Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-10

claims he is entitled to the whole estate.
according to the will Of the princess,
made before their children were born,
one half for himself and one-llalf for his
two children.
He alleges that Mr.. Winans and Gen.
Latrobe. as administrators of the estate,
desired him TO accept one-third of the
estate. worth about 100000 the remain
ing s200CoO or whereabouts to be held in
trust by them for the princes children.
Bill of Complaint.
The bill of complaint. filed through At
torneys Barton. Wilmer Amber and
Stewart. states that the prince is citi-
zen of the French republic. and that June
81. 1905. he was married to Beatrice
Winans of Baltimore. Two children were
born, the bill states, Henry Ross Joseph
CASTOR de Galard de Bearn. October ,,
1907. and Beatrice Neya Marc Cecille de
Galard de Bearn. April II, 1906
In contemplation of the marriage. the
bill alleges. Mr.. WinanS through Attor-
ney Manderville c. Jacobus, then prac-
tcing in New York, but later becoming
a practitioner in Paris. arranged to trans
fer to himself and Gen. Latrobe certain
railroad bonds. the income to be used for
the use of the princess during her life.
At her death. the capital of the fund
thus set aside was to be distributed
among such persons as the princess might
by will direct
The prince and princess. the bill con-
tnues. went to st. Petersburg shortly
after their marriage. where the prince was
an attache of the French embassy and
where they liveu happily till the death
OF the princess, which occurred October
81 1907.
|, The bill alleges that within a short time
after the marriage the princess, who. 1t
is said had no property of any kind
other than her personal belongings and
the income from the trust fund. executed
an autographic will in the French Ian
guase beuueathing all her property tC the
prince and making him her executor.
The bill states that the prince was not
we'll versed in legal business. so he APP
piled to Mr.. WinanS for instructions as to
what he should do in The matter of the
estate. According to the instructions re-
ceived. the bill states, IL copy CT the VIII
was probated in the orphans court here
In order to protect the will Photographic
copy OF the original was made.
Their Course Unaccountable.
The prince came to Baltimore. ii is
said i'm September, 1905. Though well
aware that, under the French law, a
married woman W no leaves two children
cannot devise more than one-third of her
estate, it seemed to him unaccountable
that his wife's will. made in pursuance
of the deed of trust. should be entirely
disregarded and that Mr.. Winans and
Gen. I.atrobe should act OH the supposed
theory that the property. in their hands
as trustees, belonged to the princess and
constituted her estate and turn it over
to themselves 'as administrators.
The prince. the bill states called on
Gen. L.atrobe for an explanation. The
latter smiled al him and told him that
he-Gen. Latrobe-as lawyer. knew much
more about such matters than he-the
prince--could possibly know. Later. the
bill states, Gen. Latrobe introduced the
prince to Chief Judge Block of the
orphans court, who assured him that the
settlement of the estate was being prop
erly attended to.
The prince the bill states, feeling sure
the chief judge of the orphans court
would not mislead him, was inclined to
rest more easily. However, he decided
later to obtain legal advice. which re-
suited in the beginning of the action.
Attorney John +. Semmes has been re-
tanned as counsel for Gen. Latrobe and
Mr.. Winans.