Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-03

of the day declared under oath their
belief that the two signatures 1t con-
tanned were not made by the aunt but
were traced by Hetty Green herself
over an original signature of Sylvia
Ann Howland.
The litigation is one Of the most ia
nous in court annals. After an ex-
pense Of s172,00o the case was dis
missed on technicality An appeal
was made to the supreme court of the
United States, but while this was
pending private settlement was
| reached. So
T Married In 1867. .
From those days to the time OF her
death Hetty Green was involved in
some law suit or other. asserting that
lawyers were forever trying to rob her
Of her property. Her antipathy toward
them was so violent that she said. 'T
would rather have my daughter burned
at the stake than to go thru, what I
have with lawyers"
She married in 1857 Her husband
was Edward Fl. Green. who was Unit
ed States Consul General in Manila.
where he had made fortune in the
silk trade. 1t Is said Green. at pub
lie dinner. heard someone speak OF
Hetty Robinson as "the greatest AM
erican heiress." and stra!ghtaway an
nounced his determination to marry
her. Before the wedding day an agree
ment was signed to the effect that the
wlfe's fortune should never he drawn
on to meet the husbands debts or any
Of their joint expenses. He died in
1902 after having lost most Of his
money in Wall street.
Both Hetty Green and he did business
there for many years, hut on separate
accounts. Old Wall street men have
told innumerable stories about her
closeness. One was how she negotiated
once for a special engine to take her
from Philadelphia to New York SO that
she might not miss a chance to make
several thousand dollars before the
close of the Stock Exchange. A price
was named by the railroad company for
an engine and one car. After hagglng
a few minutes, Mrs. Green made this
final propositions:
Take off the car and make II IS less
I'll ride in the locomotive cab" This she
did. and reached Wall street In time to
make a successful turn.
Dressed in simple and sometimes
shabby black, with a little bonnet that
would stand lot of wear. the woman
of millions moved about In downtown
New York. recognized only by few
who had been initiated into the secret
of her identity. She never rode In a
carriage, and was never seen at the
theater or opera. Her abiding place was
usually a mystery to the tax-collector,
whom she admittedly lodged.
Her most pretentious home was at
Bellows Falls, VT. where she spent
many summers, but even this place was
notorious there for never being in re-
pair In winter she hid herself in some
of the least expensive neighborhoods
around New York, guarding her ident
ity by putting the name Of her pet
dog Dewey" on the doorplate. Her
daughter Sylvia was her only compan
ion. The latter she kept from society.
but In 1909 consented 20 her marriage.
at the age of 80, to Matthew Astor
Wilks, wealthy New Yorker of 81
years. The lonely mother then removed
herself for q time to a suite of rooms in
one OF the most fashionable Fifth aye
nue hote!s, but this luxury was soon
given UP.
Ambitions Not Realized.
1t was Hetty Green's ambition to
make her son, Edward Rowland Green.
the richest man in the country. She put
him thru many severe tests to try out
his business qualifications. A story is
told that when he was n boy she sent
him out to the street corner to sell the
morning paper from which she had read
the financial news. She finally sent
him to Texas where he eventually
worked himself to the front as a rail-
road man and financier. Since 1893
! he has been president or the Texas
Midland railroad and a factor in many
other interests. In late years he large
! ~ assumed tine management of hin
mothers property.