New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-08
Jury Holds No Undue Influence
Was Exercised Over Million
aire, Nor Fraud Proved.
S2,5O0,000 WAS AT ISSUE
Lady Sackville Not in Court
When Verdict Was Announced,
but Husband and Daughter
Get Congratulations.
by Cable to The Trihune.l

day jury returned a verdict in favor
Of Lord and Lady Sackville. Thus ter
minated. after eight days hearing. the
celebrated litigation over the will of
Sir John Murray Scott, which disposed
Of an estate in England Ireland and
France worth nearly 100000.
The jury found there had been no
undue influence exercised by the Sack
villes over Sir John Murray Scott and
no fraud on the part Of Lady Sackville.
this verdict negativing the attempt Of
the Scott family to invalidate the be-
quests to the Sackvilles. The result
confirms Lady Sackville in the posses
sion Of the beautiful art objects and
historic plate. furniture and pictures.
estimated at a value of s1,750.0 900.
which Sir John had chiefly in two Paris
residences and also $4,000 in cash.
This S2,5oO.o0O or nothing was the vital
issue Of the case for Lady Sackville.
The outcome is great addition 10
the already magnificent treasures of
Kpole Park, the historic Kentish seat
If the Sackville family. and one of the
greatest mansions of England. The
heavy costs of the case as between
Lady Sackville and the Scott family
fall on the latter.
In a densely crowded court the lead
ing counsel delivered final addresses
10 the jury Sir Edward Carson for
Lady Sackville and Frederick Z. Smith
for the Scott family They were
speeches Of the highest quality. Sir
Edward Carson spoke for an hour and
a half and Mr.. Smith for three hours
The summing up of the President occu-
pied two hours. The jury required just
a sufficient number of minutes to
write answers to three special ques-
tons left for consideration.
The case involved vast expense.
The fees Of counsel, Of whom nine we're
briefed. amounted to $4,000, and this
sum must be paid by the Scott family.
Lord SsckviIle Congratulated.
Many Of the friends of Lcrd and
Lady Sackville assembled in the court
OUeIeO lNtlI tpllS lciNhichtiOio " 1890
Sackvine and his daughter, the kid
let" Lady Sackville was not present
to-day. as she was resting after the
severe strain Of the REORGANIZATION
she underwent last week.
The verdict of the jury seemed to be
a foregone conclusion after Sir Samuel
Thomas Evans, the presiding judge,
had delivered his charge TO them before
they retired. He expressed strongly
the opinion that Lady Sackville was
guiltless of fraud, and said that Sir
John Murray Scott apparently had felt
he had found a custodian for the art
treasures which he desired the Sack
villes to keep at Knole Park, and had
realized that he must leave money to
enable them TO be kept For undue in
fuenCe, he said, there must be some
thing like coercion and for fraud there
must be something like representation
10 the testator Of facts, which did not
exist.
Sir Edward Carson declared that Sir
John Scott could have changed his
will, made twelve years before his
death, in favor Of the Sackvilles, at any
time if he had wished 10 do so. The
only hope Of the plaintiffs, the members
Of the Scott family, was, nc argued, in
magnifying and exaggerating the triv-
isl quarres of long friendship into
the appearance of something important.
Sir John Scott was, said Mr.. Smith,
man easily influenced. He was physi-
cally weak and constitutionally inca
pabe Of asserting himself or of risking
a scene or a quarrel. Hence he gave
way to Lady Sackville because he was
alarmed and dominated by her temper.
Lady Sackville. whose beauty and kind
ness so greatly attracted that eccentric
millionaire, the late Sir John Murray
Scott Bart. will be remembered In
Washington as Victoria Sackville-West
when her father was British Minister to
the United states Lady Sackv;lle,
whose clearness Of vision and assertve
Character so astounded tho English
courts, has had experience in litigation
having sided against her brother and
sisters some years ago when they sought
TO prove that their father, Lord Sack
Vile had married Pepita Oliveres.
Franco Spanish danseuse, by declaring
thai her mother had been but her
fathers belle annie
When Sir John died. last year, he left
his entire estate TO Lady Sackviile. His
brothers and sisters brought suit to
break the will. declaring undue influ-
ence' and possibly hypnotism. The
trial began on June 25. Faithfully So
eiety attended the million pound Will
case"
The fortune originally belonged TO tho
Marquis Of Herford. who left II TO his
Tother, Sir Richard Wallace, in 1870.
IN France Sir Richard met Or. Scott,
tstner Of John Murray Scott. whom he
employed az private secretary. When
or Richard died he left the fortune TO
MS wife. who later named him as beir
20 the bulk OF the property When she
uieo his wealth brought him baronetcy.
Aaieom Scott. the testator's brother,
ana other members OF the Scott family
eontended that In Sir Johns closing
years his affection for Lady Sackyllle
Hso Undergone change. and also that
.9oicil Of the will, greatly cutting down
ne amount bequeathed 20 Lady Sack
me was somewhere in existence,