New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-03
Failure of Professors
Father in Building
Caused Anger.
OPTIMISTIC WITNESS
DISCOVERS A JOKE
Office Aid Almost Mentioned as
Lepatee-Describes Employer
as Jovial and Jolly.

Several witnesses were examined
Yesterday in the Surrogates Court TO
support the contention that Amos F..
Emo did not have testamentary capacity
when he made his will in June, 1915,
leaving the residue Of his estate,
amounting TO possibly a little more
than S4.OOO,O0O TO Columbia University.
Only one of these saw any humor
N anything that Mr.. Emo had said or
done. He was Charles W. Kohlsaat, an
scouaintance Of the testator for about
fifty years and for six years before
Mr.. Emo death in October. 19l5-as-
sistsnt manager in his Office.
Telling Of a talk he had with his
friend in 1912, Mr.. Kohlsaat volun-
,eercd the information that there was
a humorous" incident.
John B. Stanchheld, chief counsel
for the contestants, who was examin-
ing the witness, let Mr. Kohlsaat tell
about it.
"How would you like to be my re-
sduary legatee?'" the witness quoted
Mr. Emo as asking him.
what did you ssy?" asked Mr..
Stanehheld.
81 accepted on the spot"
"And that is the nearest you ever
came TO being the residusry legatee?"
said the examining lawyer.
"Mr. Emo" said the witness, "told me
that would never want for the rest
Of my life. and that he would take care
Of me in his will"
sore at Clifford Pinchot."
in 1918, Mr.. Kohlsaat said, his friend
and employer was apparently sore at
Clifford Pinchot because Of his adher-
erce TO Mr.. Roosevelt. whom he de-
tested, and also Amos Pinchot for his
leaning toward socislistic ideas"
The Pinchots are nephews of Mr..
Emo.
At this point also Mr.. Kohlsaat gave
some testimony that might explain the
comparatively small bequest which Mr.
Emo left another nephew, Professor
Henry Lane Emo, of Princeton Univer-
sity. who receives $4,000 under the
contested will. Professor Emo is the
son Of the late Henry c. Emo, brother
Of Amos +. Emo.
When Henry c. Emo died his estate
was found to be insolvent. According
10 Mr. Kohlsaat, Amos f. Emo held this
against his nephew, Professor Henry
Lane Emo, because of building done
against the millionaire's advice.
Mr.. kohlsaat identified the signature
Of Mr.. Emo on several wills, made on
dates in 1895. 1900 and 1902. in which
Columbia University was not men
toned and which left practically all of
his estate 10 members of the decedent's
family. One of the wills left $4,000 10
the late Miss Rena Davis, daughter of
Jefferson Davis.
Numerous letters were introduced by
counsel for the contestants, written
by Mr. Emo to his Office manager. .,r
Barnum. The last one was written in
the month he died, and almost ell re-
fsrred to business matters with Lucius
Il. Beers, his attorney and one of the
executors Of his last will, who is
charged with using undue influence on
the testator in procuring the instru-
ment which the heirs are trying TO
break One letter told of inclosine
a check This check was produced and
showed that Mr.. Emo had signed II
twice.
Emo a Jovial, Jolly Man.
Mr.. Kohlsaat, when asked to de-
scribe Mr. Emo before he went TO Eu-
rope in January. 1914, said; "He was
joyial, jolly man well met: lively,
sporty and entertaining. He was
physically very strong and an exqul-
site dresser He was good story
teller and a favorite wherever he went.
"Was he a college MANI
"He was anything but"
What was his attitude"
"He thought college men were use
less as business men. that it made
them lazy and drunkards and that 1t
was a worthless waste Of time and
money 10 send young men 10 college"
Another time Mr. Kohlsaat heard him
say. in answer TO a request that he
leave a bequest TO Union College, mot
damn cent
Eugene Boissevain, husband of Mrs.
lnez Milholland Boissevain, was also a
witness yesterday. He told Of a visit
made 20 Mr.. Emo at his Office. The
man ordered him out, shouting: 81
don't know you, and l will not see
you"
Andrew A. Phippe, real estate
broker, quoted Mr. Emo as asking. when
he preached him about the sale Of a
piece of property to client Of the
witness, "Has he got the price Of a
pair Of trousers ,"
Mrs. Grace Allen Halves, cousin
OF Mr. Emo, testified about some Of his
seeming peculiarities. One time, at
Saratoga, when she and some friends
Of the testator were about 10 go on
an automobile ride, he said che hoped
We would be killed"