New-York tribune., 1912-04-30
ASTOR WILL IN DOUBT
[. CaSs Ledyard Says Stories
Published Can't Be True.
PROPERTY UNRESTRICTED
Unless Provision Is Made for
Posthumous Child, Will
Might Be Invalid.

Posthumous Child, Will
Might Be Invalid.
Following the publication yesterday OF
numerous and varying versions as TO the
settlement Of the Astor millions by the
vr,u OF Colonel John Jacob Astor. Lewis
Csss Iedyard. personal attorney OF Colonel
,st,r made th,s statement for Tho Trib-
une
~ nave always made Il rule not 10
sneak about the affairs of clients. II any
statements are made purporting TO give the
contents OF any will in my possession MADE
nv Colonel Astor they must be Inventions
TOR 7 have given out no information OF that
character"
vr I4dvard said ne had seen the news
rsper speculations as 10 the contents OF
an made by Colonel Astor. but he declined
absolutely TO discuss the inaccuracy Of any
~ tbe details. lie declined TO say whether
there was any will. and when asked Wheth-
or I'm the event that there was a VIII in
HE rossession it would he read soon after
,be burial Of Colonel Astor he replied that
ne could not answer.
William A. Dobbyn. secretary 10 the
.stor estate. at No. % West 18th street
srnil.ngly acl;nov ledgcd that he had seen
ssveral newspaper stories purporting to be
,rue versions Of the will. but he declined TO
discuss them. TO all questions he invaria-
Yly referred his interviewers TO MI. Led
yard.
one version II the will indicated that
Mrs NJ del ne Force Astor was TO have
life Interest IN the Astor mansion. at Fifth
avenue qud T.h street, with full provision
for its upkecp during her lifetime.
rro,irers Il the home Of william r.
Force Mrs. Astor's father, No. is East 9th
street. last night were told that Mr. Force
,opId talk with no one concerning the
,s+or will cv anv of i's provisions for his
dauChter
The LeaaI Aspects OF the Case
Apropos Of the speculation over the dis
,rfoution OF the estate OF Colonel John
Jacob Astor by his will, IT was pointed out
yesterday that there are certain legal cir
ournstapces that have been overlooked. In
Tho first place. il Is accepted in some quar-
ters as a fact that Mrs. Madeleine Force
Astor. the widow. agreed 10 relinquish her
dover interest in the estate Of her husband
when they were married in consideration
~ the S.WnM0 which, rumor said, he set
lied on her at the time OF their marriage.
That being true. II would leave Mrs.
Astor ont OF all consideration so far as
tha viii goes. As It stands to-day there
are two children, Vincent Astor and Muriel
Astor, issue Of the marriage of Colonel
Astor and Mrs. Ava Willing Astor, 10 be
provided for. Their shares in case OF the
waiver Of the second wife must he each
ope-half In case Mrs. Astor did not re-
unduish Ter dover rights she becomes en-
titled under law 70 one-third OF Ter hus-
bands real property, without any interest
in his personal estate.
IN case there is a posthumous child born
20 Mrs Astor that child becomes entitled to
"a share Of the estate
II Colonel Astor mads his will after his
marriage TO Miss Force and made arrange
ment for child OF that union he could
have made that share whatever he saw ut.
If he made his will before the marriage
without considering the contingency Of a
child 10y the second Mrs. Astor Colonel
Astor must be regarded as having died in
,estate. and there will have 20 be a re-
arrangement 10 make provision for the new
heir
However. 1t is believed that Colonel Astor
second marriage.
William Astor. father Of Colonel Astor.
died April o, lsa2 He left 70 John Jacob
Astor. his only son. the entire residuary of
his own estate in trust, the son TO have
the income for life and then to dispose OF
under his own will.
Besides this Colonel Astor received out
right one-half Of the estate left TO his
Asto-
In 1850, when Colonel Astor reached his
thirlieth year. ne came into possession OF
the other half of his grandfather's estate.
and, like the first half he received, 1t was
10 be his absolutely Neither was there
any restriction placed on the residuary
share Of his fathers estate that he in
herited except that IT was 10 remain in
trust, and he was to get only the income.
lie was free TO dispose of his entire estate
a. he chose,
Colonel Astor received from the estate of
MS mother, Mrs Caroline Webster Astor.
who died on october 90. 1908. only several
pieces of iewelry, because, as Mrs. Astor
SAID his father had already provided for
him
Arrangements for the funeral OF Colonel
Iohn Jacob Astor are awaiting the arrival
Of the body. which is now being brought TO
Halifax by the cable ship Mackay- Bennett.
The la.est report showed that the ship
would probably dock this forenoon
William A. Dobbyn, secretary TO the AS
tor estate, said yesterday that the funeral
probably wo Id be held in the church at
Rhnebeck, which was built by Colonel
Astor The memorial service which the
family had planned for him at Rhinebeck
was abandoned when word was received
.sAi the body had been found.