The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-12-18

lJohn r. Colburn, in his withdrawal of
application for probate of the alleged
i will of Queen Liliuokalani, and by Mr..
Colburn himself, form interesting read.
ing They detail the efforts made by
Mr.. Colburn and his legal advisers TO
probe the circumstances of the signing
LOT the alleged will before taking any
action under 1t and show the good faith
IN winch the initial steps to secure pro
bate were made
| The main affidavit filed yesterday
was that of Lorrin Andrews, who
drew up the will for signature under
the directions of Princess Theresa
and into whose custody the document
was given after the alleged signing by
the Queen in the presence of witnesses.
Mr., Andrews affidavit is:
Amdavit Of Lorrin Andrews
LorrIn Andrews, being first duly
sworn, dcposes and says that he is a
member Of the firm of Andrews & Pitt.
man and is one Of the attorneys for
John +. Colburn in the above.entitled
proceeding; that early in the month of
Septembcr, 1917, there was placed In
the possession of deponent n document
purporting to be the last will and
Testament Of Her Ma jesty, Queen Lii.
uokaiahl, with the request that he Keep
the same until further notice, and de-
ponent was informed that said request
tQueen; ,"... "... ,-'-..''' =
THAI deponent thereupon kept said
document in safe deposit vault with
4 other wills and papers confded TO his
care, and paid no further attention TO
the same until on or about the 9th
day of November, 1917, when deponent
was Informed in the public prints of
the serious illness of Her Majesty and
of the probable fatal result of said i'll.
ness; LILY
coIburn Notified .. .
| THAT 'under said will, deponent
knew that John f. Colburn was named
as executor; that deponent had not be-
fore this time communicated this fact
to said John +. Colburn or had any
communication with him concerning
said will; but, in view, of the serious
condition of the Queens health, he
deemed it best to, notify the said Col.
burn that he had in bis possession
written document purporting to be her
last will aud testament, naming him,
the said Colburn, as executor; that de.
\ ponent therefore requested the said
Colburn to call at his (depouent's) of.
tce and deponent stated TO the said
0Olburh that he (deponent) was not
familiar with the signature of the
Queen and would submit to him. the
said COlburn, the said will for the pur.
pose of his verifying said signature;
IT being well known that the said Col.
burn was well acquainted with Her
Majesty having served in her cabinet
and having been an ultimate friend;
That said Colburn, upon seeing the
said Will expressed at first his doubt
OF said signature, but requested leave
to compare the same with number of
signatures of Her Majesty he had in
his possession and, in other ways. to
verify the same before deciding what
he wished to do; that on the 10th day
of November, said Colburn again called
at the office of the depOnent and in.
formed deponent that, in. his opinion,
from a comparison of the signatures
and other information, the said will
had been signed by Her Majesty; that
the said Colbnrn stated that he had not
read said will, except the clause con.
corning himself as executor; but that
he had compared the signatures on
each page for the purpose of ascer.
tanning whether, in his opinion, the
same had been signed by Her Ma,
jesty; -
Lymer Called In
THAT thereafter, upon consultation
between deponent and said Colburn, it
was decided to associate William B.
Iymer with the firm OF deponent in
fling said will for probate and, upon
consultation with said Lymer, II was
decided that before filing said will for
probate, the two witnesses whose names
were signed to said will, to.wit, J. M.
kealoha and Samuel K. Kamakaia
should be Intercepted separately and,
II they testified TO the validity Of said
vii, then same should be presented for
probate-Otherwise not;
That thereafter on the 18th
day of November, 1917, the said
samuel X. kamakaia and J. NJ. Keaio.
ma came TO the Office of deponent and
were there examined, aeparateIy and
apart in a private room in which were
present said John F.. COlburn, w. b.
Plttman and o stenographer and, M
times, William B. Bymer and deponent:
that the Witnesses were interrogated
IN the Hawaiian and English Ian.
gNges by said John F, Colburn, w, n.
Pittman and William b.. Lymer and
they made afidavits stating that ON the
18th day Of August, 1917, they had ex.
ecnted IN the presence of Her Ma.
lesty a paper which she declared 10 he
her last will and testament and that
she had executed the same in their
presence; that at the conclusion Of
Their statements, which were taken
down in shorthand, affidayits were
drawn embodying the same and, on
me l4th day of November II, 1917, Mt
the said office of deponent, the same
were carefully read to each witness.
separate and apart, and were signed
and Sworn to. before notary public,
q copy of the affidavit sworn 10 nv
said Samuel X. Kamakaia being here. |
20 attached and made a part hereof;
Affidavits Put Away
"That said affidavits were then taker
by deponeut and deposited for safe
keeping and were not seen by anyone |
except the stenOgrapher of your demon.