New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-22
Lauded Presidents Policy
and Acted QueerIy, Says
Ex-HouSekeeper.
PAPERS BURNED
BY BASKETSFUL
Clifford pinchot Rescued Several
ments-Attempt to Buy
Property Here.

Amos T. Emo, whose will IL being
contested by relatives because Of his
alleged mental incompetency when he
made the document, was an admirer Of
President Wilson. Mrs. Helen Desper-
rims. his former housekeeper, as n wit
the Surrogates' Court yesterday OF the
tcstator's admiration of the President
for his treatment Of the European war
situation. He admired the hands of
policy of Mr.. Wilson, said the witness.
This approval by Mr.. Emo was ex-
pressed during the summer of 1915,
at the time, it is contended by the con-
testants, that ne was not of Sound
mind and memory"
Further on REORGANIZATION Mrs.
Desperrins said that her employer was
acting very queerly" in the summer
of 1915, and she had mentioned 1t TO
several persons. Her interest in the
will, she said, was due to a sense of
duty to the members of Mr.. Eno's fam
lily, as she considered his will "un-
reasonable" II was not because she
expected to be better off if the instru-
ment was declared invalid.
Letters In Evidence.
Counsel for the proponents intro
duced two letters written by the wit
ness to Mrs Wallace Cole, Of Sara
toga. In the first she said: "lf they
break the will no one will get any
thing" The later letter read: "They
intend breaking the will, and it will
all be the better for US, so pray that
they will win
Referring to son of Lady Antoinettc
Johnston. a niece OF Mr.. Emo, he said:
The idea of sending a boy like that
to the front! 1t is ridiculous," The
young man, who was known to the
family as the prince is fighting with
the British army. Mr.. Emo also eX-
pressed some doubt that he would be
able to pay all the legacies in his will,
said Mrs. Desperrins. The contestants
say that the testator did not know the
extent of his estate when he left the
residue-about $4,000, 000-to Columbia
University.
Svant Johnson. Swedish housemsr,
another witness, yesterday identlhed
John +. Merz, the law clerk in court.
as the man who instructed him to burn
several basketfuls of Mr.. Eno's papers
a few days after his death Merz IS
employed in the Office of Lord. Day &
Lord, of which Lucius II. Beers. one OF
the executors, is member. Beers IS
Columbia alumnus, and is charged
in the proceeding with using undue in
Auence on Mr.. Emo in procuring the
will.
Johnson said he was called into the
library and told by Mrs. Desperrins TO
bring a basket The floor was strewn
with piles of papers. photographs and
other Of the testator's personal effects.
Told to Burn Papers.
Don't throw them out; burn them. y
said Merz. according to the witness. II
took the houseman large part of a
dav 10 do il. Then there was a
hamperful left. Clifford Pinchot: a
nephew Of Mr.. Emo, who was told or
the occurrence, appeared at the Emo
house the next day.
MI. flncNOl, NNO bdFt MS auNi ,
as Milford. Penn. told on the stand
of discovering the hamper and is
contents of the cellar, alongside the
furnace and near some ashcans. II
was about half filed. Next day ne
placed the papers in the safe Of his
attorney. Mr. Pinchot identified the
items of an inventory as those which he
found. They included several photo
graphs OF foreign scenes and letter
showing that there had been an effort
to buy Mr.. Eno's property at Broadway,
Seventh Avenue, Fifty-second and
Fifty-third Streets, for Sl.300,000. Fur
Their investigation revealed that lt Was
Felix Isman. Of Philadelphia, VINO
wanted to buy the property.
Amos r. T.. Pinchot, brother OF me
previous witness. testified that he mad
made unsuccessful efforts 10 get PEE
mission to see some of his uncle's
papers. He said he did not know OF
his being named as executor IN me
1912 and 1914 Wills e his uncle, which
we're i'm the possession of Lord. Day 4
Lord. until after the appointment OF
administrators in the present proceed
ing. He was not permitted TO see any
of the papers or wills until an order
for that purpose had been obtained
from the Surrogates' Court.
Mrs. Florence c. Emo Graves. niece
Of Mr.. Emo. testified that she had told
Merz not to destroy any of her uncle's
papers.