Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-06

of number Of fresh lawsuits. and in a few
months the estate was~tangled up In all
sorts of claims. Some of the heirs became
involved with their attorneys: some of them
sold their rights and the professional pur-
chasers began new suits; numerous propo-
sitions for compromises were made and
matters became so complicated that 1t was
difficult to settle anything.
When the family were fighting each other
the city of Philadelphia took a hand in the
dispute on the ground that the executors
were not carrying out the provisions of the
Will, and that complicated matters still FUR
Their; the d'sinherited nephew started
new suit for one-half of the entire French
estate, claiming to be the her of the wife
of DR.. Evans and as such entitled to her
undivided interest The heirs got together
and through their attorneys arranged
compromise. but the lawyers demanded
liberal share of the compromise fund and
called upon all the heirs to contribute
Among them was one of the executors, who
refused to contribute to the breaking of
will he had sworn to execute. Thereupon
fresh suit was commenced in the eastern
district of Pennsylvania to compel a | the
beneficiaries to share the legal expenses
and costs. That suit stands on the docket
still without having been tried. Two of the
executors died According to the laws Of
France, their heirs succeeded to the undi-
vided interests in France, making it neces-
sary to pay more death taxes and bringing
new persons into the litigation, While the
assistant city attorney of Philadelphia be-
gan to take an active part in the contest
and made frequent visits to Paris. He in
terfered with the sale of property, promis-
Ing to find customers that would pay better
prices, but they never materialiZed
Some time ago he made another visit to
Paris and proposed settlement. He Of
fered to assume, in the name of the city of
Philadelphia. all Of the obligation due to
the heirs and to pay all the claims against
the estate in France. provided the executors
would turn over to him the property of the
estate in Philadelphia. They agreed to do
in litigation without results, and were very
tired of their responsibilities. But When
the city solicitor found that he would be
compelled to pay the government OF France
about 20 per cent transfer tax on the
realty. and might be called upon to give
security to the heirs for the sums due them,
he changed his mind and commenced
new suit for an accounting in France. And
so the situation was still further compli-
Gated.
The Demand for Accounting.
The executors cannot be made to under
stand why they should render an account
of their transactions to the city of Phila-
delphia or to Thomas W. Evans Museum
and Institute, and therefore they have re-
sisted the suit but Col. Muller, nephew
ST DR.. Evans, who is in charge of matters
here, says: "All who are entitled to know
the condition of the Evans estate have had
an accounting quarterly for years, showing
every franc received and paid since the
death of Dr. Evans, and when the estate
Is finally wound up full accounting will
be rendered to the orphans court in Phila-
delphia.''
Col. Muller is quite indignant about the
interference of the Philadelphia city off,
Gals. He says: The executors have been
criticised and abused by the politicians and
the newspapers of that city in most I'M
just manner. Mayor Weaver, in his an
nual report for 1906, quotes from a report
of the person who has held the lead in the
F@,,
upon men whose records for many years
have stood in the brightest light, unfair
nished and without suspicion. Then, when
the mayor was furnished with a respectful
denial of these false assertions, and was
asked to give 1T the same publicity that
he had given to the charges, he refused
to take any notice of them, and the ex-
ecutors have never been able to get de-
NAL published, although they sent one to
Philadelphia, with a signed check for a
blank amount to pay for it.
The so-called Evans Museum and the
city of Philadelphia are now in the courts
of New York. continued Col. Muller, de
handing that the books and accounts of
the French estate of DR.. Evans be turned
wrongs have been committed by the ex-
ecutors, although they cannot tell what
those wrongs are. The museum society
asks that the compromise agreement with
the heirs be broken up, and that the $780,
OC0 still due them be paid to the city of
Philadelphia. A prominent New York law
yer came to Paris to act for the heirs in
the petition of discovery, but so far none of
the heirs will admit that they asked him
to act for them. On the contrary, every
one Of the heirs wants the compromise up
held and carried out.
1.-The delay in the settlement of the estate
is not the fault of the executors" continued
Col Muller. eff they We're free from the
entanglements of the petty lawsuits and
petufoggers, the estate could be promptly
settled, the heirs could get their Just dues
and the University Of Pennsylvania could
have dental institute and museum richly
endowed. There have been offers OF a COM
promise from certain trustees of the insti-
tute and museum society, which may be
hereafter entertained, but they will receive
no consideration whatever until the false
charges that have been made against the
executors have been withdrawn and Joseph
w. Catharine, assistant city solicitor of
Philadelphia, is eliminated from the whole
natter