The Washington times., 1915-11-24
Poor Mans Investment in Com.
pany Returned Him Immense
Fortune.
STORY REVEALED IN SUIT
Widow Fights Lawyers Efforts
to Collect Large Counsel
Fee.

NEW YORK. Nov. A story Of the
moving picture world, which yields
nothing in its vividness Of plot, to the
thrillers Of the screen. was unreeled
whom a petition was filed In the surro-
kate's court In regard to the estate Of
Samuel Long. millionaire stockholder in
the kalem Film Company. who died
July q.
How Long. North Carolinian. in
vested less than $1,000 dollars and in
seven years was worth 100000. was
revealed.
The estate came before Surrogate
Fowler on q petition by Charles L.
Craig. an attorney. who acted for Mrs.
Alice NJ. Long. the widow, until after
letters Of administration had been
granted to her. to have the court fix
the amount OF his fees. an estimate of
which he gives as $4,000 Mrs. Lon.,
through her lawyer. william M. Sea-
bury. denies his services were worth
moro than $500.
Strange Story of Will.
The papers hed with the surrogate
concerning the estate tell q strange
story Of a questioned will. which was
finally declared illegal.
Mrs. Long was appointed administra-
tor and acquired absolute control OF
moving picture interests in the kalem
and other companies. variously .esti-
mated at more than a million dollars
Had the questioned will been probated
forest from the holdings. but their con-
troll would have been In the hands OF
Frank ]. Marion. of Stamford. Conn.
her husbands business partner
In answer to Cratg's petition. made
yesterday before the surrogate. Mrs.
Long. through her new attorney. alleges
that Craig neglected several duties In
connection with the estate:
bought a NTH interest in the .Kalem
Company. which was organized by him
and by Marion and others: Only a
cash. The rest. It is said. was IN NOV
Ing picture apparatus he owned.
The success Of the venture Is history.
cnf bought fn9ser S b6n h tD r..
Kalem Company at the time of his
death. Today the Long holdings turn
out an income OF more than 3iDs.G1o q
year.
Fortune Continues To Grow.
second step In his moving picture
fortune was taken when he invested
$4,000 In a Western film company. re-
ceiving 100 shares of It's stock. Less
than a year later his dividends had paid
for his investment and for fifteen OF his
shares he had obtained stock In q new
film concern. the Paramount. valued at
$335. .000
Resides his moving picture stock
Long left q valuable asset In his in
terest in one of the largest moving
picture theatcrs in BROOKLYN and
about 100000 cash and securities.
He executed q Will several months
before he died. which was drawn up
in the Office Of Frank e. Clarke, a
lawyer OF White Plains. That will
left his moving picture holdings in
the hands of his business partner. in
trust, but made no provision for It's
ultimate division among his heirs at
law.
Such a will is thought to be illegal.
After his death this will could not be
found for several days. Then two
copies of It were found. one Of which
was kept by Craig, and one of which
was handed to Marion as executor OF
the estate.
Craig. whose possession of tho car
bon copy OF the will was not known
to others. detected. he now swears In
will had been changed. so that the
holdings should be divided after the
death Of Marion. thereby making the
will absolutely legal,
The methods Craig took to verify
his discovery and the Anal explana-
tions that the first page Of the docu-
ment had undoubtedly been mixed up
with an old preliminary draft Of the
will when its cover was changed in
tho affair. the ignoring OF both Of the
testament versions. all is contained in
vivid language in the papers submit
ted to the surrogate.