New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-13
WILL CONTEST SENSATION
Younu Wife of Aged Cornelius
Van Ness Produces Letter.
DAUGHTER NOT HIS CHILD
Directed This Was To Be Made
Public if She Persisted IN
Attempt to Break Will.

The trial OF the contest over the Will OF
| Cornelius r. Van Ness. Of Cornwall. N y.
vho loft an estate valued at more thal
g. NONn which has been running all the
week I'm the Surrogates' Court. producer
q sensation Yesterday. when counsel Tor
the Young wife of the aged testator pro-
ducad letter by Mr.. Van Ness in which
no stated that he was not the father OF
Mrs. Alice Van Ness Parsons, VINO IS cur
testing the will as the daughter OF MI
Van Ness. The will gave practically the
entire estate to Mrs. Van Ness ana MIS-.
Parsons has alleged undue influence anu
unsound mind as the grounds for the COLI
test
Mrs Van Ness was Miss Alice WOOD
and she married the old millionaire aiter
his first wife had obtained "A divorce iro"
him Learning that the marriage was nc,
gal. because Mr.. Van Ness was restralheu
by the decree of divorce given against MIN
from marrying again in New YORK o'ate'
the couple went 10 New Jersey ana were
married a second time. The first marriage
was in February, 1860, and the second ABOUT
three months later. The letter of Mr.. Van
Ness regarding Mrs Parsons was written
I'm 1902. 1t read:
| write these few lines to protect my
present wife, Alice Wood Van Ness, IN case
Alice Parsons or her husband, AIRED iaI
! sons or any Of her relatives should com,
mence a suit against her. The reasons l
! have for not leaving Alice Parsons any
I thing more is because / have not Hked tHe
| way she has used my VIE Wnen she IdS
called upon her after all ] have done TOT
her and her husband And, also, my CON
/ fidence was destroyed when ! Eeard thdI
she had told John T.. Huggins that she uh
Gerstood that | have note OF MS, Whicl
never did have. She knew he was my
enemy, and was the means. believe. OF my
/ having TO part with many hundreds oil
thousands Of dollars by betraylng my con-
! fiCCnCe.
And. also. she will remember. before she
was married. how | told her for the nrst
and last time, In the presence OF heI
| mother. that it was proper she shouId kho"
l was not her father r.,. T.,
private II she or any Of her relatives COM
! m,nce suit against my VIE AFTER dIl
gene. or to break my will. and II tney per
sist il Is to be made public. what uonc
/ 7 for Alice L. told her did for her per
| sopally as | had no respect for her motn-
! er'S people or Mr.. Parsons,s or MS peopit'
| All Mr. Parsons ever gave Alice was nNe
children and no home, with All MS taIeh'S-
! Al ! bought for a y. was IN her paIhe
and for her special benefit
| Walter 4. Pershall. lawyer OF Port Jer-
Wis. a,tested to the signing Of tho letter by
! MIR. Van Ness. Mr.. Pcrshall was witness
y, sterday and he told Of drawing mp tie
VIII Of Mr. Van Ness IN 1901. The latter
/ had already transferred his property 10
his wife by deeds Of gift Mr.. Van Ness
was then eighty-three years old. seven
months after the viii was executed he MADE
q codicH i'm which he revoked be1uest OF
/ IS 90 which he had made I'm the VIII 10
/ Mrs Parsons Mr.. Pershall said Mr.. Van
| Ness knew when he made his VIII that ne
| had no more property, having previously
| given it 10 his wife.
/ Counsel FOR Mrs Parsons wanted 10 Nho"
! from the witness what there was for tho
! t,stator To- revoke II he knew he had u"
more property in mis- name Mr. PershaIi
did not know The witness had ALREADY
! testified that he received check for S"V'
and $4,000 in bonds for his services IN
! transferring the property OF Mr.. Van Ness
70 his wife. Then. said Nj PershalI' Harry
Wood brother Of Mrs. Van Ness. came
70 him telling him that he was glad inc
LAWYER got so large foe. although he,
Wood thought II excessive. lie suggested
that Mr.. Pcrshal give him IN" income
/ from the bonds during the lifetime OF Mr.
/ Van Moss which the lawyer did rot DO.
! rho trial will be continued on Monday.