The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-31
HEIR TO FORTUNE
REFUSES PORTION

Troy. October 30.-An echo of the
once famous Laura Benedict case, the
principal of which is now heiress TO
part of the millions left by Mrs. Han
nah Earl. widow of William 5. Earl.
was heard recently. when an appeal
was argued in the supreme Court 10
nave the woman pronounced sane. The
proceedings were started by her father,
John d. Benedict formerly publisher
of the Lansingburgh Courier, now a
broker in New York City.
Although q great fortune is at stake.
the woman has declared she won't
take II, If 1t Is given to her. All she
desires, she says. is SO a week to pay
her board at the Y. w. c. a., where
she has lived since she became a
Christian Scientist practitioner Her
friends say. however, that her attitude
is due TO the treatment accorded her
by her father. who years ago had her
declared mentally incompetent. They
say that, rather than have her father
share the estate, she will support her
self.
Once adjudEed Incompetent.
Miss Benedict, who is now forty
six years old, was declared incompe-
tent In the early nineties. While on
a trip to Buffalo. at that time she in
serted this advertisement in an up
state newspaper:
Wanted-A husband; will leave party
Immediately after the ceremony. and
will pay $500 for use of name
Jefferson B. Gum, milkman, of
Cohoes, answered the advertisement
and married her within few DAYS,
getting the $500 and leaving her after
the ceremony. To protect the girls
interests her father started annulment
proceedings on the grounds of In
sanity. and to substantiate these he
set forth that on at least three occas-
ions his daughter left home to work
as q servant.
Since her marriage Miss Renedic.
has been confined from time to time i'm
private sanatoriums Her father took
her three years ago to live with him
| In Central Park West, in Manhattan
! New York, but, 1t Is said, she refused
| TO remain with him after her mothers
death year ago.
! Her father visited her each week
and finally decided she was sane and
| should be declared so legally. He APP
| pealed to the supreme Court, and At
/ torney Francis w. Pollock was ap-
point referee. Though IT is known
Miss Benedict's inheritance is a crea,
fortune. re Is impossible to ngurc the
exact amount due her because of the
complicated state of affairs since the
| deaths of her mother and aunt Mrs
| Earl who died about eighteen months
ago.
Charles S. Aldrich. an executor OF
her estate, said that one provision OF
Mrs. Earrs viii created an immense
| trust fund for Mrs. Benedict. part OF
which was to revert to the daughter
On her mothers death. Miss Benedict
! received also life interest In trust
fund. which was to have begun upon
| her mothers death. in addition to a
gift OF money made by Mrs Earl prior
to her death. Some Of the legatees o.
MRS. Earl's will decided also to create
out of their shares a life fund of s2l,-
600 for her.
On all OF these requests Miss Benc-
dict was to have begun TO realize upon
| the death of her mother. but wher
she made an effort TO get some of tn,
money she found that 1t was neccs.
sary for her consult her father, who
had been appointed her guardian Ions
ago.