New-York tribune., 1912-03-04
SEARCH REVEALS WILL
wife of Magistrate FurIong Left
None of Estate to Husband.
HE is NOW IN CHARGE OF IT
Fortune May Undergo Change
of Control if Relatives
Decide to Act.

After a long search In this city and in
Glasgow, Scotland. her native heath. there
has been discovered among the dust COW
cred and time stained papers OF dead
Glasgow attorney the will of Mrs. Helen
Nicol Lawson Furlong, wife OF former
Magistrate Henry ]. Furlong of Brooklyn
Mrs. Furlong died on August IA, lsOs at the
family summer home, at Rockaway Beach'
and so far as the family believed she oled
without making a will disposinS OF her
! considerable estate consisting OF reai es-
tate and bonds.
Her husband took out letters or admin
lstration, which were issued to him by the
Surrogate of Queens County. In his peti-
tin for the letters Mr.. Furlong said that
Mrs Furong left no WILL and he set forth
the value Of her estate as $4,000, although
this estimate is now regarded as much TOO
low. The ex-magistrates four children
waived the bond that usually is filed by an
administrator, and at the time Mr.. Furlong
said that some OF the property held by his
wife was In reality his own.
Furlong took out the letters of adminis-
trat on on October Q. 1909, which was about
three weeks before he was indicted for ac-
cepting a bribe of SIG 66, which led to MS
conviction and sentence to a term OF not
more than two years in Sing Sing, OF which
he served about a year.
Now, with the finding oe the will OF Mrs
Furlcng after a search Of two and half
years II is regal ded as possible that the
fortune OF the former magistrate VIII un-
dergo a change, for his wife left none Oh
her estate TO her husband. The testatrlx'
who made her will in Glasgow on April l.
1880, and added a codicil on the same date
made her children and her slster-in-law'
Mrs Ada Caroline Verschoyle, the bene-
tcares OF her estate. The latter Is SIS
ter of Furlong. and as the four children
two of Whonp are now married, hesitate u
tile the Will and to have revoked the letters
Of administration issued TO their father, IL
is expected that Mrs. Verschoyle will file
the instrument.
The will was found only through the per-
sistent search of members OF the family
The hunt led to the office of Mclean, Baird
q Nelson, attorneys, OF Glasgow. Ihey
had acted for Mrs Furlong. The testatTN
named as trustees the Rev. James Kerr
Robert Thomas Nelson, attorney, ana
William Patrick. of the Caledonian Rail-
way. After arranging for the payment OF
her debts and funeral expenses Mrs. Fur
long gave to the care Of the trustees the
residue OF the estate, they TO collect all
rents and income until the youngest child
should reach the age OF twenty-one. Then
the estate was TO be divided among the
children.
|, To Mrs Yerschoyle the testatriN gave
certain part OF the income from the estate
making it a lien on the shares Of the chill
dren. Mrs. Furlong said in her codlcil the
trustees might encroach on the income from
the estate for the maintenance and educa-
ton Of her children during their minority.
Since the death OF Mrs. Furlong several
OF the properties OF the estate have been
either sold or foreclosed. Furlong by
promise to his son and one of his daugh-
ters that he would take care OF their in
terest induced them il is alleged, 10 sign
over 10 him their interest In some Har-
lem property Then Furlong decided the
property over to Martin T. Manton. who
with ". Bourke Cochran defended the
magistrate when he was convicted. The
transfer was for past services. Manton
now Is the plaintiff in an action to parti-
ton the property. for two one-quarter in
terests are still held by two other daugh-
ters.
The exact status OF the estate will be-
come known only when Furlong files his
accounting as administrator. So far as Is
known there has not yet been distrlbu-
ton This will be made as soon as the
will Is fled. However. II is certain that
the former value Of the estate will have
been much reduced since the death Of Mrs.
Furong Also Furlong will be compelled
10 prove. II he tries TO retain any OF the
estate. that his wife was acting as trustee
for some OF his own property.