New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-29
CONTESTANTS Of LYLE
WILL LOSE IN COURT
Judge Seufert's Ruling Leaves
Testament Unchanged as
It Was Probated.
DELAY ASKED IN VAIN
Widow Was Ready to Show That
Plaintiffs Were Not Related
to Her Husband, but No
Hearing Was Held.

Ry Tclcs lph to The Tribune
Hackensack, y. j. May 2S-Judge w.
NJ. Seufert, in the Orphans Court of
Bergen County, to-day dismissed all
| appeals from the will Of John S. Lyle,
Of Tenahy, and the will now stands as
probated, leaving all Of his estate. ex-
cept 100000 which goes to relatives
Of his first wife. friends and charities.
to his widow. Mrs. Julia Gertrude Lyle.
Her share will not be far from $1,000
600, some estimate.
Chauncey 6. Parker, Of Newark,
counsel for Mrs. Lyle, was ready TO
proceed with the case, but counsel for
the contestants. who had received sew
eral postponements. asked for another,
which was denied by the court
The court has been very lenient in
this case" said Judge Seufert. "and the
contest dragged along sufficiently, and
If you cannot proceed now l will order
the appeals dismissed"
Asked Delay in Vain.
A. Mcmahon. counsel for the con-
testants, pleaded that he had only re-
Gently succeeded Mr.. Runyon. who, he
said, was forced to quit the case be-
cause Of i'll health. He said he needed
more time to familiarize himself with
the case.
Mrs. Lyle, who sat in the Surrogate's
Office while the lawyers argued, had
gathered together facts which her
counsel felt certain would prove that
the contestants of the will were mis-
taken in their claims that her husband
was any kin Of theirs.
Il was ready to prove said Mrs.
/ Lyle. after she learned of the action
Of the court. that Mr.. Lyle was born
in New York City. and not in Nova
Moreover they were mistaken In saving
that he had any brothers or sisters.
He was an only child. and his father
died at sea when he was nine months
old"
When Mrs. Lyle returned TO her
home in Tenafy friends kept the tele-
phone busy congratulating her, no;
only because the proceedings had been
dismissed. but because they felt that IN
the action Of the court the charges at
lacking the validity Of her marriage
were not worthy Of consideration.
Counsel for Mrs Lyle had suitcase
filed with documents to prove their
claims. They had traced back the his
tory Of the deceased from the time he
married {, the age Of sixteen, when ne
left boarding school TO enter the EN-
ploy Of Lord & Taylor.
Became Firm Member.
Here he remained a year leaving 10
60 with John J. Sisco, who at this time
was a merchant. and where he re-
NAMED but a year. returning to Lord
& Taylor's at the solicitation Of Mr.
Tavlor. who wanted him to act as head
bookkeepcr.
He was with the last named firm but
three years when. at the age OF TWEEN
ty-one. he was taken into the hrm as
a mariner, For the next twenty-five
wears he continued as active partner
and then retired. but continued as
silent partner, which relationship De
maintained until his death.
After his retirement from actlNe pus'
ness Mr.. Lyle spent most Of his time IN
travel now and then writing verse.
which was published mainly IN the
New York Observer" These verses his
widow is now collecting, and she IN
tends to publish them.
The contestants to the will were Mrs.
Frances Lyle Sparrowk, of Abingdon
Mass, and Miss Jane NJ. Lyle oil
Worcester. Mass. When the case was
adjourned. on May l.. they were or
dered TO produce sworn statements, IN
detail, showing in what manner they
were related to the deceased. This they
failed 10 do. The contestants said that
the illness Of their counsel was respon-
sible for this.
a new Tx uit III AiI' Neh'' Hbl "a 50
the court here to-day in the person OF
Mrs. Lily b. wilkins. of Brookline'
Mass. She was prepared to enter the
contest. claiming that she was a direct
descendant of the parents Of Mr.. Lyle.
! Her claim was that the mother Of the
deceased was Sarah Spinney Huskins,
while records in possession OF MI
Parker show that the maiden name Of
Mr.. Lyles mother was Elizabeth Rine-
weller.
| Mr.. Lyle died at his home in Tenafiy
in July, 1912 The will was probated
the following month. and shortly after
contestants appeared. They lost, and
on behalf of others a new contest was
started. Their case dragged along
until Yesterday. Their accusations in
cluded an attack on the marriage Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Lyle, which took place in
the Roman Catholic Church Of the Inn
maculate Conception, in Yonkers. on
September 30, 1910. The rector of the
church. the Rev John j. Fullam. offici-
ated.
The contestants also alleged undue
| influence on the part Of Mrs. Lyle, who