The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-25
Efforts to Settle Famous Cor
don-Munn Controversy Fails.
viii Be Submitted to a Jury in
District Court.
INVOLVES A BIG SUM.
Widows Half in an Estate of
$13O,OOO.
Mrs. Gordon Declines an Offer
of $40, 900 Cash.

Shortly before noon today a jury was
impanelled for the trial of the Gordon
Mum case, involving the division OF
the $150.000 G. S. Gordon estate. About
$3.50, 900 is involved in the present trial,
while about $40, 900 is at stake in sec
ond action now pending in the supreme
court. All efforts on the part OF the
attorneys last night and this morning
to effect a compromise were fruttless.
The old fire of battle that was SO evil
dent in former trials of the case was
missing today and the half dozen law
yers waded into the case with an APP
parent lack of the enthusiasm that
characterized the former trial Both
Mrs. Gordon, the widow, and Mrs. Lille
Gordon-Munn were in court when the
jury was impanelled. Less than tvs
hours were required in the selection of
a jury. The plaintiff exhausted its per-
emptory challenges and seemingly lost
a point in the selection of the jury
when it challenged ]. D. Knox, only to
be told by the court that their chal-
lenges were exhausted and Knox could
not be removed.
Judge Whitcomb, however, brought
joy to Mrs Gordon's attorneys when
he overruled the motion of the defend
ants to compel the plaintiff to elect as
to a certain statement surrounding the
ante-nuptial contract set out in the de-
PENDANTS answer. This contention was
argued at length in Mondays hearing.
Following a short recess, G. S. Allen
outlined the case for the plaintiff. He
occupied 80 minutes in his statement
of the case, stating in detail the con-
tentions surrounding the making of an
ante-nuptial agreement the day of Mrs.
Gordon's marriage. He said that sew
eral years after the contract was made
that it was destroyed by mutual con-
sent and that it was Gordon's wish that
his widow participate to the fullest ex-
hn VII i nf hn fof 70 II
also denied the charges made by Mrs.
Munn's attorneys that the plaintiffs
marriage was illegal, or that her di-
vorce DEGREES from two former hus-
bands were irregular.
Rely on Ante-Nuptial Contract.
At 1853 this afternoon Robert Stone
stated the contentious of the defense.
He stated that Mrs. Mum will rely
on the contents of the ante-nuptial
contract and further contest the plain
tiff's rights to recover by reason of
questionable local DEGREES of divorce
from her former husbands. After the
statement by the defense, the plain
tiff opened it's case with a long list
of legal citations on marriage and di-
vorce and will follow this with the
testimony of a number of minor wit
nesses. It is hardly probable that Mrs.
Gordon will be called to the stand be-
fore Friday morning.
D0IOIS Tie CdSS WIS CdlleQ several
conferences were held by the attor-
neys in an effort to effect compro-
mise. All efforts made by the de-
PENDANT were refused with thanks by
Mrs. Gordon. Following a flat cash
offer of $4,000, the defendants Of
fered cash and property rights APP
praised at s49,5O0, and also offered to
pay the costs in the former trials. Mrs.
Gordon stated that the real estate APP
praisements were too high and de-
clined the offer. The costs in the
case at the present time amount to
about $4,000. When the plaintiff re-
fused the last offer, the defense be-
came stubborn and stated that they
were ready for trial. Many persons
who have watched the case closely are
of the opinion that the suit will never
go to the jury. They believe that in
few days a compromise will be
reached and the action brought to a
sudden conclusion.
In the former trial before Judge
Dana, nearly two weeks were occupied
in the Introduction of evidence and
arguments of counsel. Attorneys are
will be saved in the present trial,
owing to the agreement by both sides
surrounding minor issues. Before
opening the case today both sides
agreed to the title of Mrs. Lee Redeem
Gordon to an undivided one-twelfth
interest in a 56-acre tract of land west
of North Topeka
Jury of Farmers.
The jury chosen to try the case is
composed largely of farmers who have
heard little or nothing of the issues in
the case and are not acquainted with
either party to the suit The follow
ing men were selected as jurors: D.
d. Clark, 1. Jeffries, j. r. Ward, Nels
Olsen, J. A. Page, A. P. Skidmore, E.
Kempton, J. G. Corneilson, w. R. Bar
rett, J. d. Knox, J. E. Guild and
Charles Cramer.
pjnTlNc Ic REcIIMED