Evening star., 1909-05-11
SUM INVOLVED, s3O0,O0O
Trial of Suit Begun in Baltimore
Court Today.
MARRIAGE SETTLEMENT READ
Ross r. Winans and Gen. F. C. La
May Cause Estrangement.
Snocial nisna tch 10 The Star

o'clock at the opening of The suit IN
stituted by the prince against his father
in-l&x. Ross r. Winans. and Gen +. c.
Latrobe, trustees, to secure his wife's
estate of 100000. The affair was with
| out any formalities, except the admls-
sion of Attorney Maurice Leon of New
York to the court here at instance OF
Mr.. Randolph Barton. The court then
got down to business. and Mr.. Leon pro-
ceeded to bring out the testimony Of the
prince.
Mr.. Leon caused a laugh at first by
standing between the witness and
counsel for the defendants. Semmes
and Carter. who protested that they
was the custom in New York, but he
took a seat.
Mr. Leon proceeded TO put in evidence
the letter of the prince to Mr.. Winans,
announcing that his wife had left
will. This was followed by telegram
| from Winans telling the prince to take
the Will to counsel Jacobus. in Paris.
Trusted His Father-in-Law.
The prince occupied the entire morn
ing session of two hours In the witness
stand and was again taken in hand by
Counselor Leon when the suit was re-
sumed in the afternoon.
Ilat the prince, In llIS 1gHCTdHSt VI 'h'
law and through poor legal counsel agreed
| to the settlement Of the estate proposed
by the trustees. and principally through
| the fact of his confidence in his father-in-
law and the latter's lawyer, Gen. Latrope,
was the burden of the princes S testimony
this morning In addition Mr.. Leon laid
the foundation apparently 10 show that
! while the trustees refused TO allow the
estate of the princess to be administered
under the American law and according to
hpr will fnciStiDu that she was
Frenchwoman the prince was only en-
titled to one-third of the estate), never
theless, in making the settlement of the
| estate according to their own wishes.
they followed the American law in regard
to appointing a guardian for the children.
and were in that inconsistent.
Throughout the testimony of the prince
he showed that each protest which sus-
sested itself to him that the proper set
tlement was. not being made was waved
aside by such assurances from his fa-
ther-in-law and Gen. Latrobe as a duti-
full son-in-law. would naturally expect.
Doesn't Seem Very Friendly.
The idea that the suit is really an ami
cable one seems to be gradually disap-
pearing as it proceeds, for a decided ele-
ment of lack of confidence toward the
prince is shown in the testimony thus far
adduced. Likewise, it appears that there
is strong question whether the trustees
were living up to their own conditions in
the deed of trust, settling the estate upon
Miss Winans
1t is whispered that the prince probably
would have Jared better, however, il he
had not brought the suit, as it is likely to
cause some estrangement between him and
his father-n-law. An interesting picture
of the model French marriage settlement
between persons of consequence was pre-
sented just before recess, when the entire
marriage contract between the prince and
nys.o
read by Mr.. Leon. The reading of the
document was preceded by great for
mality of titles minutely describing each
person interested in the contract, and
those in the court were informed that the
prince in addition to his title, is a Duke
Of Cantabria a marquis and a grandee of
Spain of the first class.
After introducing in evidence the will Of
the princess leaving her entire estate to
the prince, according. it is alleged. to the
right given her by the deed of trust of her
father. there was a mass of correspond
ence and kilograms introduced to show
the negotiations between the prince and
Counselor Jacobus in Paris. through
whom the trustees here communicated
with the prince and how the prince came
to accent the decision of the trustees as to
the settlement.
Agreed to Settlement.
Jacobus had told him, the prince said,
that inasmuch as the princess had be-
come a Frenchwolan, the estate left by
her would have to be settled according
to the code Napoleon of the French law,
which gave the prince one-third and two
thirds to his children, and not according
to the American law, which would have
given the prince the entire estate. The
prince. while declaring that it was not
his wifes wish that he should have only
one third and would remove him from a
beneficial control over his children's
money after they become of age. finally
was convinced that Counselor Jacobus
knew the law and he agreed to the trus-
trees settlement.
Then a bond was sent from Baltimore
by the orphans court for the prince to
sign. as he had been appointed guardian
of his children. Before signing this bond
the prince says he conferred with a
friend of his family who said that there
was no guardianship bond necessary in
France and that if the French law was
to prevail in the settlement of the
princess estate the prince should not
sign the bond.
This Prince Deceived
Moreover. this counselor said the prince
had been deceived he considered, as the
trustees were not carrying out their own
previous contract made at the time Of
the placing of the marriage settlement
upon Miss Winans. namely, that she
should dispose of this money by will as
she wished.
The prince refused TO sign the bond
and came to America. He told Mr.
Winans he was not satisfied and suS-
gested a consultation with New York
lawyers Mr.. Winans sent him to Gen
I.atrobe who said that Counselor Jacc-
bus knew the French law. and that all
things had been done correctly.
What, Ho! Threatp
They went to see Judge Black of the
Orphans Court and the prince said that
at least he thought some arrangement
should be made 10 prevent the children
from having absolute control of their
money when they come of age, but Gen
Latrobe threatened that Mr.. Winans
would become displeased and tie up the
whole estate. Then the prince to avoid
offending the administrators. although he
was not satisfied, told Mr.. Winans he
would submit if the affairs were all legal
Accepts Offer for Philippine Bonds.
The bureau of insular affairs of the War
Department today accepted the offer of
the. Mercantile Trust Company to take
S995 coo of the sewer and waterworks