The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-21
JURY SETS ASIDE
WILL Of SAMUEL /
J. SERRELL
1t Takes Only Thirty Minutes Il
Reach Decision-This Il Victory
for Mrs. Mae E. Davis, Daughter
of Wealthy Man.
Harry Serrell, Son, Was Givsn
$4,000 and Mrs. Davis s.
By Father.

PONTIAC. Mich. May 2l.--It took
the jury just thirty minutes to reach
decision TO set aside the will OF the
late Samuel j. Serrell. today. Harry
Serreil. the son OF the wealthy man.
mad been given tie entire estate. val.
ued at $4,000 and Mrs Mae Il. Davis.
the daughter. was given only IS.
The decision means that Mrs. Davis
VIII share with her brother In the dis
tribution OF the estate unless the SUI
preme court revarses II. She contest
ed the Will on the ground that her
father was incompetent and had been
unduly influenced On account of the
amount of property which is involved
IN stocks and bonds 1t may be neces-
sary for the daughter TO bring ciyif
proceedings against the son to deter
mine where the property is and what
IL amounts to.
The verdict in the will case marks
the end of one of the most sensational
trials In Oakland county. Mrs. Davis.
who displeased her father by marry
ing the man Of her choice, has no III
Will for her brother. Harry SerreIs'
who has sat In the court room durinG
the two weeks session OF the case.
not caring to offer his hand 10 hio'
sister and forget the past differences.
The case presented the picture az
a daughter fighting In a court of Law
for that which she believed was de-
prived her because she could not hu.
NOR her father In his fancied grew
ances. "a
Mrs. Davis, testifying In the case,
several days ago, said her father had
an ~ fri. - -
the table In their home, she said. he
would indicate the articles Of food he
wanted by making motions. When he
wanted tea or coffee he would rattle
his cup with his teaspoon.
Mrs. Davis told a story of long men,
tai suffering because her father had
treated her cruelty, especially when
she had expressed her desire to marry
her husband. He protested againnI
the marriage and offered her $50, 500
to repounce the engagement.
Testimony given at the trial yestor.
day showed that Samuel Serrell did
not himself make all the money that
he gave to his son. Harry Serrell. The.
death.
Daniel Harris. counsel for the cor
testant. In his address to the Jury yeos
terday, scathingly arraigned Harry
Serrell, who is fighting Mrs. Davis's
suit. and also the father for his &C.
tons toward his daughter. Harry
Serrell was but clay in the hands Of
his cruel father" said Attorney Harris.
He Is not worth 80 cents a. q man.
His are diamond eyes. always search
ing for money, money and nothing
else. His actions have been Of the
most depicable nature.
Samuel Serrell was far from belnG
a man. He left nothing but will that
will stand out In the history Of O.
land county courts for all time u
come. His cruelty toward his daughr
ter will never cease tn be known. II
will be handed down from generation
to generation and will always be look
ed upon with contempt"
John Patterson. chief OF counsel for
the proponents of the will In his re-
marks to the jury, characterized the
talk OF his predecessor as "nowery
and an historical illusion"
THE attorneys for Mrs. Davis" ho
said. have brought two men into this
case. They have pictured two Samuel
Serrells. One Is the real Samuel Ser.
rell and the other a straw man The
straw man they picture as BRUTE
one UNIT for the companionship OF de-
cent law-abiding citizens, while the
other they say nothing about him.
They are mum when the real man IL
brought forth. Samuel Serrell was
known as a good. honest. upright bus
mess man and citizen. | cannot SEQ
why he should be characterized other.
wise. He was the man with broken
heart and not SO bad "a painted"