The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-23
HaWley and Arbuckle Exam
pies of Superstition.
NERVE THEMSELVES FOR TEST
State Assumes Responsibility
When None Are Made.
Two Men Start With Nothing
Gain Millions.


of money due to the collection of the
Inheritance tax. Both of these estates
are to be distributed not to direct heirs,
as there was none. but to heirs who
are next of kin. From the estate of
the late Hugh ]. Grant, who was twice
mayor of New York and four times
candidate for mayor. the state will re-
ceive a much smaller sum, although
that will be in part due to the fact
that the Grant estate is only about
one-haf of the estimated value OF the
estates of Mr.. Arbuckle and Mr.. HaW
ley. The inventory of the Grant eS-
tate has been made public. Its value
is fixed at nine million, two hunureo
and fifty thousand dollars, round num-
bers. That is approximately the
amount of this estate reported in this
column a few weeks ago. The figures
then given were 10 million dollars.
Former Mayor Grants estate, how
ever, goes in bulk to his wife, as its
trustee for the children, although she
receives legacy aggregat1ng $8O0,OOO.
The income from the Grant estate Is
estimated to be about 100000 a year.
Much the greater part of this will
doubtless be added to the principal,
so that at the time the trust ends the
three Grant children. for whom the
trust has been created, will, in case
Mrs Grant lives to the scriptural age,
lars. This, of course, is rough es-
innate, but it is one which has been
made by some who have knowledge OF
Mayor Grants estate.
1t has sometimes been spoken of as
an unusual thing for men of the bust |
ness capacity of John Arbuckle or Ed |
win Hawley to neglect the making of
a will. In both of these cases this neg |
lect has been attributed to a superstl- |
tiouS vein which ran through the ma |
lures of both men. There have been
presumably authentic reports narrating !
in some detail the control of Mr.. Ar |
buckle by the superstition or Fremont |
ton that in case he made a will he |
would only live a, few months. So. alsos
the friends of Mr.. Hawley have had
reason to suspect that he procra stlna-
ted when the expediency of making d !
will was brought to his attention be- !
cause he too. feared that with the /
executing of the instrument he would |
be practically signing his death war
rant.
Many Men of Like Mind.
If these reports be accurate they do /
buckle an exclusive class among those /
who possess great fortunes. A good |
many men who possess wealth are
known to have dreaded the drawing /
up of wills. Samuel j. Tilden put that /
off as long as possible, and, in fact,
DELAYED the drafting and executing of +
a will so greatly that he made a fatal /
legal mistake when he did draft his
Will
All of the lawyers of this city whose
speciality is probate practice have
knowledge of the superstitious reluct- /
ance which some men of great wealth /
have confessed when the advisa bility (
of making will has been suggested to /
them Some of them have nerved them
selves by sheer exercise of will to this
duty.
Not the Entire Reason.
It is also fact that now and then
a man of large wealth believes that it
is the better part to leave his estate |
for distribution according to the law.
One of the reasons is the certainty
that, if a man dies intestate and the
state assumes the administration and
of the estate there can be
no contests Years ago the late John
THOMPSON was understood to have
given away practically all of his pro-
perty before his death. reservfng, how
ever, a power of attorney over the ad-
of it.
The Arbuckle and the Hawley
estates have not yet been inventoried.
The presumption is that the inven-
tories, when made, will show that the
value of the estates is approximately
alike, about twenty millions in each
case Mr. Arbuckle had no questions
to consider relating to the control of
property. There is reason to
suspect that the next of kin to Mr.
Hawley knew that it WIS his wish,
in case of his death, that his estate
be held in trust so that his railroad
properties would not be impaired in
value through the marketing of Sc
eurities or the dividing of his secur1-
les pro rata among his heirs. That
wish is to be obeyed.
The Grant Estate.
|
made through the publication of the
inventory of the estate of former
Mayor Hugh j. Grant It has been
presumed that the greater part OF the
Grant estate would be discovered by
the administrators to consist OF real
estate. Mr.. Grant had gained an I'M
usual reputation for his expert Judg-
ment respecting the appreciation OF
real property and was presumed TO
have made heavy investment in un-
property which later ;
showed great appreciation. More
over, Mr.. Grant had at times especial
opportunities, due to his political as
ISOLATION, of learning before the pup
lie did where contemplated improve
particularly in the old city
Of New York, were to be made
While there is no doubt that the
first capital in large amounts wh1ch
Mr.. Grant secured came IN great
measure from real estate operations
hat were very successful, neverthe-
less he seems to have abandoned real
estate and to have confined himself
to stocks and bonds. Some of Mr..
Grants friends say that his change OF
business activity was mace some III
-een years ago. Then he began grad
lally to withdraw from real estate
activities and to devote himself to in
vestment in stock and bonds The I'M
Outstanding in business circles is that
Mr.. Grant was uniformly successful in
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