The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-21
While Benehciaries Of Will
Contend Over Estate, Arm
ed Men Guard Her Grave
AUTOPSY ORDERED TO
SHOW CAUSE OF DEATH
Bulk of Flagler's Millions Go
to Mrs. Louise Wise Lewis
Report From Lexington In
dicates Agreement May Be
Reached

Wilmington, y. c., Sept, 2o.-Mrs.
Robert w Bingham's body is to oe
exhumed. Permission was TO-DAY
granted by Wilmington authorizes
The application was made by rela-
tives of the wealthy wife OF former
Judge Bingham, who inherited hef
great estate from her first husband
Henry NJ. Flagler, Mrs. bingham
died recently In Louisville. KY, and
was brought here for burial 1t Is
understood the elimination Is for the
purpose OF ascertaining the exact
cause of death.
Pending the exhumation and the
autopsy TO follow. armed guards nave
been stationed at the grave. which Is
watched day and night
The autopsy viii be performed by
surgeons OF national reputation
Mrs. Bingham hal been married
to ex-Judge Robert Worth Bingham,
former mayor OF Louisville, KY, but
eight months when she died, after
brief Illness. Acute heart disturb
ance" was given as the cause for her
death The wealthy widows marriage
to Judge bingham was the culmina-
titon of a romance which started
twenty years ago, She met the future
,
University of Virginia.
Miss Wise Conspicuous Guest.
Perhaps the most conspicuous guest
al the wedding was Miss Louise Wise,
OF Wilmington, y g, the brides
niece. Miss Wise. the widow had an
nounced several years previously, was
To be the hetress of the bulk of her
great fortune, variously estimated at
from $50 100000 to 0.90e, 900.
ssr.y,1 10. ehnx
ton Lewis. Of Cincinnati.
Miss Lily Keenan,, of Keenansville,
y. G., was "a beautiful girl when she
met Robert W Bingham. They be-
came = weethearts and rumor report
ed thew were to have been married.
But relatives OF the young law stu
dent frowned upon match which
would bring love. hut no money. Ac-
coriIngly the youth started his pro-
-fesstaa Al career deteTs7s med te wr&st
from an unwilling world the means
for providing every desired luxury for
his sweetheart
FYagler Won the Prize.
Meantime Henry NJ. F'lagIer. i'm
Aer.ely wealthy. >. read ami oil MAJ.
appeared on the scene lie had COM
man ding persoai':y as Well rs wealth.
and he cap-ivl.al the impressic ma HE
girl
A special bin was passed by the
Florida legislature In 1901. at Flag
ler's instance. which enabled him TO
divorce his wife. Ida NJ. Flagier, on
the ground OF insanity. Less than two
weeks after divorce he married Miss
keenan,. At the time of his marriage
he set aside a funl af $4,000. 900 for
the maintenance OF the wife he he d
divorced.
Disappointed In his dream OF love,
Bingham threw himself assiduously In
to his work. AS the years passed his
marked ability brought him more and
more into the spotlight. Governor
lse4 u h appoint a 81
LOUISVILLE I'm 1907 following the GUST =
ing OF the city admins ration ty tbs
court OF appeals AS mayor he work
ed actively TO clean ~ the eli. sue
ceedir.. so we'll th'.t late''H. was M de
o circuit Judge. His aarpin.stra''on ~
that cffice was -,i'ssll marked by eff
ficsenty and d ,votis.s,.
lag cr Leaves Wealth TO Widow.
'arer left his great wealth TO his
widow when he died. 1t was but a
short time before rumors were afioat
that. the impeachment to their early
marriage having been removed. Judge
Bingham and Mrs. Flagler would mar
ry. Questioned regarding the ru-
mors. Judge Bingham declined to dis
cuss the matter and Mrs. Tlagler was
silent
Judge bingham and the widow OF
Henry NJ. Fiagler were married Novem
Der Is, 1915. at the home OF Mr.. and
Mrs. Pembroke Jones. of No, East
Sixty-first street. New York. The cere-
mony was performed by the Rev.
George Morgan Ward. D. D., who had
been pastor for fifteen years of the
Poinciania chapel on the Flagler Palm
Beach estate.
nte-Naptial Agreement Made.
An ante-nuptial agreement was made
whereby Judge Bingham was to receive
100000 of his wife's estate Subse-
Quently to her death he was urged to
contest the will. giving the bulk OF
! the estate to Mrs. Louise Wise Lewis
f, II Was pointed out to him that he was
| entitled to one-thtrd of the estate
amounting from twenty to twenty-five
millions. But he declined to make a
contest. resting upon the terms OF the
ante-nuptial agreement.
Lexington, KY. Sept. 2o.-By agree
ment of both parties to the Lewis
Flagl e r-Bingham will controversy
| reached today. no change will be made
In the administrator of the Kentucky
+, estate of Mrs. Bingham. This Is taken
! to mean that a settlement will be
reached in regard TO the execution OF
j, Mrs. Bingham:s will.
| BY codicil made several weeks after
! the will was written. Mrs. Bingham left
! SIS. 900. 900 to her husband. Mrs. Louise
! wise Lewis. OF New York, niece OF the
! dead woman and other relatives. threat
| ened to contest the will on the ground
| tina. undue In siaenee HAD been trosgA'
to bear on Mrs Bingham. 1t is said
! that an agreement will be reached bs
which Mrs. Lewis will accept the $780,.
100000 left her and not contest the f5.'
100000.