The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1915-12-30

.
New York, DEG. 3O,-William P. Emo,
one of the three temporary admins
traitors of the estate of Amos F. Emo
of Saugatuck, has found in one of two
boxes leased by the deceased multi
millionaire in the vaults of the At
lantic Safe Deposit company, No. 40
Broadway, a will executed by him in
February. 1872. which may have a de
ctded bearing in the proceedings
brought in the Surrogates' Court to
upset his will of June Is, 1915, in which
the teStator bequeathed his residuary
estate to Columbus University. The
will was obtained after extraordinary
Efforts
The will found by the administrator
gives the residue jointly to him, to
Mrs. Mary E. Pinchot and to DR..
Henry c. Emo, brothers and sister, if
they shall outlive the testator, and in
the event of the death of any or all
the bene1ciaries the residue is to go
to their heirs Both DIR. Emo and Mrs.
Pinchot died before their brother,
hence their shares, valued at more
than 81, 000. 900 each, would, under this
Mrs Pinchot are Lady Antoinette
Johnston, Clifford and Amos r. E.
Pinchot; that Of DR.. Emo is Professor
Henry Lane Emo of Princeton Uni
versity.
Two Other wills Reported.
The administrator also has informa-
ton that Lucius H Beers, executor
and a temporary administrator, has
in his possession two other wills bear
ing the signature sof3 the decedent. One
OF these was executed in January
1914 When the other was executed
has not been Learned by Mr.. Emo. Mr.
Beers Is a member of the law firm OF
Lord, Day & Lord and for many
years was the personal attorney of
Amos Emo
The Importance of the discoveries
lies in the fact that in none of the
three wills antedating that offered for
probate did Mr.. Emo 50 much as men
ton Columbia University. In the doc
umentAthe executors seek to probate.
the university will receive about 81
600, 000, the estimated amount of the
Feslduary estate.
The case will be called for trial
Monday morning before Surrogate col
halan and a jury and will unquestion-
ably prove to be one of the most i'm
porta1at ever brought in this country.
Eminent counsel have been engaged
and tits not improbable that the mat
ter will go over to give both sides
more time for preparation s
the contestants comprise every next
of kin of the decedent, and in this the
contest is very unusual. Besides Amos
and clifford Ptnchot, nephews, and
L
ing are Prof Henry Lane Emo,
nephew; Mrs. Antoinette E. Wood;
sister, and Miss Mary p Emo, Mrs
Florence L. Graves and Lady john
stons nieces. Lady Johnston is a sis
ter of the Pinchots and wife of the
British Minister to The Hague.
Undue Influence Charged.
All contend that Amos Emo was not
com etent to devise his great estate
when he executed the 1915 will be-
quething SO Substantial a part of his
$15. 100000 and more to Columbia.
They charge that he was, unduIy in
duenced by Mr. Beers, an aIumnus of
the university, or by others, and that
he was under duress. In proof they
point to the three earlier wills having
no mention of Columbia as a bene-
his entire life Emo derided colleges and
maintained that young men would be
better equipped for life if they did
not acquire higher education.
In connection with these charges
many af1davits, some of a sensational
character, have been fled in the Sur
ro9ate7s Court. From these and from
other sources considerable has been
learned concerning the lines along
which the contest will be fought by
counsel for the contestants. These
facts stand out:
The day Mr.. Emo, a bachelor. 81
years old. died at his home, 80 Fifth
Mr. Taa,.s se,,+ +o. +7,a ho.7sa Trt,5, =.
~ y .,1,l -; ~, 1 lf45[s> - -
-, : 80, -,
- - - - ~.
" ~f.4-,-sS1.-zs -. $3.50 -
or three days later, ordered burned IN
the furnace several large baskets full
- - -,,,I.,,rT,4
.i,e = = =.
py sas'li
the eelfaf. Wnere tney llsse