but IL the society's trus-
tees will allow them 5000, 600 they will turn
over TO them what Is left Of the estate.
The lawyers also say that the executors,
moreover, fatty refuse to give any details
Of how the $500, 900 francs were spent.
Maitre Cbenu, the leading. commercial
light Of the French bar, has been retained
on behalf Of the society. He is instructed
by Maitre Haquin. The society claims, in
addition to the estate. $4,000 900 francs dam
ages for maladministration<
DR., Evans died in the fall Of 1897. The
Museum Society was incorporated in Feb
ruary, 1893. In 1900 an agreement was
made between the city Of Philadelphia and
the executors whereby the latter were put
In possession OF the estate on condition
that they would transfer 1t to the society
pursuant TO an order made by the French
courts on August 3, 1900, the enforcement OF
which order IL the basis Of the present ao-
ton.
PHILADELPHIA, June len 1897 DR..
Thomas W. Evans. for many years q citizen
of Philadelphia, but who in the latter part
of his life built w a large dental practice
in Paris and acquired a fortune valued at
several million dollars. died and left the bulk
of it to establish q museum and dental insti-
tute in Philadelphia. Action was imme-
diately begun In the French ourts TO settle
up the estate, which comprised many valua-
BILE properties in Paris, Certain heirs con-
tested the claim Of the city Of Philadelphia.
In 1900 all parties to the litigation agreed
to a settlement, and litigation in France
and this country was withdrawn.
After waiting a reasonable time counsel
for the city and the museum requested the
trustees LOT u btdVoluCht Va th0 0Ttdto -
condition. but 30 far they have been unable
to get any satisfaction. Assistant City
Solicitor Joseph W. Catherine was sent to
Paris to get q speedy adjustment, but the
executors demanded an excessive sum for
commissions and required that q full 40
counting be not insisted upon. A statement
finally furnished was unsatisfactory, as it
showed a big shortage.
In q report to Mayor Weaver the assistant
counsel for the city, @. Heidi Norris, now
in Paris, stated that the personal estate Of
DIR. Evans, valued at 81 200 900, had dis
appeared entirely. The report says OF this:
4The object Of the executors in holding
on to the estate and in delaying settlement
has always been a matter Of inquiry, but
the SEQUEL seems to disclose the answer
very clearly. 1t is now apparent why
M. Valois, the principal Of the French
executors, could never be found when
wanted; why he avoided interviews: why
he has interfered with and delayed any
attempt to deal with American executors"
As the result Of this report Mr.. Catherine
and Mr.. Norris vent to Paris and started
the action now reported.