The Washington herald., 1906-10-16
WILL CASE IS HALTED
Scrap of Paper Plays Big Part
in Fight for Millions.
TELLS wEIGHTMAN's WISHES
Mrs. Jones wfster stops Proceedings
10 Break Philadelphia Chemists
VIII Rather Than Have Contents
of Mysterious slip Made Public.
Strange Chapter in Social Feud.

Philadelphia. oct. E.-Faced BY q scrap
OF yellow paper. upon which her father
in-law, the late millionaire chemist. VIII
lam weightman, had written his last
wishes and thought concerning her. Mrs.
Jones Wister, one Of the high priestesses
OF Philadelphia society, to-day abandoned
her sensational suit against Mrs. Anne
NJ Weighman Walker, her sister-in-law.
who Is known as the richest woman in
America.
The stake was Sg0,OO00C0 left 10 his
daughter absolutely, and rather than
have The contents of the scandaI-laden
memora nduYn read in the crowded court
room. Mrs. Wister accepted the bitter
defeat and gave up the fight for the i'm
mense wealth, permitting her attorneys
to beg Mrs. Walker, daughter of the
| chemist. to make no opposition 10 a con-
/ tinuance of the case. 50 that the best pos
sible light might be thrown upon the
complete baCkdown.
Mrs. walker Takes Revenge.
The admission Of defeat came at a mo-
men when interest in the testimony was
at its height, and when it seemed that
Mrs. Wister's remarkable charges about
{
/ the aged man were about to be substan-
tiated. In holding back until the very
last moment the terrific weapon in her
possession. choosing time and place. Mrs.
Walker takes full revenge for the social
sights put upon her by MRS. Wistcr, when
the richest woman was trying 70 enter the
exclusive circle of Philadelphia society.
It is on this social feud that the reason
for the contest Of the old chemists will
I lies.
With the keenness Of a man who has
made his S60,0o0.o00 and IS determined 70
dispose of what he had garnered as he
/ sees fit. Weightman had carefully tran
scribed upon this bit of yellow paper what
| purported 20 be his precise relations with
Mrs. Wister, with whom he is said tc
have been in love.
What the Paper Says.
Moreover, ne had declared conclusively
in that document that he had no inten-
tion of having Mrs. Wister or his grand
children share his wealth. He completely
washed his hands Of the Jones and Wis
| ters. and jotted down some statement
concerning which Richard Vain Meirs. a
son-in-law OF Mrs. WisteT. and nephew of
4 Mrs. Walker, made his statement tonight
For the sake OF Mrs. Wister, l would
rather cut out my tongue than divulge
/ the contents of il. Until the paper was
produced at tO-days hearing only four
! persons in the world had seen il. / hope
| with all the earnestness of which ] am
capable that no one else will ever see it. ."
Case Brought TO Stop.
President Judge Ashman was on the
bench when the proceedings began to-
day The first witness called was A. W.
I Hooper, one of the oldest employees OF
the chemistry firm. lie was reluctant
witness. but finally admitted that he re-
ceived a check for 5000; $3.50 In cash and
sl0o,000 from Mrs Walker after the death
OF Mr.. Weightnian.
At , O'Clock this afternoon the
| Weightnan VIII case was abruptly TAX
en- out of court. The case was postponed
indefinitely at the request of attorneys
for Miss Jones Wister and Mrs. Anne
| Weigatman Walker.
1t was a yellow piece of paper" bear
ing the handwriting of the late William
Weightman. which caused the unexpect-
ed sensational withdrawal of the case.
The yellow paper" was shown by Mrs.
1 Wister's lawyers TO Mrs. Walkers law
yers. The latter were apparently sur
prised.
Hampton L. Carson, Of counsel for Mrs.
/ Walker, said:
"The case has been continued indefinite
". but I wish to state emphatically that
no compromise has been arranged. That
| is all I can say The Wister interests
were the first to make the advance for
a postpOnement. 1t was agreeable 10 all
/ concerned
Attorney General Carson. of counsel for
Mrs. Walker. explained that the fash
ing of the yellow paper made it neees-
sary that It's history and antecedents
should be looked into.