Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-07
CLAIMS AGAINST
LUCKY BALDWIN'S
ESTATE SETTLED
ACTION TO BREAK TURFMAN'S
WILL Is DROPPED
DIsoRUNTLED HEIRS AGREE TO
ACCEPT SMALL BONUS
Decision of the Supreme Court Up
holding Right to Cut off Con-
testant Has Its
Effect

NV HEN the will of the late E. J.
w Oucky) Baldwin is called up
for probate in Judge RiVes'
court today the matter will be dis
posed of expeditiously, as no contest
will be made, a settlement, satisfac-
tory at least to the heirs named in the
WILL having been reached by attorneys
representing all parties.
While the exact financial terms Of
the settlement were not announced, 1t
is understood an agreement by which
prospective contestants will receive a
small percentage of the probable cost
of litigation was reached, and that
this understanding was facilitated by
the recent decision of the California
supreme court in the Hite will contest
a case in which issues Identical with
those expected to be raised should tho
Baldwin will be contested were IN
Volved.
Upheld by Supreme Court
The provision in the Hite will cut
ting off any person who should bring
his or her dissatisfaction to the at
tention of the courts in the shape of u
contest was upheld by the supreme
court, and this, it is believed, has
proved a valuable object lesson ana
prevented a great deal of legal STRIFE
when 1 drew up Mr.. Baldwin's
WILL" said Attorney Bradner w. Lee
last night, "a clause similar to that
contained in the Hite will was in
serted providing that any beneficiary
under the will who should begin
contest would forfeit his or her share
in the estate, and that this share
would revert to the other heirs
1.-The terms of the settlement, ne
continued, "are1 secret, attorneys and
others connected with the case being
pledged not to reveal the conditions on
which the agreement was reached. An
agreement with Mrs. Lillian Baldwin,
the widow, was reached last week, ana
this has been signed. A settlement
with Mrs. Zelda Selby, one of Bald
wins daughters, has also been reached
and the signatures to make it binding
have been affixed. No further trouble
is expected, and the document will be
probated tomorrow"
Widows Share
By the terms of the will the widow
was given one-third interest in the
Baldwin Annex, San Francisco. her
share being valued at ABOUT $l6o,OOO,
while Mrs. Selby was given 200 acres
of land in the Puente ranch, worth be-
tween $4,000 to 100000.
represented the widow and Mrs. Selby,
verified the statement that settle
ment had been reached. Mr.. McNab
will leave for San Francicco today.
Speaking of the settlement and what
it means, Mr.. McNab said:
1.-THE adjustment will mean that the
Baldwin will, involving the largest
estate ever brought to the attention
of the courts in Los Angeles county,
will be probated without litigation. or
the estate $4,000 acres located in this
county will be divided up and placed
on the market, resulting in one of the
greatest booms in the countys his
tory. A rush of homeseekers must fol-
low, and as a consequence the impetus
given to business in this vicinity will
be great Besides the above lands.
there are $500 acres of valuable land in
San Bernardino county and several
thousands of acres in and around Ell
dorado which will be placed on the
market"