New-York tribune., 1912-03-09
LEFT A FORTUNE
Hart Began Life with a Pack, but
Ended with S1,822,294.
ADOPTED CHILD EXCLUDED
Nephew and French Woman Are
Heavy Benefciaries, but
Will Is Contested.

Benjamin Hart who as young man was
a pedler in the South. where he went from
town 10 town with a pack on his back, left
an estate valued at N.s22,2si. He died IN
Paris on May 10, 1908, but the exact value
Of the estate was not learned until yester-
day. when the transfer tax appraisal vas
filed in the Surrogates' Office by wallace
S Fraser Deputy State Controller.
Following Mr.. Harts death, a legal fght
for his estate was brought in the courts
here and is not vet ended. In the hnal
distribution Of his property he excluded
from all benefits his adopted daughter VINO
IS the wife Of a French diplomat, and made
liberal provision for Nine. Gabrielle Jullette
Antonette de Bic, q French woman VINO
presided over his household
The report deducted certain expenses
from the gross value OF the estate. "hlch
left the net value at ST. '29,s'4
MN de Bic received under the VII an
annuity of $1,000. for which purpose thr
appraisal showed there was iund q
s25S, 724. Mr. Hart also gave NM. dc iIe'
who since her benefdctors death mas MAJ
red a French playwright. all his personal
effects in Paris and the fine house "nl0n
used 10 be his home In the French cipl'al.
Mr. Hart was native OF NlTr'A'd "Hu l'
began his pedling career earl! III NE MS
business grew quickly, and atteI ht 49,
mulated a fortune lac ~Amc 10 N"" ~ NJ
where he further increased II. 1t ""7 W.
WAYS reported that he made much oi MS
money here in real estate The report E',h
yesterday showed that he Lad laitr as
posed Oh the real estate holdings ana put
his money I'm stocks and bonds. mostly -
railroads a commentary on MS tNs'h'7S
astuteness was the fact that in al us
large holdings there were only -'1 Sh''l'5 OF
miscellaneous stock which had no N'I'' al
the time of his death.
Some Of mis- holdings were 1000 shares
National city Bank. S23nOO0' MisSouII'
Kansas & Texas. S&6,3OC, Union Pacih''
S30.3OO, Central Pacific $2".5'O. United
states steel Corporation. t2%,'ph' kaIifoAd
Securities Company, $i2.l5o, southern Pa
ciac, preferred s514oS; southern racine
common. sSO,65y; First National Bank
Richmond. Va. $500 and Sew York
New Haven & Hartford, S5S,SSN.
The chief beneficiary under t. Will OF
Mr. Hart was his nephew, Michael Hart
who received 500. 900 outright and life
estate in the residuary estate, whlch the
appraisal placed at Sl.lS6,96l. BENJAMIN
Hart. another nephew, received lie IN
terest in $500 Three nieces received
$4,000 each and Mary Ida Brown received
an annunity Of 5000. The expenses OF
Mr.. Harts funeral amounted 10 s3-"
The suit over the estate Of Mr.. 'iar'
was brought by his adopted daughter.
Nine. Gabrielle Josephine Isabel Lu@cheSi
Guillemin, wife Of jean Gmllcmin. french
Minister TO Peru.
The adopted daughter coni"n1'd tl"'
under the French law sh" toram" entitled
~ rari 90 the estate and that tho viii
should he construed under Oh" French ia"
as Mr.. Hart was q resident of France. and
also that the trust funds established by
the testator were not y'did under the
french law.
The case was tired hcfor" Justice Green
baum. in the Suprcm" Court II VAS
proved that although Mr.. Hart lad liNei
many wear. in Paris hc had made several
tripg 10 this country and tuat II was al
ways his intention To- remain an American
citizen Justice Grccuraum decided against
Nine. Guillcmin and 10 favor of the hene-
hciarles mentioned in the viii.