Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-05-13

wish OF her father, Mrs. Sykes said, that
two-thrds Of the bequest to the children
of Charles Wells. which was to amount
to s3O000, should be taken from the trust
fund Of Annals estate, while one-third
should come from Mrs. Wells share. Mrs
sykes testified that she had no knowledge
as to whether or not Mrs. Wells sent 10
them the $4,000 which was her part of the
bequest
AT the close of the afternoon session.
Mrs. Sykes was testifying as to the meet
ing with her step-mother Just before MIS-
Wells died in October of last year. Mrs
sykes told how glad Mrs. Wells appeared
to be to see her and Martha.
j. w. Hall Of Bottom. who made the audit
OF the accounts Of the trust fund Of the
Edward Wells estate was the first wit
ness on the stand yesterday afternoon
He testified in regard TO his report. es-
peciaIy to the facts as stated In that re-
port that there had been no
segregation of principal and in
come In the Keeping of the accounts
or the trust He explained what
ne meant by that statement. and upon
cross-examination said that he and the
trustees of the fund had differed as TO
the law which applied to that matter. He
was questioned. also. regarding n GER
he said Mr.. Ward had told him was
drawn to avoid taxation. On cross
examination in regard to that matter, he
said that he could not remember the
exact words used by Mr. Ward in that
connection. that ne had given the i'm
preston which he got from what Mr..
Ward told him.
Witnesses on the stand yesterday morn
ing included Frederick II. Wells, Mrs.
Ella Baird, Mrs. Bessie Isham and
Lucius p. Wells. Frederick Wells was the
only one to testify at any length. He was
questioned in regard to the handling Of
the trust fund under the estate of
Edward Wells, Of which he was one of
the trustees. He said that he and his
brother. Charles. employed the American
Audit company to look over the books of
the trust fund.
Mr.. Wells identified certain checks
drawn to Mrs. Sykes from the principal
Of the fund. to Anna. but endorsed and
apparently cashed by members of the
family Of Charles Wells. These were
dated during the year 1907, the year that
Edward Wells died.
Frederick Wells also testified regard
ing the request made by Mrs. Sykes in
the fall of 1914, when in Europe at the
outbreak of the war, for an advance of
$1,000 from the principal Of the fund to
use in getting back to America. Mr.
Wells said that Mrs. Sykes first sent a
cablegram making this request, and later
she wrote to him personally. Mr.. Ward
opposed the sending of the money, Mr..
Wells said on the ground that 1t would
establish a precedent and Mrs. Sykes
would be asking for more money later.
The witness and Frank Wells. the other
two trustees. took the responsibility in
the matter and sent the money. The wit
ness said that this was the only time
that Mrs. Sykes asked for money from
the principal Of the fund, up to the time
+ that Mr.. Ward resigned.
On cross-examination. Frederick Wells
was questioned regarding letters re-
ceived by him from Mrs. Sykes. He said
that he had some such letters. but that
they were at home. On request of At
torney Sargent, Mr.. Wells looked up let
ters received from Mrs. Sykes, but did
not find the ones wanted and was re-
quested to make thorough hunt for
them.
Mrs. Bessie Isham, a daughter Of
Charles Wells. and a niece Of the
testatrix, Mrs. Edward Wells. testified to
receiving one Of the checks from Mrs.
Sykes in August. 1907 mentioned In the
testimony of Frederick Wells. Mrs. Isham
said that she received the money on the
check. About the same testimony was
given by Lucius p. Wells. son OF
Charles Wells. and formerly employed by
the Wells & Richardson company In
this city. In addition to his testimony
about receiving and getting the money
on the check. he told of the pleasant
relations existing between himself and
Mrs. Efie r. P. Wells throughout all
the time that he knew her.