The evening world., 1913-03-20
STRANGE SCANDAL :
IN HIGH SOCIETY
HIDDEN BY COURT
Surrogate Fowler Only Gives
Out Fact That Man Left
Legitimate Son.
SISTER ADOPTED BOY.
Father in Will Attempted to
Overthrow Adoption, but
Court Prevents 1t.
SISTER ADOPTED BOY.

70 conceal scandei In the family OF
q man who for years held . prominent
position In society and finance In this
city. Surrogate Robert Ludlow Fowler
himself . member Of knicksrbocksr
famiiy--to-day used the powers Of his
once to an extent almost unheard OF
IN the courts OF this state.
The rules Of judicial procedure com.
PEELED the Surrogate to make public In
one Of HE decisions the fact that an
ugly scandal sxists In a family hitherto
respected and severed; but instead OF
using the name Of the head Of the
family he used the word Anonymous"
"ln the matter Of proving the last
will and testament OF Anonymous, de.
ceased" was the heldinG on his decision.
Though Wills and judicial decisions are
public papers. the Surrogate when ASKED
10 AFT the veil Of secrecy refused TO do
%.
IL will do no svch thinG." he said
emphaticaiiy. II would rather 80 down
and out with this whole once than re-
veal the name Of this man.
DEAD MAN HAD BEEN PROM.
NENT IN NEW YORK.
Asked II the man was . poor man. the
Surrogate replied quickly thai he wAs
not Then he thought . moment and
added that the man was mot too rich"
All that could be iearned-And this much
ala not come from the surrogate-was
49,. A.. A..., ,v,a - AaA nnruolsA q NAL.
ton Of prominence In the city. that he
was . member Of an old family and
that the revelation Of . scandal might
set the social and business world a.rock-
ing.
This v the story Of the scandal ~ re-
vsaisd BY he Surrogate yelled dsci.
sion:
Some time ago the man Of wealth
died. He left Q married dauehter and
an iilssitimsts son. not quite fourteen
years old. That "anonymous"-as the
man must be called for lack Of better
idsntity-haA such son was . fact
known only TO his immediate family.
Il appear1 by the will. the declsion
says, "that the unnatural mother Of
the infant son had abandoned him. Or
surrendered or committed the child to
his natural father. and that thereafter
she had married soma other than the
chiid's father and disappeared. The
child was baptised . Catholic and In
baptism received tho name Of his ma
tural or Dc facto father. In this situa-
ton. the daughter. without her fathers
knoviedge or consent. formally adopted
the boy ~ her own. and she gave him
her husbands name
ADOPTED HIM IN ACCORDANCE
WITH LAW.
ut y stated In the viii that the adop.
ton was pursuant to the law Of New
York etata Whether the daughter WAS
moved by compassion, affection or rel'g-
sous scrlplss to ADOPT the natural son
Of her father does not appear.
That such adoption was without hsr
fathers consent and that he wished tho
boy TO bear his name does appear In his
will. Anonymous will nominates his
daushter - the guardian OF his infant
son. IN q separate clause Of the will
quite distinct from the words of gift.
he provides, In substance. that the adop-
ton OF his natural son by his legitimate
0aughter 10 TO be undone within six
months Of Anonymously death. unless
undons before; and II the daughter fails
10 have rascinded and annulled and
| made VOID end Of no force and effect the
adoption or IN any manner intsrferes OF
seeks TO prevent the sons resumption Of
his baptismal name-that Of the father
| then In that event any provision OF the
will in trust for her or otherwise shall
BE- and become wholly void ana Of no
effect, end Immediately accrue to the
bensnt OF the infant natural son. The
| will falls. however. to revoke the ap-
pointmsnt OF the daughter as guardian
| Of rhe boy In such an event"
KEEPS soy As SON AND ALSO
INHERITANCE.
The married daughter came before
Surrogate Fowler shortly AFTER her
fathers death. informed the Court tina,
she had not and did not intend to have
set aside her adoption Of her natural
brother a. her son and asked the surro.
gate to declare void that provision oil
her fathers Will. which provided that
she should lose her Inheritance unless
she did set aside the adoption. 1t wal
this request that the Surrogate has had
under consideration. and to-day he de.
oidsd that the daug hter might keep her
brother a. har son and At the same time
inherit anything istt her In the will o.
her father
Surrogate Fowler seemed greatly ex'
cited whom he was again asked to give
the name OF the dead man
NO. no. I Will not do so." he re-
piled Rather than permit the facts
to become public will seal the papers
In the case Indefinitely. The boy 10 al
school, II this was printed all Of tn,
boy's pia INMATES would read II and they
might At once leave school,"
is he at . public school''
mo. no." was the Surrogate
response, "He Ia at a private school"
When request was made In the once
OF the deputy chief clerk-who hal
charge Of such papers-for permission L
inspect the documents. Surrogate
Fowler's secretary dashed hurrlsdly Int
the room.
mo. no." hs sa,a "ysurs not 4