New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-07
SUE PETER REID ESTATE
Eight Cousins AIIege Undue In
fIuenCe in Action to Contest Will
$2,821,575.80 TIED UP
Appellants Charge That Philan-
thropist Was Not Capable of
Making Last Testament.

| Passaic. y. j.. June 6-The will OF
Peter Reid. the millionaire manufacture,
/ philanthropist and pioneer OF this city,
J who died on December I. is to be con-
! tested. An appeal from the probate Of
the will was filed to-day by former Judge
Of the Court of Common Pleas Francis
] Scott and former Senator Wood Mckee.
counsel for the appellants. The will was
admitted to probate on December q
The appeal has been taken by eight hrst
cousins OF the manufacturer, who died
! leaving no immediate family. These eish'
cousins were not mentioned in the vii.
| The appeal is being made by Jesse A.
| Wotherspoon and Jean A. Wood of New
York City; John Anderson. Peter Ander-
/ son and Rachel Anderson Armstrong, CT
| Glasgow Scotland: Isabella Craig and
James Anderson. OF Paisley. Scotland.
and Thomas Reid. OF Salt Lake City. Mr..
| Wotherspoon lives at No. Sl2 Eagle ave-
nue..
| The charges made by the appellants
! have created a sensation. They contend
| that Mr. Reid was not in possession Of
| all his faculties when he made out his
: will: that when he made his codcls 70
| his will he was out OF his mind and under
undue influence. and that the will and
codcls were not the product Of the
testators Will. but the will Of certain
other persons"
| The application filed with the Surrogate
takes up twelve typewriter pages. cover
| ing the requests made in the original viii
and the changes introduced in the codi-
| ellis. The value OF the estate Is there
said TO be s2,S2l. SIS so. according to the
inventory recently filed. or this $4,000
was left to the charities OF this city.
and $4,000 in requests, In various
amounts. went to relatives. This left
/ tl,575 900 to be divided pro rata among tho
! legatees. OF the 10000. $4,000 went TO
relatives in Scotland.
/ The estate has now been tied up. and
| the power Of the executors. former Judge
| William W. Watson. Of this city, and
| Israel s Tilney. of Orange. has tempo
+ rarily stopped. AS all the legatees must
| receive notification OF the appeal before
/ date for the hearing Is set. argument VIII
probably not be begun until July. Mr..
| Reds last WILL the application states.
/ was made on July /. 1866. at Springfield.
Mass.
Some statements made In the applica-
/ ton are sensational one is that Thomas
| r. Watson, brother-in-law OF the de-
ceased. was left 10000 for himself and
his two sons William W. Watson and
| Robert W. Watson, I'm the original will.
| The second codicll changed this so that
| Thomas r. Watson was given $1,000.
| IA nd
| Watson $500.
Your petitioners show" continued the
appellants. that said testator had been
! il more than four years. For two years
preceding his death he was scarcely out
| OF his room. Up to october 10. 1872. he
was attended for many years by his
niece Elizabeth Reid. When she re-
turned TO her home In Scotland she was
succeeded by her sister. Margaret Reid.
| Both are mentioned In The will.
when Mr.. Reid made out his last Will
/ he was not in possession OF all his fac
ulties and was not capable OF making his
| last will and testament. He was under
undue influence. and the will and codicils
were not the product OF his will. but the
will OF certain other persons"
| DR.. c. Wallace Watson. a prominent
dentist OF the city. who was left out OF
the Will, is not n party To the contest. tie
! had been the favorite nephew OF Mr.. Reid.
| When Or. Watson was married his uncle
presented him with n check for large
sum as wedding gift. DIR. Watson dis
PLAYED the check 10 his friends, this an
| gering Mr. Reid and causing break be-
tween uncle and nephew that was never
| healed