New-York tribune., 1920-05-20
Plea to Exhune
Body Reveals
w i'm Case
''Millionaire Stevedore'
Died i'll Apartment of
Miss Jennie Lebonsky,
WifGs Petition Says
Inquiry Will Be Made
By Terms of Auditors Will,
the Insurance Policies
Are Left to His 'SFriend'

Joseph Auditorc, "millionairc steve
dore," who died May 8, and whose body
was buried in Greenwood Cemetery
three days later, did not die in his
established home, S3 Linden Street,
Brooklyn, where he spent most of his
time with his wife and children, but
in the apartment Of Miss Jennie Le-
bonsky, at 124 West Seventy second
Street. The revelation came as the
result of an application to District
Attorney Lewis, in Brooklyn. yesterday
for permission to eXhumc the body.
Miss Lcbonsky was known to the
employees of the West Seventy-second
Street apartment house as Mrs. Joseph
she went under the name OF Lcbonsky
until two days after the death of
Auditorc, when she packed her trunks
and departed without leaving for
warding address. Auditore spent much
of his time in this apartment during
the last few years, it was said by at
tendants there, and the agents knew
the couple as man and wife.
Left Peculiar Will
Franklin Taylor. attorney for Mrs.
Auditore, made the request to District
Attorney Lewis for permission to ex-
hume the body. The dead mans rela-
tives arc not satisfied, the lawyer said,
with reports they have received of cir
cumstances in which Auditore died.
District Attorney Lewis will begin
an investigation of his own to-day, he
announced last night and if he finds
any doubtful features about Auditore's
death he will make the usual motion
before a Supreme Court Justice for
the privilege of opening the grave.
The will Of the dead man, which has
been offered for probate before Sur
rogatc Wngate, is said by relatives to
be a very peculiar document. 1t will
be contested by the family, Attorney
Taylor declared. The estate said to
amount to "at least $l.000,000," but
friends Of auditors said that hat oae actually
it amounted nearer to $4,000 900.
Under the terms of two life insur-
ancc policies, Miss Labonsky is benc-
ticiary to the extent of $4,000. The
Penn Mutual and tire New York Life,
which issued the policies, have been
ordered not to pay them until an in
vestigation has been made.
Two features of the will are strongly
objected to by members Of the family.
One is that DR.. Adolph Monac- Lesser.
q physician who, with others. attended
GEO "to be devoted to the uses and
purposes which | have explained to
him" The other y that Charles l.. Ap-
fell of 35 Nassau Street, the attorney
who drew Up the testament. is named As
an executor with authority over the
funds left to Audtorc's children.
Physician Explains
Dr. Monac-Lesscr, when told of the
objections of the family, declared:
"Not penny of that money is for
me- Mr. Auditorc asked me if would
take it to certain persons whose names
he did not wish to appear in his will.
l shall do it. don't want or need his
money. had a patient once who left
me 100000, and ! gave it to the Red
Cross
Mr. Auditore. while on visit to The
Seventy Street apartment on
May I, contracted cold that developed
into pneumonia. DR.. Monae- Lesser,
whose Office is in the same block, was
called, but OH May Audtore died.
Mrs. Auditore was notified and the
body was removed to Brooklyn. 1t was
not known to persons outside of the
family that he did not die in his Brook
lyn home.