Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-26
HEIRS FIGHT WILL
AND CHARGE FRAUD
Contest Is Filed Over Estate of Robert
DeeIey, Who Died at Age of s6.
Direct Heirs Cut Off with
Small Amounts

NEW YORK, Dec. 25.-Interesting in
cidents in the life story of Robert Deel-
ey, a wealthy manufacturer of sugar
making machinery, are expected to be
told in a contest of his will, which is
soon to be heard before the surrogate
of New York county.
Mr. Deeley died about a month ago
in Stamford, n. Y, at the age of Sc,
and when his will was filed his direct
heirs in this city were astonished to dis
cover that they had been cut off with
very meager amounts and in some cases
with nothing at all. The bulk of his
estate, which will amount to some
thing like half a million, is given to
Mrs. Kate Bainbridge Murray, who is
his stepdaughter, being a daughter of
a third wife by a former marriage, and
to her daughter.
Mrs Kate Murray is made executrix
and to her is given all of the property,
including the Deeley home at 80 West
Seventeen street, and 100000 The tes-
tator's son, Thomas e. Deeley, ic to re-
ceive $4,000, which is the largest be-
quest outside the gifts to Mrs. Murray
and her daughter
Heirs who are making the contest are
Mary Deeley, Jessie Deeley, Thomas
and Nellie Deeley, daughters of Joseph
W. Deeley, a deceased son. The will
gives their mother, Jean Deeley, the
income from $4,000, which is placed
in the hands of Kate Murray as trustee.
In the contest filed October % it is
charged that the will was obtained by
fraud, circumvention and undue in
f1uenc practised upon the said Robert
Deeley" It is asserted also that at
the time of the execution of the will,
'if the same was ever executed, the said
Robert Deeley was not of sound and
disposing mind, memory and under
standing, or capable of making a valid
will"
The granddaughters who are about to
make the contest though insisting that
they are the lawful heirs of a liberal
fortune, have been compelled to earn
their own living and suffer some hard
ships Recently Miss Jessie Deeley mar
ried a Mr.. Thomas, and becoming more
Independent than her other sisters and
mother led the movement for the con-
test. The will contains an ad terrorem
clause which provides that any one
making contest shall lose all interest
in the estate, but the amount be-
oueathed to the three grandchildren il
trust is 80 small that they feel they can
afford to make the contest.
Many paragraphs In the will show
the great fondness Mr.. Deeley had for
his stepdaughter and her daughter. II
is also shown that ne expected tnere
might be trouble over the will. One
clause reads
"I have made this will after very
careful thought and full appreciation
of the situation and have concluded
that my discrimination as made and
shown herein has been the result OF
cogent and prudent reasons
Reference to Mrs. Murray and her
daughter is made as follows:
IT give to May cambridge Murray
the sum of $4,000; also my watches and
! jewelry. She has resided with me since
her birth, and has shown toward me
great kindness and attention"
Again the will states;
THE said Kate Murray, having lived
with me nearly all her lifetime, has
given me constant care and attention
and has ministered carefully and pru-
/ IDENTIFY to my wants, and has shown
herself in every way to be deserving OF