Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-07-10
JACK LONDONS
HEIRS READJUST
Terms OF Will
Widow Willingly Makes Liberal
Concessions to Former
Wife and Children

san FRANCISCO. June 29.-The
heirs Of the late Jack London will
rot abide by the terms Of the author 5
will Following many conferences be
tween lawyers representing the wld-
ON, Mrs Charmion London, on one
side, and Mrs. Bessie NJ. London, the
authors first wife on the other, an
agreement has been reached by which
the Misses Joan and Bess London.
daughters of the author and Mrs. Bes-
sic London, will receive a much larS-
er sum than the SIS a month allowed
each by their father. The widow
has also made concessions to Mrs.
Bessie London, which in effect, az
null an agreement made between MIS-
Bessie London and the author rela-
tive to the first wife's property rights.
While Mrs. Bessie London an
nounced at the time of Jack London ;
death in November of last year that
she would not insist on greater rec
ognition than was accorded her in his
will, consideration for the future wei
fare and education of the two girls,
according to her statement, impelled
her to seek a reimbursement of the
terms of the will.
The daughters will receive a far
more generous share of the estate,
and, together with their mother, will
participate in revenues TO be derived
from authors rights, moving picture
productions and royalties from fifty
two books, while the widow, Mrs.
Charmion London, will retain intact
the London ranch in the Valley OF
the Moon" near Glen Ellen.
While London made these provi-
sions, he indicated that further as
sistance from his estate could be had
by the former Mrs. London and their
daughters, in the following agree
ment:
That any additional help they may
obtain shall not be from my estate.
but from my present wife, Charmton
X. London. To her they must be be-
holden for anything additional"
This document, which has now been
supplemented by a new agreement,
provided that if the widow married
the entire estate remained hers, with
the exception of $4,000, which she
would be obliged to pay into the in
surance fund for their daughters.
London's will, disposing Of his en-
tire estate, was dated May "a, 1911,
and was filed for probate December
1st of last year by his sister, Mrs.
Eliza Shepard, and William. L. Grow
ell, who were named executors. I'm
der its terms the two daughters by
lis first marriage were left insurance
and S25 a month as long as they re-
NAMED single. Mrs. Bessie London,
the divorced wife, was left but 80 and
the use of a house att519 Thirty-fiFs
street, Oakland.
London Gave Former Wife
Little IN Will
The WILL" said Mrs. London, was
made, believe, while Jack was IN
passion of anger that soon passed off
He was very quick tempered and just
as quick to forgive. The will was
drawn five years before his death and
at a time he learned that he could
not have the custody of the children.
However, that does not mean that he
did not visit them often. / feel Ger
tain that If he knew the old will ex.
listed and felt his end was so near, he
would have provided more generously
for his children in new will.
Three months before Jack London
died he made a new contract with his
former wife in regard to money pay
ments for the support OF herself and
children. Until that time he had been
providing for them under the terms OF
a contract that was six years old.
According to the attorneys for Mrs
Bessie London, the one thing that fas
DELAYED the final settlement of the dit
ferences between Mrs. Bessie London.
her children, and Mrs Charmion Lon
don, was these two contracts. The
last contract provided for more
generous allowance for the family
than the first, which was entered In |
at a time when his income was not |
so large. Although Mrs. Bessie Lon
don had been paid under the new
fora period Of two months |
before Jack London's death, the con
tract was in his possession, not hav.
ing been delivered to her. But the |
slight kink has been Strengthened and |
the former wife. is to be paid under
the terms of the last agreement The |
complete settlement will be made as |
soon as Executor Growell returns
from a trip to the Yosemite valley.
In discussing the settlement, Mrs. |
Bessie London said that the widow |
had been very considerate, offering |
to make other provisions than those |
the will called for shortly after her
husbands death. Mrs. London said
that it was only a matter of a few
minor details that had kept the SET |
tlement in allowance this long