The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-03-10
LIEUT.. SG0FIELD'S
Fight EORfORTUNE
First Infantry officer Begins suit
Against Step Grand
mother.

Lieutenant Seth w. Scofeld, First In.
fantry, stationed at Schofeld Barrucks,
moy soon come into possession Of a
share Of the forty thousand dollar le-
gacy left by his grandfather Charles
Wardell Seofeld, who died on February
p Whether this share will be one.half
Of that, amount, the other half going to
MRS Mary Scofeld, n daughterin.law
Of the dead, or whether IL will consist
Of a one-third share, win depend upon
the outcome Of the legal proceedings
now being instituted in the New York
courts.
These proceedings were begun by
Lieutenant ScOfield for the purpose of
having declared invalid the deathbed
marriage of his grandfather with o.
young woman, to whom the aged man
left all his property in an unsigned
will. The will being worthless, Lieu
ten Scofield's action is for the purpose
of preventing the young woman from
obtaining the widow = share of the es
tate, to which it is believed she has
neither o legal nor n moral claim. III
Call Marriage Illegal.
Under date of February IL, the New
York World states: MI,
II was learned yesterday that the
death-bed marriage of seventy-nine-
year-old Charles Wardell Seofield and
Miss Jean W. Fitzsimmons,. twenty.
eight, which took place in Brooklyn,
February 2, is to be followed by le-
gal battle in the Kings County Surro-
gates Court. Lieut.. Seth W. Scoheld,
y. s. A., stationed in Hawaii, will apply
for letters Of administration of his
grandfather's estate on the grounds
that the deathbed marriage was illegal
and took place wnen the bridegroom
was mentally and physically incapable
Of knowing what was going on. 5. =
Through his attorney, John Willett
of No. 81 Wall street, Lieutenant SEQ.
field has started legal proceedings, and
has cabled that he has applied for
leave of absence in order to reach New
York when the matter is fought out in
court. T
Charles Wardell Scofield and his first
wife separated twenty-five years ago,
after Nathaniel w. Hatch, Wall street
broker, fell from window in the SEQ
field home and was killed. From that
time until last Christmas Seofeld, who
had lavished most Of his fortune on his
beautiful wife, was left in want.
Got $4,000 Unexpectedly.
He leaned last Christmas that his
wife had died in Los Angeles, Califor-
mia, leaving an estate Of over $50, 900.
Half of this he obtained through settle
ment. II was then that he is said TO
have begun his courtship of Miss Fitz.
simmons, who consented to marry him
two hours before he died.
The wedding took place at the Hotel
81. George in Brooklyn and was wit
messed by Samuel II. Wandell, SEQ.
fields attorney; Miss Gaynor, his
trained nurse; the attending physician;
the BRIDE brother, clerk who brought
the license; Mrs. Mary Scoield, a
daughter-in-law; William M, Clemens
and Father Francis X. Ludike of Flat.
bush, the priest who performed the
| ceremony. 49,.
When seen by a World reporter last
night Wandell said: r.. ...G
was witness of the wedding, and
Mr.. seofeld, while dying man, was
perfectly able to give the necessary re,
sPonses. ] know that he wanted all hi.
money to go to Miss Fitzsimmons, fol
the day before had drawn up a will
at his direction in which practically ali
his estate went to her.
Says He Cut OF Grandson. s..
"Isasked if he wished to leave any
thing to his grandson, Lieutenant SEQ
field, aud he replied, Not a cent. ii
that will had been signed, the widow
would now be entitled to nearly all hi.
estate instead of the third which She
will come in for. ,-..[ e.. s'17'
. Mr., Seofeld did not sign the will
ut the time, as he said there was timf
later The next day he died without
having signed it. Miss Fitzsitnmon,
had been Kind to Mr.. Scoiield. -
When seen at, his home last night
Mr.. Willett said:
/ - We shall endeayor to prove, anf
think we can when the case comes M
before the Surrogate, that the dyint
man did not know what he' Was doing
lie was delirious for two DAYS befor,
his death
| '' pbe wedding took place helm,
locked doors and Mrs. Mary ,Seo6el,
only obtained admittance after she ha,
pounded on the door and insisted q,
being allowed to enter. She proteste,
against the wedding being allowed /,
proceed, but the others paid no atten
ton to her. - -
At the Hotel st. George last nigh
| Mrs, jean Scofiald and that go. 80 .