The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-28
LONDON SOCIETYWOMEN
CROWD SACKVILLE SUIT
GREAT INTEREST IN EFFORT OF
SCOTT FAMILY TO BREAK
WILL.
MESMERIC INFLUENCE
CHILDREN OF SIR JOHN TESTIFY
LADY SACKvILLE HAD THEIR
FATHER UNDER HER
THUMB.

LONDON. June 2T.--The probate
and divorce division of the high
court OF justice was crowded today
with we'll dressed people of leisure.
especially women. when the hearing
In the contest OF the will of Sir John
Murray Scott. who left 5000. GOO
estate to Lady Sackville, Of Knole
Park. Kent. wife OF Baron sackville,
was resumed.
The probate of the will is opposed
by Malcolm Scott. a brother or the
decedent, on the ground of undue in
fiuence. He has offered a reward of
$50, 600 for the production of an al
legged codicil executed by Sir John al
ter he mad signed the original docu-
mept. and search for 1t Is going
on in Europe and the United States.
Sisters Testify.
a feature of today's proceedings
was the testimony of Sir Johns two
sisters. the Misses Alicia and Mary.
and his brother. Walter. The sisters
confirmed the previous testimony as
to the influence OF Lady Sackyille
over Sir John. who they said. was
scribed how Lady Sackville. had
Miss Alicia Scott described Sir
John as exactly like a slave" in the
presence of Lady Sackville. He
seemed TO be poweriess before her,
and would carry messages, letters
and parcels at her bidding.
Sir Edward Carson. Of counsel for
Lady Sackville, in his cross examina-
ton got Miss Alicia to admit that Sir
Johns ,egacies amounted to s1.150.-
~ vuykS fr~h
he bequeathed to Lady Sackvi1le. but
she thought that with such a large
fortune he ought to have given more
to the family.
Made Mischief I'm Family.
Miss Alicia described Lady Sack
ville's influence over Sir John as
"mesmeric" She used to make mis-
chief In the Scott family and tried to
get Sir John away from them.
Testimonial Miss Mary Scott con-
Armed that her sister. Alicia. She
said thai Ii Ahn always seemed to
be friEckenad When Lady Sackville
was present s&asd on one occasion said
to witness an helpless; she Is
Sir john fhe witness said. was
most kind sYSarted but very weak.
rather vain hid affected by fattery.
Walter Scott then took the witness
stand. witness 6AlQ tnat On one oC-
casion Lady Sackville said she had
something else to tell me. but | was
Is keep II ! secret. She told me
20 guess what X was said I could
not do 30. but after puzzling for a
while said DO you mean to, say
that am In love with your To this
she replied yes and answered you
have never made greater mistake
in your life.'
Not In Love With Her.
The next day the witness said Lady
Sackville resumed the subject. She
told hinr she had never seen anybody
fall in love 80 quickly. Il told her
again." raid the witness, that she
had made a mistake" Lady Sack
Vile, witness said, asked him what
his position and income were. He
told her that his brother, John. was
going to make him his secretary.
Thereupon Lady Sackville suggested
that there be q platonic friendship
between them. He agreed to this, a.
he was unwilling to create any trou-
BILE In the family. His brother, how
ever, did not make him his secretary.
On cross examination Walter Scott
denied that he had. ever imputed i'm
morality to Lady Sackville. He con-
flrmed previous testimony as to Sir
Johns obsequiousness to her