New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-25
PFFRESS MUST FIGHT
FOR S2,5OO.OOO LEGACY
.dy SackviIIe Beneficiary Un-
nj der the Will of Sir John
Murray Scott, Bart.
GAVE HER MUCH MONEY
rostator's Brother Offers $780,
mn Reward for Alleged Codicil
Now Missing-Genesis
of Fortune Strange.
rBy Gable to The Trihunel

rBy Gable to The Trihunel
,o,don. June 25.-An amazing$5. O0O.-
m will suit, in which Lady sackville
=. ,ited. was begun yesterday in the
,.v Courts. The testator in the case,
=. 1obn Murray Scott Bart, died last
lar Lady Sackville under his tesla
.,,,arv dispositions benefits to the
..,ir,sted extent Of about $2.500,000,
-. beouests to her including the valu-
.ble art objects, pictures and plate.
The defendants who are in opposi-
,,on 70 the will are the brother and two
.is,ers of the testator. II appears that
,ssre was found among the dead baro-
rsfs papers an unsigned draft in the
,sstator's handwriting Of a codicil re-
viking the bequest 10 Lady Sackville
and limiting her benefit under his will
~ 2 mere life interest in a sum Of
roo0OO. which at her death was to go
N her daughter. No evidence could be
found that this codicil had even been
signed or legally executed, and it was
4npossible to discover any trace of
completed copy
Alleged Lost codiciI.
The brother and sisters of Sir John,
who was unmarried. believe that the
eodicil was duly executed. that il has
merely been mislaid or lost. and that
they have every reason TO know that
IN the two or three closing years Of his
life the testators affection for Lady
sackville had undergone a complete
change. the codicil constituting evil
dence Of the decline Of his regard for
her. They have offered a reward Of
$4,000 for this missing codicil. but
hitherto without avail.
Lord and Lady Sackville are alleged
10 have received from Sir John Muir
ray Scott during the last years Of his
life checks amounting TO $4,000.
apart from the half million sterling
left 10 them by the viii. Counsel for
the defendants. the Right Hon. F. L.
Smith. commented in court on these
payments being made to two persons
wholly unrelated 10 the testator TO the
prejudice Of blood relations as evil
dence that Lady Sackville had OBJ
tanned complete domination over Sir
John. He added that she had spent
ten years obtaining this ascendancy.
Mr.. Smiths opening statement lasted
five hours yesterday and is not Yet
completed He had before him a pile
Of documents. 100 typewriter foolscap
pages Of letters, "a pages Of extracts
from Sir Johns diary and 100 dates
and extracts as aids 10 his statement,
consisting Of 40 quarto pages Of brief,
the whole amounting 10 close upon
10000 words.
History Of the Fortune.
In opening the case for Malcolm
Scott and his sisters, Mr.. Smith said
that Sir John Murray Scott. who died
on January Il, 1872, had a remarkable
career He was the son Of a humbly
Placed Scottish doctor. practising At
Boulogne, France The doctor once
Glanced 10 be called in 10 attend the
Marquis Of Hartford. The marquis
ana the latter's kinsman, Sir Richard
wallace, took a liking 10 him. and Sir
Richard appointed DR. SCOTS son his
private secretary. After Sir Richards
osatn the private secretary induced
Lady Wallace, who died in 1897, 10 be-
q0eath the famous Wallace art collec-
Ton 10 the British nation, for which
service John Murray Scott was made
baronet.
Sir John Murray SCOTS fortune was
Oequeathed 10 him by Lady Wallace.
VINO left him about Sj.OOO.O 900 in money
ano some large properties in France
Mr. Smith read extracts from the
uiaTy Of Sir John Murray Scott show
ing the sums paid by him to Lady
Saekyille in 1906. Counsel remarked
mat Checks were dropping like the
gentle rain from heaven.
The courtroom was uncomfortably
crowded, half the audience consisting
VI iashionably attired women.