New Britain herald., 1918-12-17
GOLFERS LEGATEES
DECLINE REQUESTS
Friends Of Publisher Ask Court to
Give Widow S5,OO0,OOO Property

New York, Dec. 1.-THE VIII Of
Robert J. Collier, head of p. f. Col
lier &: Son, publishers of Golfers
Weekly and of other publications,
who died suddenly at his home. 106!
Fifth avenue, on November s, on the
day he returned from France, left tho
bulk of his estate to his friends,
Payne Whitney, Finley Peter Dunno
and Francis p. GarVan as residuary
legatees. They have had charge of
his business affairs since 1914. Hc
made 40 bequest to his wife, Mrs.
Sarah Steward Collier. on the ground
that her father. James J. Van Aleu-,
had provided for her amply. The
residuary legatecs, who were also
named as executors. renowned their
right to act and to take the prop
erty, valued at more than S5,0O0.00u.
and in a letter to Mrs. Collier. madc
public when Mrs. Collier filed a pc
tition yesterday for the probate Of
the will, said:
Much as we regret being placed in
a, position i'll which we might appear
to disregard the wishes of our friend
as expressed in his will we feel that
we must, nevertheless, decline the be
quest Of these properties. We feel
that the estate should now go to it's
natural ultimate destination and that
we should, therefore, renounce this
bequest of the residuary estate in
your favor
The will, dated July 9. 1917, gave
$500 to George G. Kennedy and
$4,000 to Frank II. Rice, both Off
GERS of P. +. Collier & Son, who have
been associated in the business for
many years, "for long and faithful
services" to the decedent and his
father the late P. r. Collier, with the
direction that the requests be paid
out Of the profits of P. F. Collier &
Son at any time within three years.
AS result of the remuneration by Mr..
Golfers three friends of their right to
act and to take the residuary estate,
the law would then give precedence
to these two business associates. In
order that Mrs. Golfers sole right
might be unquestioned Mr.. Kennedy
and Mr.. Rice also renounced their
right as executors.
Mrs. Collier is her husbands sole
next of kin, and for that reason she
becomes the sole legatee of the resi-
due left to Messrs. Dunno, Whitney
and Caravan. The estate consists al
most entirely of the publishing bust
ness and Golfers Weewly, hi other
properties, including his extensive
country place, Wickatonk, in New
Jersey, having been vested in Mrs.
Collier during her husbands lifetime.
The letter of remuneration, dated
Dec. 8, and written to Mrs. Collier by
| the three residuary legatees, said:
! I'VE believe that we understand
| and appreciate Mr. Golfers motives in
| making this will. He was intensely
+ in n narpet11atino manor
which he had built and the publishing
! business which he had inherited from
| his father. We all remember the
| serious Hines in 1914 which culmi-
| mated in the stroke which he suffered
| in September of that year, and his
| great anxiety that his business should
| be carried on without reference to his
| personal affairs or his personal parti-
! cipation, and it was this that led him
! to intrust the business to a committee
| of his friends in order to enable it to
| be carried on for him. This trust
| is still in existence We have no doubt
that in making the will in the form
in which we find it he intended to
create a, similar trust for those pro-
parties, but if conditions existed at
the time which made such a will ad
| visab1e we think they no longer exist.
In taking this action we believe
| that we are doing what Mr.. Collier
would have wished under the condi-
tons that exist today; and we wish to
, assure you earnestly that we will CO.
operate in the most friendly spirit in
aiding you to carry on the admin
stration Of the estate and arrange for
| the future conduct and disposition
of the business, and we hope that you
will not hesitate at all times to call
upon us freely for all the advice and
assistance that we can give YOU"
>Messrs. Whitney, Dunno and Gar
| van enclosed the remuneration of
Messrs. Kennedy and Rice to act as
executors as we'll as their own and in
reply Mrs. Collier wrote to Mr.. Whit
| ney for himself and his two associates
that she appreciated their acts and
would apply for administration letters
| for the estate, which she did yester-
| day. She expressed her depreciation
t and gratitude' for their offer to CO.
operate with her, and said She would
! gladly avail herself of their generous
! offer of advice and assistance"