The San Francisco call., 1906-10-16
MYSTERY IN GREAT
WILL CONTEST.
Battle for Weightman's
Sixty Millions Halted by
Producing Piece of Paper
SECRET Is CONCEALED

between two women over the dis
tributIOn of the $50 100000 estate of
the late william Weightman, the chem
list. was abruptly haltcd today by the
production of a small piece of note pa
per that had turned yellow with old
age. What the piece of paper contains
WIS not made public and the few per-
sons who have seen it have pledged
themselves never to reveal its contents.
The halt in the proceedings was made
at the suggestion of counsel for Mrs.
Jones Wister, who is acting as guar
dian for her daughter Martha, the
contestant.
William Weightman in 1884 made a
will leaving his vast estate equally be-
tween Anne NJ. Weightman Walker, his
daughter, and two sons, William and
John. Ten years later he made a new
will, leaving his entire estate to the
daughter, the two sons having died,
leaving eight children. The widow of
William Weightman, the mother of five
of the children, married Jones Wister
and when Weightman, her father-in-
law, died she contested the will on be-
half of her minor daughter Martha, on
the ground that he left codicil in
which he provided for the grand-chil-
dren- Mrs Walker denied that her
father had made a codicil.a
years ago and was called for trial be-
fore Judge Ashman in the Orphans
Court today. One of the witnesses to-
day was Mrs. Walker Another was
Edward T. Davis, for many years pri-
vate secretary to Weightman, who was
a witness to the signing of the last
will. Counsel for Mrs. Wister asked
him if he remembered Weightman, sub
Sequent to. drawing up his will, having
q MI ~ 4
placing it in his desk. He said he had.
but did not know what Weightman had
written. Thereupon Alexander Simp-
son Jr., of counsel for Mrs Wister. de-
manded the production of the paper
1t was produced and read by Mrs. Wis
ter today.
The examination of Mrs. Walker fol-
lowed, no further attention being paid
to the piece of paper.
RUMOR OF COMPROMISE.
After recess Simpson announced that
counsel for both sides had held con-
ference, and at the request of Mrs
Wister's lawyers both sides consented
TO a continuance of the case.
This sudden halt in the proceedings
caused a sensation and rumors were
put In circulation that the case had
been compromised. All the attorneys
denied that a compromise had been
agreed on and none would give a rea-
son for the postponement Finally it
was admitted that the piece of paper
was the cause of the sudden turn of
affairs
Mrs. Walker was not aware that the
case had been continued when she ar
rived at the courtroom in the after
noon. There was a general handshak-
ing and every other indication that
Mrs. Walker was satisfied with the ar
---ar7 T.-~-
ter refused to discuss the case, and all
that the attorney for Mrs. Walker
would say was that the paper was nef-
ther a will nor a codicil.
1t is believed that the attorneys for
Mrs Wister thought that the paper
placed in the desk was the codicil
which Mrs Wister says Weightman ex-
ecuted and that when the PAPER was
produced and found not to be what they
thought it was, they asked for con
tinuance
MYSTERY OF THE PAPER.
One of the attorneys was asked what
the paper contained and said: II will
not tell: it is beyond human possibility
for that paper to be made public"
Richard w. Meyers, son-in-Iaw of
Mrs. Wister and nephew OF Mrs. Walk
er, said he hoped II would never see
the light of day.
out than reveal what was on that pa
per" he said Up to today. when it
was privately shown in court only four
persons in the world had seen it. The
paper is in possession OF my aunts
counsel, and its contents will not be
made public"
While the lawyers will not express
an opinion as TO whether the case will
be ever again called in court, they in
innate that Mrs. Wister will take no
further action.
MRS. WALKER DISDAINFUL.
When Mrs. Walker was called she
testified that her fathers first will was
executed in 1884. She never saw it.
but understood it divided the estate
in three parts, one-third eacn to her
self and her two brothers. When she
heard her father, changed his will in
her favor she expressed disapproyal.
as she preferred it should stand as
originally drawn.
Il went to see my father the next day
and he himself said to me: I've
changed my will, and left everything
TO you. / asked him: why did you
do it? and he replied, I have carefully
considered the matter and thought that
the best disposition of my property
IF I outliye you. what shall | do
with the estate" I asked, and he said !:
Do as you please. I know you love
your nieces and nephews'"
When asked if there was any fur
ther converzation then or afterward,
she said there was not; the matter of
leaving his estate to her was of no
Importance to her She tossed her
head as she thus spoke lightly of $780,
000 0OO
What were your relations with Mrs
Wister at that timer" she was asked.
The person you refer to was then
in Europe" she snapped back.