The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-01-14
Dissatisfied with the WIN.


When the Beverly church trouble wa
settled it was hoped that the public would
not haye thrust upon 1t any more matters
of that sort and that churches would be
able to settle their difficulties without long
sensational newspaper reports. But
hardly had the echoes of that affair faded
away than another church is pushed for
ward to have its contests made public
property.
st Mary's Episcopal church, whose
foundation goes back over 200 years, and
which has always;had the reputation of be-
ing wealthy congregation. above the
necessity for getting into controversy con-
corning financial matters. now appears as
the contestant to the will of Mrs. Eliza
beth A. Ellis, who died recently in that
city, leaving a will which devised proper
ty according to her own ideas if the
paper is to be taken as worth anything,
but not according to the ideas of the
church people, who are not satisfied with
it's contents.
Mary's church, the sum of $4,000.
to st. Barnabas church. $1,000; to the
Aged Women's Home, 1000; and to four
relatives the sum of 1000 each. A good
share of the property is left to Reginald
C. Branch, young lawyer in Burlington
who had. for a long time, been Mrs. Ellis
legal and business manager. A niece, who
had cared for the aged woman, was made
ethe residuary legatee.
But the church people claim there was
another will dated several years ago and |
by its provisions the two churches would
have received much more than is now in
sight. The will just probated, they claim
was secured through undue influence and
the charge is also made that the testatrix,
being 90 years of age, was Of unsound
mind and not able to make will
All of these assertions will be heard be-
fore Judge Horner sometime within the
next two months. The heirs will vigor-
,usly contest the throwing out of the last
will. Those who witnessed it were gen.
.lemen of judgment, both of whom de
,lared the lady was perfectly qualified to
make will and knew just what she was
LONG.
Under the provisions of the last docu-
nent any one who makes contest is to
20 debarred from any share whatever in
he estate, but this does not seem to have
my effect upon the church people. st.
has not become party to the
If the will is sustained that
Institution will come in for the bequest {
AIMED by reason of not being contestant
nd If the first will Is declared valid St.
'arnabas will get its bequest therein men,
Ioned. hence there is no occasion for that
congregation becoming involved. {
Referring to the clause prohibiting a s
ontestant from sharing there is much /
In Burlington but there are those r
tho incline to the opinion that some pro- d
Use has been held out to make good the t
J, 900 if the church loses. On the matter q
the testatrix being of unsound mind d
lere is also much said. 1t is reported a
lat. In her lifetime, she gave to each of e
he Episcopal churches the sum of $3.50 \
er year, and her bequest of $1,000 prac- 81
cally gives the same income. The $3.50 h
Mess we are misinformed was never re-
lsed because of "unsound mental con- I"
tion." it
The affair is creating comment and SEN l
ment is divided in Burlington. Outside W
the county the idea prevails that when 1
church gets to dabbling into worldly Sc
I'd mercenary affairs 1t hurts the partic- p
ar institution interested and it also af-
cts the cause OF religion. The question 81
so arises why st. Mary's church is COM D
,lled to take this step. Is 1t in such fin lie
cial shape as to make it necessary to W
ntest for money, or is it merely for &C
me other purpose that must remain Sc th
ct until the court hears the case2 Both lii
les are In for finish Bayard Stock III
q, of Princeton, will represent the !.
urch, while ex Prosecutor Budd and 81
nest Watts will look after the interest
the legatees uHder the last will. Both he
les are confident of success. be