Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-10-15
,ser ALL TO HIS DAUGHTER
,,.cbter.in.Lam Who Remar-
'' ,isd After Husbands Death
Brings Suit.
~. snlIt up Into Factions--tirst
vtpe.s Witness to VIII ana
Very Reluctant.

.,.t lnaugurdtep ~ nav
W. me will Of William Weightman'
" n,,llionalre chemist, who died ieav-
Wv estate valued at about s6O,oOo'ooo
|s allied for hearing today before
'Ira AsAman, IN the orphans court
~',,p,m Welghtman was the founder
=. powers d Welghtman firm Of
's.uls,s which since his death has be-
49, me Powers Weightman-Rosen-
,o, company. He was known to
a.. acquired a vast fortune and when
!, dlsd the public generally was sur
.,.,6 to find il was left entirely to his
..A,er Mrs Walker. Under the terms
gss win offered for probate nearly
y tbe vast fortune was bequeathed
nv WeRhtmans daughter Mrs.
Weiehtman. Walker. The suit to
y side The well was instituted by
~, Iones.Wister, who was "A daugh-
,sr.n.law Of Mr.. Weightman, but who
,.rarried at the death OF her husband,
osn Weightman. but Mrs. Wister. on
isnalf Of her minor daughter. Martha
WeIghtnan, seeks to prove that Mr..
welShtman left a codlcil TO his win
amply providing for his granddaughter
and The other heirs 10 the estate. Mrs.
Walker denies that any such codicil ex-
ts and says he will probated was
her fathers last wit aud expression of
hs desires In the matter.
WHO HOPE TO BENEFIT.
II the will Is broken. five grand
daughters and a grandson OF Mr..
WeIghtman will be benefited. The
case hes attracted considerable atten-
ton because Of the social prominence
Of those concerned. A sensation was
created by Mrs. Visitors declaration
that Mr. Welghtman who was past so
Years Of age when he died, made n
,roposal OF marriage to her after the
Death Of her husband. but that she
rejected him and married Mr.. Wister,
The contest has caused the family to
sllt into factions one Of Mrs. Wis
\ ms daughters, Mrs. Richard Walan
Ne.ep. formerly Miss Annie w.
Nfghtman, openly siding With her
gft She will probably be a witness
aAs Walkers behalf.
ARRAY OF COUNSEL.
Admirable array of counsel has
ksl r,ained by both sides. Hampton
/ aison, attorney-gen OF Penn
giina, and John G. Johnson, are at
tn head of Mrs, Walkers group OF
svYers. and Alex Simpson. Jr., heads
u attorneys for Mrs. Wister. The
Fncipals In the case. Mrs Walker and
NJ Wlster arrived IN the courtroom
arly today aud took seats among the
ngd. Each was quietly dressed, and
M Walkers appearance gave but
s'ght indication that she was pos
used Of soOoO.Qoo.
FIRST WITNESS.
The first witness called by the con-
t.siant was W A. Hopper, rs years old,
who was manager of accounts and
0tdis for Powers & Weightman. OF
which concern Mr.. Weightman was sole
member. At first ne was an unwilling
witness and was threatened with con-
lsmpt Of court for refusing TO answer
certain questions, He had been wit
aess 10 the will, and Mr.. Simpson
asked him what money he had received
from Mrs Walker after the death OF
hen father.
his first answer was that he received
Dis salary up 10 the time the firm was
laken over by another company. Then
. admitted receiving $50 for each year
fswas with the firm, or a total of $500.
Whsr employees gifts were at the same
ate
Following this, after much coaxing
y attorneys, he admitted receiving n
resent Of $1,000 from Mrs Walker.
What else did YOU get ?" asked Mr..
SIMPSON.
pied.
:. At this iuncture the witness was
threatened with contempt Of court for
e'ading answers
finally the Judge Informed him
way ne was In the hands of the court
~e No was instructed to answer
AN Hopper thereupon said:
GOT 100000.
Wen, Il | am compelled TO answer.
COZ '' "is' NdiNer sioV'
NH ans answer caused a sensation and
o %Gsn loud conversation ensued. After
My w mad been restored the witness
neo as received the 100000 about
pte, ~ 1904
S, having established the fact that he
is@ eVeWed gifts from Mrs. Walker,
ya,a, samysrs examined the witness re-
ins nss the circumstances Of the sign
on a, lne last will OF Mr.. Welghtman,
,bo s /, 1895. He had witnessed
Ia ~ suing OF two other papers prior
n. ~ signing Of the last Will. These
In, pHeFed were a will and codIcil
n. ne Wes not sure
,,nr, HOoper on cross examination.
nsn ,'ssses the belief that Mr.. Weight,
,ba a. mental condition was perfect al
Essne ne signed the win In dIspute.
to H. M y. Davis, private secretary
lsN n.,r "elghtman, also witnessed the
sltro..,n lie corroboia ted the previous
Vssss testimony regarding MIR.
'sa'mans mental condition.
MRS WALKER CALLED.
t,,,is s Walker was then called. She
eIecntsd 'uat her fathers first viii was
n1ders,coo'si lsSt. She never saw II. hut
Parts rDo ~ divided the estate I'm three
iSo brat'SS,a,ullfd each TO herself and her
tier Ma "y " When she heard her Ia
vor sbs u changed his will In her IA
Deferred pressed !, nsd disapproval as she
srawn y should stand as originally
iay Az ~eh' to see my father tho next
lhansaau ne himself said to me re
you ,'Nu my VIII and left eve,v,hina y,
~ ne replied: WY ''u you DO itT
nate" s ave carefully considered The
Dosltion 1 a thought that Inc best d u"'
III Of my Property ' u's-
,.iih the y es,as you what shall do
Do as vo, nateF Iasked. and he said
lour nIsyou please. / know Won IL
snrersa,,nne 4 there was any furthsr