Evening journal., 1913-11-20
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Fortune that AImon
Goodwin Lost
By Holland.

"I doubt if there is case on rec.
crd similar to the one which was
known to a few of the friends Of the
late Almon Goodwin. II was strange
irony of fate which cost him what
would have been for him very large
fortune-a fortune which would have
come to him had he outliyed Russell
Sage"
It was the late Charles Finney Cox
who mentioned this to me at time
when he was speaking Of the late e.
V. w. Rossiter, who had just died.
Mr.. Rossiter, a longtime associate OF
Mr. Cox in the executive Offices in
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
was vice-pfesident of the Vanderbilt
systems at the time of his death. MIR.
Cox spoke Of the provision in the
will by the late Cornelius Vanderbilt.
which contained a beqgest of fifty
thousand dollars to Mr.. Rossiter, who
was named as one of the executors
of the Vanderbilt estate. AS execu-
tor he was entitled to statutory fees
which would have aggregated per-
haps half a million dollars. He ac-
cepted the fifty thousand dollar be-
quest in lieu of his fee as executor
Russell Sage was not a man to place
| implicit confidence in any one until
after long tests of loyalty, integrity
and ability / presume there were
not more than four OF FIVE men in
New York in whom Mr.. Sage placed
absolute confidence.
cone of these meh was Almon
! Goodwin. He was one OF that consid-
cradle number of lawyers who Nave
/ gained fine regulations both for abil-
ity md integrity and who are ranked
among the abler lawyers of the Amer
I lean bar, but of whom the public sell
dom hears
IT don't know how the personal and
professional relations between Mr.
Sage apd Mr.. Goodwin began, but /
do know. and from personal knowl-
edge. that these relations became very
close and that Mr.. Sage at least
placed absolute confidence not only
in Mr. Goodwin's loyalty and integrity
but also in his professional ability.
"The time came when Mr. Sage
found 1t the better part TO arrange
for the disposition of his great estate
by will He was considerably dis
turbed by the decision by which the
will of Samuel ]. Tilden was broken.
.IAG ItNo0uin ~ nAnotAAf onl AAb NhAN
Governor Tilden was regarded as per-
haps the ablest probate lawyer in
New York. If he could not write his
own will in such a manner that it
would stand judicial Interpretation,
what lawyer then could be trusted?
"Mr Sage. did, however. commit the
drafting OF his win to Mr.. Goodwin.
This work entailed the ahlest profess
utr unH "a VlnlfnrtU
knowledge OF probate proceedings
and statutory law in New York.
have been told that Mr.. Goodwin
spent many weeks of intense study
while preparing Mr. Sage's WILL He
knew approximately what the value
of the Sage property was-something
like seventy million dollars.
Mr.. Sage instructed Mr.. Goodwin
| to nominate in the will three execu-
tors, Of whom Mr.. Goodwin was to
be one. No money was bequeathed
TO the executors in lieu Of executors
fees, as Mr.. Vanderbilt had done. The
administration and execution of Mr.
Sage's estate would, by statutory law,
I have entitled Mr. Goodwin to fees ag-
/ gregatlng about 100000. That would
! have been a great fortune for him,
and much as they talk about multi
| millionaires / tell you that the man
who possesses 100000 is q very rich
man.
"But Mr.. Goodwin was never to re-
ceive these fees. His friends thought
/ that he oyerworked as >counsel for
/ Mr.. Sage, and he was never man
of very strong physique. Mortal ill-
ness seized him only a short time be-
fore Mr. Sage took to his bed with
what proved to be his last illness. Mr.
Goodwin died first, and as ! said Just
now. this strange tragedy is another
Illustration of the mysterious irony
of fate. of which we have in these
days so many examples
Copyright. 1913 Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)