Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-11-04
WALDORF MAID
TEARS ASUNDER
ECKERT FAMILY
Religious Differences Between
Brothers Said to Be Due
to Her influence.

NEW YORK, Nov. 4.-Startling de-
velopments are limited at in connection
with the proceedings said to be under
way to break the will of the threefold
millionaire General Thomas T. Eckert,
former president of the Western
Union, who left nearly all to his name
sake son, cutting off the younger son,
]. Clendennin, with a p~ittance.
Minnie Egan, who gave up her
position as maid at the Hotel Waldorf
Astoria to become General Eckert's
housekeeper at his great country home,
Hearts Content, Elberon, N. j., after
the death of his wife, and who is said
to be engaged to marry the son
Thomas, promises to figure as a GEN.
trail figure in the contest.
The exact lines upon which a contest
of the will will be brought by his son,
]. Clendennin Eckert, who vas cut off
with $50, DOC, Is as follows-not, perhaps,
in the order of their legal Importance,
but certainly in order of their interest:
First-That the will was framed, if
not drawn up in its entirety, by Rich
ard Gregory Page, who for years was
General Eckert's private secretary, and
since the generals death has been I'M
ployed by Thomas T. Eckert, jr.
The contestants will endeavor to show
that Mr.. Pageswas hired originally by
I. T. Eckert, jr., the chief beneficiary
under the will.
Second-That the will was brought
to the general in his dying days by At
torney Thomas c. Ennever, of 1872 Mas
sau street, whom the general did not
know and never had seen before the day
the will was signed-sometime in the
neighborhood of September 1 last. Mr..
Ennever is also named as a witness to
the testament.
Lawyer Not Engaged by General.
The contestants will try to show that
it was not old General Eckert, but
some one else, who engaged Ennever.
The old general had many other law.
yers in his time, some of them the
most prominent members of the bar.
Ennever yesterday was asked about
the prospective will contest, but de-
clined to say anything, even being
hesitant about telling just whom he
represented in the case, although 1t is
known that he is counsel for T. y.
Eckert, jr., the son who got most Of
the SO, 000, 900.
Third-That T. T. Eckert, jr., and
Miss Minnie Egan were tho closest at
tendants upon General Eckert during
the lays just before he died, and that
they and Secretary Page and his wife
were the closest to General Eckert at
the very moment of his death. j.
C~lendennin Eekert was present at the
death, but was not very cordially re-
ceived by his brother and by his
fathers amanuensis, according to fur
Their testimony that will be introduced,
Fourth-That not only was General
Eckert under undue influence when
he signed his last testament, but also
that his son, T. T. Eckert, Jr., who
profited most from 1t, was
himself in peculiar fashion.
Some Alleged Inconsistencies.
It is pointed out that the general had
induced his brother to retire from the
presidency of the Bell Telephone Com
pany on the promise of providing for
him in his will. The $1,000 bequest was
all the brother got. Another incon-
sistency to which attention is calle-
is that old servants had repeatedly
peer assured they would be remem-
bered in the will; and not one of them
was ever mentioned.
One of the reasons for the differences
between the two sons is said to be due
to religion. General Eckert's wife was
a Catholic, and won her husbands adj
miration for that faith; but 1t was not
until after her death, when Miss Egan
became h-ousekeeper, that he, as
well as Thomas T., jr., embraced
Catholicism.
Thomas T., jr., said last night he
would marry Miss Egan as soon as he
had time and opportunity to come to
this city.
A spite fence put up by Thomas be-
tween Hearts Content and Carlton
Terrace, which was bequeathed by
General Eckert to Joanna Clendennin's
little daughter, has served to intensity
animosities,