The Washington herald., 1910-05-12
SEEKS LARGE sum
FROM HOE ESTATE
Woman Trying to Collect
Claim of 10000 Pounds.

New York. Nay John P. East, coun-
sci for Mrs. Margaret Johnson Johns,
who tried 10 collect q claim for $4,000
against the estate Of Robert Hoe. the
printing press manufacture. in the Sur
rogate's Court, but was told that she
must sue for it. said to-day that her en-
tire claim against the estate amounts 10
$4,000, which is due her under a trust
L agreement
Mrs. Johns is now in this country She
arrived here last October, a month after
the death OF Mr.. Hoe. which occurred IN
London. She is the former wife OF Lewis
r. Brown. Of Kentucky. but left him IN
! 1906. and he got a divorce the next year
/ in kentucky on the ground OF abandon
ment. She was married here on January
6 last 10 Arthur Johns, a lawyer at 50
( Wall street, and lives at 81 West Elev-
/ enth street. She has an antique store
AT i West Thirty-frst street.
Her father. Claude NJ Johnson, a for
mer mayor OF Lexington, Ky, was at
and Printing at Washington. Mr.. John
son is also in the city. and said to-day
that since 1901 he has acted as foreign
agent for the Hoe Company, and in
/ charge Of the company's plant in Lon
don.
Also Claims. Stock.
In addition to the $4,000 which Mrs.
Johns claimed at the hearing before the
/ Surrogate. she claims sixty-siX shares Of
stock in the Metropolitan Trust Com
pany. standing in the name Of Robert
Hoe but assigned in blank She has
brought suit against the Metropolitan
Trust Company and Frederick w Craig
and Phineas P. Chew. executors OF the
Hoe estate, 10 compel the trust COM
pany 10 transfer the shares to her name
on the company's stock book.
In her complaint against the trust
company Mrs. Johns alleges that on
December Il last she was the owner OF
sixty-six shares Of Metropolitan Trust
stock. worth about $4,000 They were
made out 10 Robert Hoe and she held
his assignment in blank, she declared.
The assignment and the several certif-
Gates were delivered to her by Robert
Hoe in his lifetime. and she said the
oLItldlS OF the 1t uSL NpA4LfoAJ ANAAsDA
to transfer the stock. alleging that the
executors OF the Hoe estate claimed
title and interest in II.
Took Charge Of Business.
Mr.. Johnson said to-day:
7 met Mr. Hoe Ave years before my
retirement from the Bureau Of Engrav-
ing and Printing in 1900. and during tho
year following my retirement he made
me sort Of general superintendent OF his
New York interests, with the object OF
preparing myself TO look after the Hoe
interests abroad. In 1901 I went to Lon
don 10 take charge Of the business there
and on the continent He came there fire.
lquently, and took the house next TO mine.
We were intimate friends, and after doors
had been cut between the two houses We
, practically lived together as one family.
"Mr. Hoe was old enough to be my
daughters grandfather. and became very
much Interested in her welfare"
Edward G. Pringle counsel for the
estate said the case presented certain
anaIogies to the Bennett will case in Con-
necticut. in which W. J. Bryan was IN
able to collect $4,000 made over to him
in a sealed letter. He said it was an at
, tempt at testamentary disposition in a
. document which was in no sense a Will
or part Of a will
! Mrs. Johns is about thirty-fve years
old, and has daughter, OLIVE, who IS
fifteen.