The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-10-06
WILL TRY
HER WEALTH
THIRTY-FOUR RELATIVES AFTER
MILLIONS LEFT TO CHARI-
TABLE INSTITUTIONS-NICE
LEGAL POINTS.

A vigorous effort is to be made by
relatives to break the will of the late
Miss Anna T. Jeanes, the wealthy
and philanthropic Friend, who lived
on Arch street below Eleventh, and
who died in September 1907, leaving
an estate valued at from $3,0O0,O00,-
to $4,000 00. A great part of
this was b~equeathed to charitable in
s~titutes, including a number con-
trolled by the Yearly Meeting of
Friends.
Not long before her death Miss
Jeanes gave $1,000,000 to Booker T.
Washington, president of the Tus-
kegee Institute, to be used primarily
in establishing elementary schools
among the colored people of the
south. This bequest appeared in the
will, but as the money had already
been given outright the gift was re-
voked in a codicil, and the bequest is
not affected by the threatened pro-
ceedings. Miss Jeanes also left a
bequest to Swarthmore College,
which was rejected by that institution
because of conditions imposed re-
garding intercollegiate athletic sports
The charitable and religious institu-
lions that benefited under the terms
of the will, along with the Penn
~sylvania company for the Insurance
on Lives and Granting Annuities, will
be the principal defenders of the val
idity of the document. John G.. John
son., as counsel for the company will
represent the defendants. The con-
testing relatives number "a, and
many of them are said to be quite
poor.
Judge James Gay Gordon, IN of
the attorneys for the contestants, in
discussing the case yesterday, stated
that it involved some of the incest
and most intricate legal points, and
would be extremely interesting to
members of the bar. The contestants,
he explained, will contend that the
will was illegally witnessed, according
to the act of 1855, which prohibits
interested parties from performing
such functions when the beneficiary
is to be a charitable, religious or
benevolent institution. The witnesses
to the VIII were Louis A. BALI and
H. E. Pennypacker, both of whom
are officials of the Pennsylvania COM
pany which as a trustee and executor
under the terms of the testament, is
claimed to be legally a beneficiary.
Great reliance will be placed OF a
decision written by Justice Elkin, the
supreme court, in the case of the
late George Kessler, which S said to
cover cases where charitable institu-
tons are concerned. Curiously
enough, the suit in that instance was
argued by Mr.. Johnson and Judge
Gordon, the former unfolding the
will, which was set aside.
A first cousin of Miss Jeanes-
Naomi Rhoads Walter-totally UNI
known to the 33 other relatives, who
are first cousins once removed, has
added an interesting feature to the
situation by her appearance in h
case. She is represented by Joseph
R. Rhoads. while Francis M. Gombes
will look after the interests of the re-
naming 80. Judge Gordon is assoc
lated with both attorneys in the
case. 1t is said that the first cousin
so Unexpectedly found, will, in the
event of successful termination of
the contest, be legally entitled to all
of the persnal property, amounting to
approximately $4,000, 900, leaving
real estate to the other 33 cOntes-
tanes.
This situation makes it entirely
possible that the first contest to set
aside the will may, if successful, be
followed by a second legal con-
t~roversy over the proper distribution
of the property. Mr.. Gumbes firmly
believes that the signing of the will,
| according to the act of 1855, senders
the document invalid.
II bdlieve that interest can be
shown on the part Of the witnesses,
he said, land, although / am active
lily interested in some of the benefie1-
aries under the will and the referee
hesitated to institute action to break
it, my knowledge of the dire needs OF
many of the relatives awakened my
deepest sympathy for them and their
| legal rights"
Acton will, 1t is expected, be taken
in the Orphans court early in Octo-
her, when exception will be made to
the audit. of the executors accounts.
Regardless Of how the court decides
the case is almost certain to be taken
to the supreme court of the state for
final adjudication.