The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-11-02
Details of His Design On the
Bennett Estate Put
Him in Bad.

Bryan to get 100000 from the estate
OF PhiIo s. Bennett without letting his
name appear IN the BENNETT viii. His
efforts TO avoid publicity were frus-
trated and he failed TO get the money
Benefits widow to carry out the in
structoins that Bryan himself had
drawn up.
PhHo 5. Bennett a native OF Con
nccticut. and a man Of comfortable
fortune. was frequently invited to
Mr.. william j. Bryan's home at Lin
coin. Ncb. Upon his first visit there
Mr.. Bryan drew up u Will for Mr..
Bennett. Strangely enough. Mrs.
Bryan copied the Will on Il typewriter.
a clause in this VIII gave Mrs. Ben
nett $4,000. lin trust for the purpose
set forth In sociai iett'r. which Will
be found with th'-E WIZ.
on the envelope containing this
secret letter were the following direc-
tons: To he read only by Mrs.
Bennett. and by her alone. after my
dcath-P S. Bennett
The, secret letter directed Mrs
Bennett to pay $4,000 to William ].
The secret letter said that 20 one
excepting Mrs Bennett and Mr.. Bryan
should know Of this letter and the
bequest.
Mr.. Bryan rot only drew up the
Will. but was named as the executor.
MI. bryan uunllttLs IN MS G9NpleAA-
alton. that he suggested to Mr. Ben
nett that the $4,000 be given TO the
latter's wife. and that letter be writ
ten telling her to give It To him. Ac-
cording 10 Mr.. Bryan, Mr.. Bennett
wanted. at first. TO make a direct be-
quest of the 100000. like the be-
quests TO. relatives.
Other clauses in the will gave Mr..
Bryan 10000 in straightforward
way to be distributed by him among
Educational instTtutiUns
In a ike manner Mrs. Bryan was
given 10000 TO be distributed by her
for helping poor girls TO secure an
education.
Mr.. bennett had never met Mrs.
Bryan TIL this visit. when he gave
her $4,000 in his will.
\ clause in the will gave $500 to
salem. Ill. for a library to make the
site of Bryau's birthplace. Mr..
Bryan admits that he made the sug-
Eestion of this gift to Mr.. Bennett.
Mrs. Bennett never knew of tn"
$4,000 bccuest until after her hus-
. bands death! The first inttmaion
Of It came in letter writes On The
} CommOncr's stationery
When Mr.. Bryan was informed thct
Mrs Rcunctt did not think he WIS
Justly entitled TO the $4,000 ar /
that she Was going to contest ii
same. he offered TO divide the mcn' =
with her. stating that her portion
would he more IL she accented ms
offer than tho amount sh" would got
from the courts--if they should de-
eide In her Cavor-aCter her Httoc-
ney's fees had been deducted
This threat Mr.. Eryan made good.
! Though repeatedly bratcn.h" fought
for the money through all tn" Com
necticut courts up To ana Including
/ the Supreme Court of Errors. In
every court tn" verdict was In favor
OF Mrs. Eennctt and against Bryan
J AZ brought out IN the proceedings
( for the probate OF the will. the
twelfth cause OF thai instrument was:
u civ" ana brqucath upto my wife.
! C;rac" ImoEcnc Bennett. the sum OF
I $4,000 in trust. however. for the
( purposes set forth in a sealed letter
! which vii, lie found with this Will
MFR. Eennctt appointed Alfred p.
! SIoan his partner In business, and
. william Jennings Bryan executors of
the Will. which was executed in New
York on May %. 1900.
TestlfyInE in the probate proceed
ings. Mr.. Bryan said:
My first accuaintanc" with Mr.
BENNETT was in the campaign Of 1896
when he was one Of tic clcctOrs-n L
large on our ticket in this sSHtc and
he wus on n train from New York tc
Sew Haven, and ne he reminds me
.
carriage from tho station to the ho-
tel. The next time h"l my Htt"n-
ton called to him was after the cleo
tIon. when received 'cttcr which
ne had written before til" election
The first letter received rom Ny
Bennett was dated ut NcY York. pc'
tober 90. 1906
Mr.. bryan read thr r.ttrr which
was nut in evidence. In Il Mr. Ben
nett wrOt".
Dear Sir: The betting SIS three &C
one against you In this state At TIN
: present slime hut Notwithstanding It
ann pressed with feeling thHt you
viii win. ana II 3.ou are defeated
wish to make you "a gift OF 100000
land II you viii accept the same It vii
be genuine pleasure TO me 10 hanc
it to you any time after the 10th o
ncNt March
You have made one % the mos
gnlant lights on record for u principle
aSains, the combined money powers
Of the whole country, ana II you ar
, not successful now. you will be. in m!
opinion, four yeurs later. Sncerel.
yours. p. 8. Bernett."
MIR. Bryan testified;
''Hc followed out his suggestlol
. there. H,1d scnt me check Il
8 March or each or the. following years