The sun., 1912-07-19
SENFF WILL CODICI[
SHOWN IN COURT
Wipes Ont S63O, 900 Debt TO
Rich Sugar Rchnrr's
Estate.
WAS SANE. SAYS ALlENIST
Effinghum Lawrence. Who
Owed the Debt. COntradictS
Story Of Male Nurse.

a fourth hearing was held bcfor. Sur
rogate Daniel Noble in Jamaica ycster-
day In the contest over the CodicIl OF
the will of the late Charles IL. SEMI,
sugar reiiner of Whiestone. The
codicil is contested by the widow, Gus
tavia a. Senm. and others mentioned In
the will. II wipes ont an Indebtedness
Of $63o.000 alleged to have been owed
to Senff by Efingham Lawrence Of
Cold Spring iIarbor. SEMI died In 1911.
The contestants are trying to prove
that Semi was no, capable mentally VI
making "A codiCii for some time prior
to his death.
Mrs. Charlotte NJ. Lawrence OF Bay
side. mother of f.fiineham Lawrence.
who was on the stand on Wednesday
and told Ut her acquaintance with the
Semi family. was recalled yesterday and
was cross-rNanined. She remembered
visits to the Senffs in 1910 and 1911 and
said Mrs. SEMI was always present
when she called. hut she could not re-
member the exact dates of the visits.
When asked about the nature of Mr..
Senff's conversation she said he was apt
to talk on art: that he was an au-
thority on paintings
Mrs Lawrence was asked when her
son Efiingham became n member Of the
New York stock Exchange. and she said
II was in 1903. At the previous hearing
she testified that she had not told Semi
about her son becoming member Of
the Stock Exchange until a year after
he came into possession of the seat.
She was asked yesterday why she
waited so long to tell MIR, Senff and she
replied that ne did not want to hear
about any good turn he might have
done for friend. 1t was intimated
that MIR. Senff had helped Lawrence
In getting a seat on the exchange.
Effingham Lawrence was called to the
stand. Testimony given by male
nurse named Schmidt was read to the
witness. Schmidt had testified that
when Lawrence was visiting at the
Senff house one day MIR. Senf told
Schmidt to take his ,SenfY's keys and
get papers from the safe. Schmidt said
that Lawrence took the keys and got
the papers and that he ,Schmidt then
left the room. Lawrence yesterday de-
MED that anything OF the kind had
happened.
Charles Senff Mcv-igh. nephew
was recalled. lie said that when he
was 3 or years old he went To live
with his uncle. After he was gradu-
ated from the University OF Virginia
and had studied law he took care OF his
uncle's accounts. He told OF MIR. Senff's
gifts to Columbia University. the Amer
lean Museum Of Natural History. the
Presbyterian Hospital and other insti-
l. f~t. .sH
Mr.. SenfT were assisted financially by
him. The witness was asked whether
or not Mr.. SenT ever spoke To him
about loans to Effingham Lawrence or
had any feeling against Lawrence. He
said he did not recall anything Of the
kind and added that when Lawrence
bought place at cold Spring Harbor,
where Lawrence now lives. Mr.. SEMI
was much pleased
The witness was asked If he knew
there was codcll to the will. He said
he had been told that one had been
found and that 1t was In the possession
of Lawrence. He said he found the
will among his unclc's papers, Mr.
Senff. his nephew. said showed loss OF
memory. but signed checks up to July
%. 1911. and continued giving orders
and conducting his business affairs up
to that time Mr.. SEMI died In the
early part Of August
DR.. Allan McI.ane Hamilton was
called and was asked n Hypothetical
question that covered all the testimony
in the case He said that II the cir
cumstances were such as had been de-
ecribed Mr.. Senff. in the witnesses opin-
ion. was sane and able to make
codicil.
The codicil was offered in evidence.
II was in the handwriting Of Lawrence's
attorney and place had been left for
Mr Senf's signature and for :he date,
which had hcon filled In BY Mr.. Semi
Dr. Hamilton was asked II the sigma
ture was that ~ man who was an
habitual "twl'cher' He said he saw
no evidence Of tremor In the signature
and thought that the man who signed
the codicil evidently knew what he was
doing.
The contestants moved that the APP
piication for the probate of the codicil
re denied and the proponents asked
that a decree he given admitting the
codicil. The Surrogate asked counsel
to submit briefs within six weeks.