The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-08
CHILD sues CHILD
FOR BIC ESTATE
Contest Over Ford Will Begin
by Filing OF Bill Here
Yesterday.
MANY INTRICATE QUESTIONS
Chief Point Is Whether B. w.
Ford Possessed Vested or
Contingent Interest.

One of tho most interesting suits
begun in this city for years was IN
stituted yesterday In the ChancerS
Court OF the city OF Richmond, in
volying construction Of tho will OF the
late a. j. Ford, II veteran Richmond
hotel man, whose son, Boiling w. Ford,
died recently in Elizabeth City, NJ c..
A bill In chancery was fled by Estcl'o
Madeline Ford, an Infant who sues
by her mother, Rosa Ryan Ford, Va.
Charles Thompson Herndon and others.
The action is for her fathers interest
in the estate OF A. j. Ford, grandfather
OF the complainant, the value of this
interest being estimated ut from
$4,000 to $4,000 Mcclure, Rely d
Bryan are counsel for the complaint
ant in the case.y
Tho suit is renlly against Charles
Thompson Herndon, an infant, the child
OF Mrs. Mary Lee Bcnet, OF Columbia,
S. c., n sister of the decedcnt, to
whom the said 3. w. Ford devised his
interest In the estate OF his father,
and against George y. White, admin.
istrator of the estate. The real ques
ton involved in the will Is whether
b. w. Ford died possessed OF vested
or contingent interest in the estate
of his father, A. j. Ford. If his inter
est was contingent then the complain
ant in this suit claims one-fourth
share OF the estate.
Reviews History Of Estate.
The bill In the case is q document OF
twenty or more typewriter pages. and
reviews the history of the Ford estate
and tho litigation hereunder. @hlch has
covered a long period of years. The
widow Of A.. ]. Ford Is still living, but
Is In precarous health. and her estate
is being administered by u committee
number of years. The elder Ford made
q fortune In the hotel business in this
city. being, In his day one or the most
successful hotel men in Virginia. OF the
died unmarried and ntestate. His daucb-
ter, Florence. married Charles T., Quincy
and has one son, Charles r. Quincy, ,Ir,
under age. Another daughter, Mary Lee,
SON Charles Thompson Hnrndon. TO
whom B.. w. Ford tenueathed his inter
est In his fathers estate. She is no:,.
the wife of W: C. Benet. Of Columbia,
= -. !: me ne other child is Stewart II.
TIE estate of a. J.. Eor-s. originally
| conveyed in trust for che benefit Of his
vile and children. is still in the, GUS
toay OF trustee appointed by the Chan
q the trust only the proceed s Of INC
fund NAV be used until fnal divislon
OF me estate. so that the property has
mus been left intact and has steadily
enhanced in value thronp, indicoue In.
vestment OF the principal by the trustees
1 second trust deed, extending the lft
of the trust fund. was executed, hut tbis
was, held TO he invalid by the court,
The contention Of the complainant i,
that she is entitled to the share Of hel
parent In the estate of her GRANDPA tho,
and not of a mere per capita share
4 One, of the -four children OF a. !. Forf
4 having died interstate. his share in tn,
trust estate reverts to the vested re-
,nainder. II the child who is complain
ant IN this suit is entitled to share
PEI, stripes, as contended she viii b,
entitled to large amount
Interesting Case.
IT is an Interesting feature OF tn,
suit that II the contention Of the com
j p.lainant is sustained by the ne,,rtr
then her mother will lose any interes
she might otherwise have In the es
tate. a year or moro ago r. w For,
executed a deed conveying to his wifi
certain interest in the estate OF hi
father as marriage sett1es,ert TIL
late B. w Ford and Mrs Rosa Rvn
1902. Their daughter. the complain
ant in this case. is nearly four year
old
The fling Of the bin in chance.
promises to be an interesting viii, cor
test and one which will engage the
tention OF the courts for a long tim.
Some of the best legal talent at tn
local bar Will be engaged in the cas-,