The evening world., 1911-02-17
Heir to Bulk of S3,oOo,O 900
Estate Quoted as Knowing
Generals Condition.
PROUD OF
Millionaire'S Brother Swears
Aged Man Said He Would
Give Heirs Equal Shares.

The rcnarKaDle CAarSe una lnomas
T. Eckcrt jr. believed his father Gen,
r. T. Eckert, was mentally incompetent
long before he died last October was
this afternoon by william II. Eck.
ert. only brother Of Gen. E,kert, whom
the contest OF the Generals will was
continued before Surrogate Cohalan.
This, in view OF the fact that Gen.
Eckert's will. which left all but $3.50, 40
of a 81, 900. coo estate to Tom, was made
only two months before the General
died, was regarded as one of the strong
est points yet brought out in favor Of j.
Clendenin Eckcrt, the Generals Oldest
son, who is contesting he Will.
Henry u. Esterorook. a lawyer, for
merry in the employ OF the Western
Union Telegraph Company. was an i'm
portant witness for J. Clcndenin Eckert,
the contestant.
Mr.. Esterbrook corroborated members
Of the Fckert family and others who
told of the physical and mental in
nrmlties of Gen. Thomas 7. Eckert
prior to his death last October.
Proud Of Clendenin.
Gen. Eckert was hard of hearing, very
lame and did not seem to he in tull pos
session Of all his mental faculties in
July. 1910. when the witness last saw
him, Mr.. Este-brook said.
prior to that visit" asked Henry NJ
Earle for the contestant. did Gen. Eek
ert ever tell you anything about his
son. Clcndenin Eckert?"
"He told me, a few years ago. Glen
denim had paid him back a very large
sum Of money C~lcndenin had borrowed.
He said 1t made him feel very proud Of
Clendenin.'
Did he say wrat he was going TO Do
with the money!"
He said he intended to divide II equa'
lv between Clendenin and Tom"
William II. Eckert, seventy-two years
a brother OF Gen z;ckert, was the
next witness,
You are a beneficiary to the extent
o. 5000 under the Will now offered,
Mr.. Eckert," the witness was told.
''Do you realize that = the ~ is
broken you rill get rctn'nE"
yes
10 wa NtN' "'H 6HN " ~
legacy"
Il do" the witness replied emphatic
ally. II want to see a square deal.
whether I get anything or not"
How often did you see your brother,
the General?" asked Mr.. Earle<
Regularly twice a week"
lie said the General couldn't articulate
clearly the last few years of his life,
but murnbled his words. He was so en-
feebled he would drop his cigar fire.
uuently. once. he said, young Tom
Eckert spoke very harshly to the Gen
eral about this. but the General made
no reply.
The witness told OF an instance when
he lost a valuable position with tie
Metropolitan Telephone Company be-
cause the General. at that time Presi-
LEM of the Western Union, was wasins
a bitter war on the Metropolitan.
Promised to Provide for Him.
THAT was In 1885," said the witness.
MY brother and | talked it over often,
and he aid ne realized he had sacrificed
my future, but ne would provide for
me, so | would not have to worry"
In his last year or two did Gen.
Eckert ever say anything to YOU about
the Metropolitan Telephone Company
Mr.. Earle pursued.
yes. He asked me why I'd left the
company in 1856. He appeared to have
forgotten all about it"
on one OF his latter visits to the
General the brother said he met young
u, 800. >,ty., al. Ito lAAr