New-York tribune., 1919-11-08
ShOnts Cuts
Off Wife for
Mrs. Thomas
Widow Gets Only S., 900 In
surance, 100000 Owed
by Husband and Portrait
Painted by Troubetzkoy

Mrs. Amanda G. Thomas, of $40 Park
stage favorite and is the divorced wife
Of Herbert F, Thomas son of Orlando
+. Thomas, is the principal beneficiary
under the will Of Theodore p Shonts.
former president of the Interborough
Rapid Transit Company. Orlando +.
Thomas, with his brother, Z. R. Thomas.
was contemporary of F. Augustus
Heinze and Charles ". Morse a dozen
years ago.
The will of Mr.. Shonts. filed in the
Surrogates' Court yesterday, was one
of several executed by him and was
dated July 20, 1919, two months before
his death. It's Offering for probate by
Delaney Nicoll. one of the executors.
which action was to be deferred until
the arrival here from Paris of Theo-
dora, Duchesse de Chaunes, daughter of
the testator, was precipitated by the
move of Mrs. Milla d. Shonts the
widow, who on Thursday had herself
appointed by Surrogate Fowler as tenn
porary administrators of her husbands
estate.
Bitter Fight Promised
Mrs. Shonts had become acquainted
with the contents of the will of her
husband, which practically cuts her off
from participation ir his property, and
it was the first step of what promises
to be bitter litigation over the dis
tribution of the estate.
While Mrs. Thomas, referred to in
the will as my friend,' who lived in
the same apartment house where Mr.
Shonts died and in two of his i'll
nesses acted as his nurse, receives the
residue of the estate, to which shall
revert, the will provides, the shares of
any person contesting the document,
the provision made by Mr.. Shonts for
his widow is 100000 which he ac-
knowledges as debt TO her; a $4,000
life insurance policy and a portrait of
Mrs. Shonts painted by Prince Trou-
betzkoy.
1t is the view of George W. Files,
attorney for Mrs. Shonts, that her
husband made no provision at all for
her in his will, as she is the beneficiary
in the insurance policy, the portrait is
her own and the 100000 is a debt
owing to Mrs. Shonts that Mr.. Shonts
could not revoke and which would be
claim against his estate even if not
mentioned in the will.
Despite Threatened Disinheritance
That there will be q contest despite
the injunction disinherting any
legatee who makes objection to the
expressed wishes Of the testator is
certain from the action already taken
by Mrs. Shonts.
She will base her proceeding on the
alleged mental incompetency Of her
husband, although it is contended that
the instrument was not death bed
VAIL and undue influence alleged to
be exercised by Mrs. Thomas. What
regarded as doubtful that Mrs Shonts
can be deprived of the 100000 be-
queathed her as debt due her Mr..
Shonts made provision for his wife
IN separation agreement in 1917,
but what this was does not appear.
What will be the attitude of Duchess
De Chaulnes and Mrs. Rutherford Bing-
ham, daughters of Mr. Shonts, for
whom he provided 100000 in trust in
father previously created $50 90 trust.
is not yet stated, but it is regarded
as likely that they. will join their
mother in the attack on the will.
Provision Made for Wife
The provision made by Mr.. Shonts
for his wife reads:
II give and bequeath to my wife.
Milla d. Shonts, the $4,000 policy in
Press Council No. II, National Union.
which | am keeping alive for her ben
eft, also the portrait of herself painted
by Prince Troubetzkoy.
Having by an agreement made in
June, 1917. provided for my wife, Mila
D. Shonts. l make no further provision
for her in this will except that hereby
acknowledge an Indebtedness to my
wife in the sum of 100000, payable
within twelve months"
The 1917 agreement referred to in
this clause was the one made by Mr.
and Mrs. Shonts when they separated
Continued on page four