Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-11-21
COLBURN SCORES
INFIRSI BATTLE
ON QUEENS WILL
Court Holds Contestants Have
Shown Nothing to Prove
1917 Paper a Forgery

Another point in favor OF the ap-
pointment of John F. Colburn as tenn
porary administrator of the estate OF
the late Queen Liliuokalani was gain
ed by his attorneys late yesterday af-
ternoon when, after several hours of
argument and taking Of testimony,
Circuit Judge C. w. Ashford held that
sufficient evidence had not been ad-
Guced to overcome the presumption
that, after a casual inspection, the
purported will of August 20, 1917, is
a valid document.
Yesterday morning Judge Ashford
held that nothing had been shown by
the contestants as to why Cotburn
should not be a candidate for the ap-
pointment. In the afternoon the con-
testants were allowed wider scope in
their efforts to prove that the 1917
will, from a casual inspection, is
forgery. Several witnesses were call
ed but the courts ruling again favor
ed Colburn. The next question is be
settled is whether Colburn is a gift
and proper person" to be appointed
temporary administrator.
Attorney William O. Smith, who
had known the late queen intimately
for about SO years, expressed the opin.
ion when the 1917 will was shown
him, that the signatures thereon were
not those of the queen. He declared
the writing resembled in some re.
spect her signature of many years ago.
Many other signatures of the queen
were identified by Mr.. Smith, includ.
ing those in an autographed book and
those on documents which are par:
of the still pending litigation which
was begun when Delegate Kuhio
brought his suit in 1915 to break the
Liliuokalani trust.
Shown a signature in a<book entitl-
ed "Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's
Queen" Mr.. Smith said: THAT is
very like her handwriting which l
ink" He was also shown signature
on a document entitled Motion to
Dismiss" That Is her signature"
said the witness.
Two other documents, bearing the
signatures of the queen, were shown
the witness. One was the commission
of Colburn as a member or the board
OF health under the monarchy, and the
other his commission as minister OF
the interior for the monarchy. Mr..
Smith identified both OF these sigma
lures.
Mrs. Lahilahi Webb, owner of the
book, "Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's
Queen" was then called to the stand.
She testified that the signature in
the book was written by the queen on
March 81, 1917. She said she. went to
the queen and asked her to write her /
name in the book. ~
"She write very slowly and shakily," |
said Mrs. Webb. Its very shaky,' |
she said. I don't care, your majesty,
l answered, as long as it is your
writing"
During the hearing yesterday af |
ternoon, Judge Ashford remarked that |
counsel should bear in mind the fact |
that it is not always necessary for a !
person making a will to sign it per-
sonally. He said that a person who
was feeble or otherwise incapacitated |
might direct, another person to sign,
the will; or, the hand of the maker |
might be guided by the hand of an
other person, or another person might !
sign the will with the hand of the |
maker resting on his. This point was |
brought up by the court during the in
vestigation regarding the validity OF |
the signature on the 1917 will