The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-01
AT
 STAKE, FIGHT ON
 EMO WILL BEGINS
Contest to Keep Saugatuck Mans Estate From Co.,
 lumbia Is On.

New York, May IA proceeding 1 to determine whether the late Amos F. Emo, of Saugatuck, was of testa- nentary capacity when he executed 1 his last we'll June IS. 1915, and whether he was influenced unduly in disposfng of his 5,00O,000 estate, was begun this morning before Surro- gate Coha,lan. It is expected the contest will last one two months. The trial will be one of the most notable of it's kind in the history of the state, because of the charges made and for the reason that an enormous fortune hangs upon the outcome. The main issue is, whether the residuary estate, amounting to upward of ST. 100000, shall go to Columbia Univers- ity or whether this sum shall be dis tributed among the next of kin, all ready handsomely remem bered by the decedent.
 The Contestants.
 The next of kin, all contestants, are William P. Emo, Mrs. Antoinette B. Wood, Mary B. Pinchot. Clifford Pin cot, Amos R. B. Pinchot, Prof. Henry Lane Emo and Lady Antoinette Graves. To each was left a substantial sum, but they were remembered to a much larger degree in a will signed Jan. g, 1914. This document has been of fered for probate by the contestants in event the later will is broken. MT. Emo left four wills, and in none except the final instrument was Co., lumbia University, or any other col lege. named as a beneficiary. The contestants claim that in the last will MT. Emo, in giving Columbia his re- siduary estate, believed he had be- queathed the institution less than $1OO,OOe. They assert that he did not know how much money he was worth. They also charge that the decedent
 
 the extent of his fortune or how to devise it. They must prove these contentious beyond a reasonable doubt and also that Nsome one unduIy in fuenced the testator.
 Lueius H. Beers and William Nit chel1, executors under the contested will, contend that Mr. Emo. devised his property while under no restraint and tha the was mentally sound. Each received bequest of s$50,00O. In the will of 1914 Amos R. B. Pinchot and MT. Beers, the latter personal counsel to the decedent. were nam ed.
 Burned Eno's Paper.
 A few days after MT. Emo died at his home, 32 Fifth avenue, John E. Merz, a clerk in the office of Henry De Forest Baldwin, counsel for the executors ransacked MT. Eno's pri- vate desk and took several bushels of his papers to the cellar where he or dered them burned in the furnace. The furnace smoked and not all were destroyed. The contestants charge that the burning of the papers, said by Merz to have been of no import ance in settling the estate, was highly irregular This charge will be made | much of at the trial.
 Another matter to come up for con is the failure of MT. Beers to acquaint the heirs with the fact that MT. Emo had left other wills, then in the custody of the executors. It was necessary to threaten a court prov ceeding to get hold of them.
 When Surrogate Fowler learned that the papers of MT. Emo had been, destroyed he refused to appoint the executors alone temporary admins with them Amos R. E. Pinchot, that the contestants might be, represented in managing the estate.
 Estate Estimated at $19,OOO,OO
 While the estate is generally thought to Amount to $15,00O,0OO,A attorneys for the contestants say they believe l the total will reach nearly .$19,0O0, 1000. | In that event the share bequeathed to 1 Columbia would be hearers Il, 900, 900 i than $7,OOO,OOO.
 MT. Eno's valet, who was serving in the French army at the time MT. l Emo died, has been given a furlough i and will reach this country shortly to | testify for the contestants.
 Saturday an order was signed by l Coha1an whereby former 1 District Attorney Perkins will repre- | sent Henry Emo, together with | Arthur Train. Other attorneys for | contestants include former Surrogate | Charles H. Beckett and William Nel- | son Cromwell. ~