The National tribune., 1909-08-12
est. Louis. Mo. July 80, 1908.

Louis, Mo-, this to be my last will first
! that all my just debts shall be paid il
any second 1 give to the Grand Army
of Republic eight thousand (SS,000)
third, three thousand (s3.ooo) to the
/ Cleveland Orphan Asylum, the fourth:
two thousand (s2,000) to the Jewish
lConsumptive Hospital of Denver, Colo.
5th. 1 appoint Jefferson M. Wall my
eXegetor without bond. I leave my
nurse one hundred ($100) Marion S.
Spies, If anything give it to the st.
Louis Jewish Home.
Henry Ber
Henry Bergerer."
"Witness, Hurd Gilbreath, Mildred
Frankel'
Upon a full hearing of the witnesses
to the last will the paper making the
bequest to the Grand Army of the Re-
public was admitted to probate in COM
mon form, ana the other papers were
rejected by the Probate Court
One of the legatees in the paper
dated June 1S, 1908, thereupon brought
a will contest in the Circuit Court of
st. Louis City. and the Grand Army OF
the Republic was made party de-
fendant The Department of Missouri,
G. A. R., which is duly incorporated in
the State of Missouri, was served with
summons upon the allegation that 1t
was a corporation under the name
| GrdnQ Army Oh the RepuDllC. COH1-
rade RasSeur, having been employed
by me to represent the Grand Army of
the Republic, appeared as our attor-
ney and counsel in the Probate Court.
AS soon as the Department of Missouri,
| Grand Army of the Republic, was
served with summons as a defendant
| in the will contest, under the name
Grand Army of the Republic" it re-
quested Comrade Rassieur to file an
answer for the Department, which was
| done. These facts were brought to my
attention by Comrade Rasseur, and
submitted by me to the Executive Com
mittee of the Council of AdHinistra-
ton, and thereupon it was resolved by
| the Executive Committee and the De-
partment officers of the Department of
Missouri that the will contest should
be conducted by Comrade Rasseur and
his firm, in the name of either organ
| ization, and after success was achieved
the differences between the National
| organization and the Department
should be settled in an amicable man
ner.
The case was set for trial for Feb.
| "a, 1909. but was postponed by reason
of the fact that a brother and sister OF
the teStator, under the will of Aug. 30,
1901, had not been made parties. Be-
fore filing an amended petition to bring
these two parties into court the plain
tiffs took dispositions to make clear the
| situation with reference to the Grand
| Army of the Republic, and indicated
that they would make both organiza-
tions defendants, the Department of
Missouri, Grand Army of the Republic,
/ Il cor. alton, as well as the National
| IIncan JIaent of the Grand Army Of the
IFSpuL.c, a voluntary unincorporated
: Ar.,ociation, impleading as representa-
ives of the National organization the
Individual members of the Executive
Committee.
| The estate consists of about SIS, 900
cash assets. The first will undertakes
to give the same substantially to Lip
man and Sarah Rosenberger, brother
and sister above referred to. The Sec
ond will makes bequest of $4,000 to
the Jewish Orphan Asylum, of Cleve-
| land, o., and balance to the Jewish
Hospital, of st. Louis Mo, and by the
last will he gives the Grand Army OF
the Republic $4,000, the Cleveland Or
phan Asylum $4,000, the Jewish Con-
sumption Hospital, of Denver, Colo.
| $4,000, s100 to Marion S. Spies. his
nurse, and the balance to the st. Louis
Jewish Home.
The pending suit has been brought
| by the Jewish Hospital, of st. Louis,
| and Gustaye Lippman, plaintiffs, vs..
| the Jewish Orphan Asylum ct al, and
| is No. 56673. assigned to Division No.
of the st. Louis Circuit Court.
On Monday, the 21st of December.
| 1908, the Comma,nder-in-Chief with
| the Adjutant- General and Comrades
Scott, Armstrong and Cheek, of the
Executive Committee of the Council of
Administration, held meeting in the
Office of Comrade Rassieur, in the city
of st. Louis, Mo. Besides the above
| there were present the Department
Commander and Assistant Adjutant-
General of the Department of Missouri.
| At that time such action as had been
| taken by the Chief in
| employing Comrade Rassieur to look
after the interests of the Grand Army
of the Republic in this matter was rati-
| fled by the Council, and Comrade Ras-
sieur was retained to look after the
case and press it to a conclusion. He
was also directed to employ such coun-
sci as he deemed necessary in conduct
ing the said suit. provided he felt that
he needed such further counsel
The above is the status of the case
at the present time.
Bull Run Battlefield Monuments.
An effort was made during the last
session of Congress to have some ac-
tion taken in relation to two monu-
ments erected upon the Bull Run bat
tlefeld. subcommittee was appoint
ed TO assist the Military Committee.
and an effort made to get this subcom-
mittee upon the ground at Bun Run,
but owing to the press of business in
the last Congress it was found jmpossi-
BILE to take the matter up, and they
have promised to give this matter con-
Sideration at the next session of Con-
gress I spent one day in going over
these battlefields. Both of these monu-
ments need attention and repairs. l
refer the Encampment to the report
of the committee upon this subject, and
recommend that this committee be con-
tinueG because of the fact of their ia
miliarity with the grounds and what is
required there.
Legislation.
At the last Encampment several res
olutions were referred to the Commit
tee on Legislation. AS there is no Com
| mittee on Legislation except the Com
mittee for Veterans in the Public Ser
vice, and there being number of these
resolutions, appointed Special Com
mittee on Legislation, consisting of
Comrade Samuel r. Van SAINT of Min
neapolis, Mimi, Chairman: Adm B. Ca
| prom, of Rhode Island; Washington
| Gardner, of Michigan; George w.
Cook, of Colorado; n. B. Thistlewood,
of Illinois, and J. w. c. Hull, of Iowa,
all of whom except the Chairman are
members of Congress. and to this COM
mittee all the resolutions above re-
ferred to were sent, as well as many
| other matters on the subject of G., A. r.
legislation.
| 1 presume this committee will report,