The Washington herald., 1906-11-03
Mrs. Alexander'S Statement
WidenS Breach.
DAMAGE SUITS MAY RESULT
Members of Family Declare They
Are Equally Entitled to Exonera-
tiOu from Suspicion of Thefts-WIll
of Millionaire Has Already Caused
Law Snit-Valuable Property sold.

la possible sequel to the war Of recrimina-
! tion that has grown out of the robbery Of
+ Mrs. Alexander
I The statement given out by the aged
woman Thursday. instead OF restoring
/ peace in the troubled, dissension-toru
household at l6i7 Thirtieth street, George
town, has served TO widen the breach be-
tween Mrs C. F. Russell and her daugh-
/ ters and the children OF Fendall AleXan-
der, nearly all Of whom are living at the
/ homestead.
While no accusation was ever made
against Mrs. Russell, yet the statement
made by Mrs Alexander Is regarded by
the members of the family as being in
tended to exonerate Mrs. Russell. Just
why 1t was felt necessary to issue the an
/ nouncement IN her behalf, when blame
/ has never been directed toward her, is
another of the strange mysteries that
have grown around the whole affair.
The Feadau Alexander faction. however.
/ having interpreted the statement in that
way. feels it Is thus made the object OF
suspicion. and several Of the children are
/ considering the advisibIlity OF taking
steps TO make it clear they are in no wise
to be held accountable for the thefts
which have been worrying the household.
They have not yet come TO the point
where they desire 10 go into the courts.
but q continuation Of the present situa-
( ton may drive them 90 seek recourse In
action to recover damages.
Insist Upon Statement.
One thing. however. they are insisting
upon. That is that Mrs. Alexander issue
another public statement freeing them OF
all suspicion. Up to the present time.
though. they have not been able to ac-
complish this. Just where the hitch
comes in their plans has not been learned.
l While they refuse to make any state
ment themselves. their position Is out
lined by enc in authority 10 speak, as
. follows:
The children OF Fendau Alexander feel
they have been made the objects of unjust
. suspicion and naturally wish TO establish
( their entire Innocence. While they are
deslrOus as any OF the other members OF
the family to avoid publicity, still the
matter has reached q point where Il
+ becomes absolutely necessary that their
names be cleared. II the meantime. they
direct attention 20 the fact that they have
always C0urted the fullest investigation
I Of the rObberies. and their sincere wish Is
that the police be allowed 10 make their
I inquiry and find the guilty party. They
. have no fears as to the outcome"
! II was pointed out in The Herald yes
. terGay morning that enc Of the strangest
/ features Of the case was the fact that the
majority of the contending factions are
/ living under the same roof. eating at the
/ same table, and, incidentally, associating
with Mrs. Alexander. who is thus in her
4 old age made the pivotal figure in an as
t0nishing contest for q fortune.
Further investigation reveals the fact
that this situation arises directly from the
/ provisions of the VIII of the late million
aire, Columbus Alexander.
Text of AIexander's VIII.
/ Examination Of his last testament yes
terday brought TO light the fact that a
clause therein expressly stipulates that
after the death OF his widow, the home
stead be held as the joint property Of Mrs.
+ c. F. Russell, his daughter, and Mrs. Fen
/ dali Alexander, his daughter-in-law. and
their heirs To each Is awarded one-half
Of the home. Mrs. russell is to have the
part occupied by her father and mother
during their lifetime, her part being the
western part from the passage dividing
/ the house, with the use Of the dining
( room kitchen. pantTies, and WashrUom %
/ To Mrs. Fendall and her children Is
/ given the east part, with the use Of the
+ kitchen, dining-room, and pantries. Mrs.
/ Russell IS given the furniture and other
/ personal property, with the stipulation.
/ however. that Mrs. Fendall Alexander and
/ her children be allowed the full use Of
/ these chattels.
Like Voice from Grave.
Then comes this sentence. which in view
Of the recent developments, rises like a
voice from the grave:
1T is my earnest request that the joint
/ occupancy Of the homestead be continued
! harmoniously."
! Reference has been made to the fact
that this is not the first time there has
been a dispute over the estate. The facts
as shown by the courts records are as
! follows:
Maurice B. Alexander. the s7n Of Mrs.
1. Harry Il. Alexander, felt that he had not
been granted proper portion of the es-
tate under the will Of the millionaire. He,
/ therefore. brought suit 10 set aside the
win, alleging undue influence on the part
/ OF Mrs. Alexander and her son. W. ..
Alexander, who is named as one of the
trustees, and who. incidentally. was one
Of the chief beneficiaries under the testa-
ment"
This started legal battle that promised
to be unprecedented In bitterness. The
defendants secured the best legal talent
available. Every preparation was made
to oppose the contest to the end.
About this time, however. another mat
/ ter came up. It was stipulated in the
viii that after, the death Of Mrs. Alexan-
der the property at 10Q7 and 1909 F street
northwest and at 737 Seventh street be
held in trust for Mrs Russell, who was
TO enjoy the income therefrom. At her
death the property was 10 be divided
among her three daughters-Nrs. Bouie,
Mrs. Hays and Mrs. WeisigeT-by the
drawing Of lots. The daughter drawing
the longest straw was 10 get the first
choice, the second the next selection, and
the third what remained. 1t was further
provided that the daughter receiving the
lot at 7S7 Seventh street was to be given a
lot elsewhere from the estate that would
bring the value Of her share up to that OF
her sisters
For some reason. however. Mrs Russell
and her daughters did not wish to abide
by this stipulation, and they secured the
consent of Mrs. Alexander to waive her
life interest in the property. in order that
1t be sold 10 Woodward & Lothrop, who
held the lease on the building and lot.
Valuable Property Sold.
This plan was carried out and the sum
of $150OOO was paid to Mrs. Russell and
her daughters. OF this amount. $4,000
went to Mrs. Russell in return for her
waiving her life interest in the real es-