The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-02-20

Lord" claims to have received what
purports to he power OF attorney
that your petitioner Is further Informed
and believes that one Frank j. Gardner
claims to have received from the said
Samuel f. Haslett on or about the six
tenth day OF February what purports
to be a power OF attorney and because
Of the sweeping privileges Of these instru-
ments and the incompetency OF Haslett
to attend even to ordinary affairs. the
lawyers mentioned should show cause
why the commission be not formed.
lett Lord and Gardner be served with the
necessary papers and show cause in room
10 of the Brooklyn county court house
next Friday morning.
Mr.. Samuel submitted a shorter petition
in which he tells Of visiting HasletL on
February and found Haslett quite un-
attended, The old man was sitting In
chair in the parlor. Mr.. Samuel says, and
his conversation showed that he had
lost his memory and had no capacity to
understand the ordinary and simple Ian
guage." Mr.. Lord called while Samuel
was talking to the recluse and. Samuel
ewears, said to Haslett:
Sign this. This is an application to
probate your sisters will Put your
signature here; now put it there
Samuel says that Haslett did as di-
rected without reading the papers. Al
though 1t was midday the rooms. Mr..
Samuel says. were in semi-darkness
1e and found the house still cold and
filthy. Haslett this time was in bed
-in an emaciated condition and appeared
to be a person suffering from senile
decay and great weakness
While the reporter was talking TO
- i
silently in answer to most questions
the nurse was asked whether Mr.. Samuel
would appear as a witness. IS g.; .,
Maybe he II appear In some other way.
smiled Decker. Ask Mr.. Lord-he seems
to know everything"
Here is the statement that was given
out by Attorney Steuer. counsel for
Gardner
have had an interview with Mr.. Gardner,
in which he has stated to me his version
OF the facts in connection with the Hasett
matter. He claims 10 be able to substan-
tiate every utterance that he made to me
by witnesses, whose character Is above sus-
picion. The story that he tells me Is 4
highly probable one. Some physical facts
concerning which there can he no issue
tend strongly to bear out what he claims
lhhis version Of the transaction is true. not
only is Senator Gardner not guilty OF crime
consummation OF what seems TO be a very
diabolical plot. I deem the matter SO
serious that cannot go into discussion
Of the facts until have had time to see the
many witnesses and examine the many docu-
ments which exist in connection with the
transaction. II my present notion OF the
circumstances develops to be the real one
there are people who ought TO be prose
cuted. but senator Gardner is not one OF
I 81 L. II
concerning the matter 10 any one. and In
tend making none. After an examination n
of the witnesses and documents, IL Senator
Gardner desires me to. shall make another
written statement
Mr.. Lords statement issued yesterday
runs: - :
Mr. Haslett never signed the new Wills
/, OF power Of attorney. 1--we been Mr.. Has
lett's tenant for twenty years and he has
given me monthly receipts.
The Samuels are no rela ton to Mr. Haslett
Mr.. Samuel is a second cousin Of Mr.. haslett
know OF other second cousins, but they
have urged me not 10 mention their names
Mr., Haslett is not on friendly terms with all
his second cousins. and he has no rela tions
nearer than that. They are all connected
with Mr.. Haslett through DR.. j. sullivan
Thorne, deceased who lived at Sands and
Adams streets and was one OF the leading
citizens of Brooklyn fifty years AGO and a
prominent member of -. AIMS { hurch
the first Episcopal church in Brooklyn and
the church of that time
The Hasletts and DR.. Thorne were related
and that is how all these people. whoever
they may be. claim relationship. MIR
haslett is worth about 5000. .oOo. All kinds
of values have been stated. but it is not a
large estate. There was no moncy scattered
on the floors Of his house or about the
house. know it intimately for twenty
years. and II was not in the hlthy state tina,
has heen said. nor was MIR. Haslett the Rrea
recuse he is said to be he is very charitable
During 1911 he gave several thousand dollars
| to various charities.
MIR. Haslett's physical condition is much
better than reported He was so well
to-day that he walked up stairs himself
He was without the service of a servant for
six months. but now there is housek eeper
in charge. The house is being thoroughly
renovated and as soon as he is we'll enough
to take charge of 1t he will find il in good
condition. | have been urging him to have
a fire, but he thought the house warm enou Oh
with gas. Mr. Haslett now is in care of
! a trained nurse.
! While the controversy is waged over
the existence Of MIR. Hasletts relati ives
an aged woman, Mrs. Mollie Haslett. liv.
!
newspaper stories about the hermit IA i'd
| last night at Atlanta that she believed
the recluse might lie her missing son
Samuel T. Haslett, who disappeared from
Atlanta thirty-six years ago.
Mrs Haslett has telegraph to the
New York police, says a despatch from
Atlanta. giving them full details and urg-
ing them TO settle her anxiety. The ewes
of the Brooklyn hermit are depended on
TO determine whether or not he is the
Haslett who vanished from Georgia
One of the eyes OF, the Georgia Haslett
was blue and the other brown. The New
York authorities have been asked. the
despatch continues. to examine the eyes
of the recluse.
! DR.. II. p. Minton of l'5 Joralemop
street. who now is looking after Mr.. Has
lett. said last night that his patient "is
as we'll as can be expected"
| Decker was taken back to RAYMOND
street jail late yesterday afternoon and
probably will have Ia stay in his cell until
/ Wednesday afternoon