The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-12
WIDOW
MAY LOSE ESTATE
Cant Find Reciprocal Will
Art Dealer Supposedly
Had Drawn.
AMOUNT NOW UNCERTAIN
Attorney Says Amount to Be d.
vided Will Depend Upon
Sale Of Art.

Theron Davis OF 10 Broadway who
was for many years attorney for Theron
j. Blakeslee. the art dealer and critic
who committed suicide by shooting himself
last Saturday afternoon at his gallery at
SSS Fifth avenue. said yesterday that al
though careful search had been made In
the galleries for q will which Il was be-
lievcd Mr.. Blakeslee had made none has
been found
Accordingly the widow. Mrs. Clara
Biakeslee, will make application in the
surrogate's office in day or SO to be APP
pointed Administrative on the ground that
her husband left no will. She will ask
that another person be appointed with her.
The failure to find a will was a surprise
to the widow and Mr.. Biake's attorney,
II was said yesterday. For some years
Mrs. Blakeslee had urged her husband
to Join with her In executing a mutual
will under which the one who survived
would have the property of both. Mrs.
Blakeslee believed that her husband would
do so. and when he killed himself before
making such will she thought that he
had left an Independent will In her favor.
Mr.. Blakeslee had no safe deposit box
so far as his wife and business associate
knew. and the only place searched for o
will has been the art gallery.
widow Gets Halt Estate.
Because OF the art dealers failure to
make will his widow will get only half the
estate. while the other half will go to his
sister. Mrs. Fanny Ives OF Bridgeport.
Conn. to "A brother In Rutherford, N. j.,
and 20 the children OF n deceased brother
1t IL understood that after Mr. Biakesiee'.
debts are paid there will be little left to
distribute among his heirs. The amount
will depend largely upon the Price at
which the estate In able to dispose Of the
1880. 600 of paintings In the gallery.
There are many paintings in the gal.
! lery which are of interest only to certain
collectors" said Mr.. Davis yesterday,
but these collectors would be willing TO
nay almost any price for them. For in
stance. Mr.. Blakeslee had been An inde-
fatigsble collector OF paintings OF the Ma.
donna. and had hunted all over Europe
for them Some had even been removed
from the walls of cathedrals long prior to
their purchase by Mr.. Blakesise. He had
if,y or sixty OF these Madonnas, and the
price at which they will sell In more or
less problematical
There are many hundreds OF thousa nds
OF collars worth Of paintings in the gal
leries which had been bought and paid
for by connoisseurs. who didn't bother to
take them away from the galleries. One
man has 100000 worth there and an.
, other collector. who owns $3.50. 900 worth
in the galleries. didn't take them away
! because his home is already full and hi
! had no place TO put them. Mr.. Biakesies
kept his books so accurately that there
will be no difficulty about Identifying the
paintings by collectors.
Hunts Pistol Seller.
3 I'VE intend to hnd out II possible who
sold the revolver with which Mr.. Blakes,e,
killed himself. and to prosecute the seller
> 1t was new weapon and must hav,
e been bought only day or no before tn,
4 suicide. Mr.. Blakeslee was so lame tina
: II was difficult for him TO walk more thar
' two or three blocks, 30 he could not hav,
!. gone far to buy the pistol.
q He was known to every one In tn,
neighborhood. and II seems to his friend
that Il was absolutely criminal to sci
4 him the revolver. The police are tryinl
A to trace the seller. but have found NJ
8 clue as yet"
Z Word was received at the Coroner's OF
nee yesterday that Mr.. Blakeslee left TIVE
:. letters which were found on his desk afte
q he killed himself, and which II Is believed
= he wrote a few minutes before. 1t wa
}. said that one letter was addressed TO
y personal friend and explained that Mr.
Blakeslee would not see his friend agai'
and asked him to protect the interests O
his widow.