New Britain herald., 1916-12-08
FAIRNESS LEFT A $60,000,00O ESTATE
Fortune Grew to This Figure
 From $1,50o,000 in 30 Years

New York, Dec. 8.-Appraisal dis closed yesterday that when Charles W. Hardness died on May 1 last he was possessed of one of the largest for tunes in America. In 1888 he received from his father, Stephen V. Hardness, one of the early associates of John Rockefeller, Standard Oil stocks worth S1,500, 900. In less than thirty years this wealth, what with apprecia- tion of the oil shares and wise in vestment increased to approximately s6O,O0O,0OO.
 John D. Rockefeller's fortune has been estimated at & billion dollars; the late Colonel John Jacob Astor left sS5, ,22S; J. P. Morgan died with $7S,l49,O24; Anthony N. Brady had ST, ,042,443; John S. Kennedy's estate was appraised at $67,137,735 and the E. H. Hartman fortune amounted to $5S,000,OO.
 Appraiser John J. Lyons transfer tax report filed yesterday by Deputy Controller William Beardman, fixes the estate of MT. Hardness at $49,- 566,S95, but this does not include his country place In Madison, N. J., esti- mated at several hundred thousands of dollars, nor the Hardness birth place and other property in Willough- by, Ohio. Besides, the estate is ap- praised as of date of MT. Hardness death, and since then, it is estimated. it has increased by nearly s15, 100000, Standard Oil shares alone disclosing an enhanced value of nearly $S,000,- 900.
 MT. Hardness was no great land owner, as was the late Colonel Astor. Most of his fortune was in holding of stocks and bonds, and in the wealth thus represented few rich men of this country surpassed him. His holdings of this sort amounted to s46.502,776 at his death. Only Anthony N Brady and John $. Kennedy held stocks of greater value. MT. Brady had $67,- 307,3 in securities and Mr. Kenne- days estate consisted of almost noth- ing else, chief among his stocks and bonds being railroad securities.
 Of the Hardness fortune New York state will receive only S1,S09.962 in transfer tax. Had MT. Hardness died two weeks later this amount would have been increased by $351, ,442.
 On last May 15 the present transfer tax laws was passed at the instance of State Contr roller Travis and, under it, the state would have taken an ada ed tax on the bequest to Edward s. Hardness, MT. Hardness brother, whom he made his chief beneficiary To him MT. Hardness left s25;525, 900 in Standard Oil stocks, making Ed ward s. Hardness the third largest holder of Standard Oil shares. He added to this bequest one-half of the resfduary estate so that Edward S. Hardness inheritance amounts to s36,1S7,971. To his wife Mary War den Hardness, he left $12,151,629, comprising half of the residuary es- tate, together with the property at Fifth avenue and F'ifty-fourth street, and garage at 1855 West F'ifty-second street, MT. Hardness only realty hold ings in the city, household effects, au- tomobiles and personal effects.
 Among the assets of the estate were the following: Cash, $2,322,694, most of it on deposit in the New York Trust company, the United States Trust company and the Farmers Loan & Trust company; mortgages, sS,597; yacht Agawa, $112,500 and pew in St. Bartholomew's church, $4,500.