Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-05-27
MRS. WELLS LAST WILL
NOT REALLY HER WILL
Attorney Billiard. Arguing for
Contestants, Claims It Is the
Will of H. L. Ward. Under
Whose Influence She Fell
After Her Husbands Death

Attorney V. A. Billiard was the contar
Of attraction in the Wells will case Mon.
cay AFTERNOON, his argument for the
contestants. continued from last week.
taxing up tile entire afternoon
fne court room war packed Monday.
ever available chair was brough. in.
ana many stood In the doorways through
out tho afternoon. One lady Mrs. L. T..
madigan, who was standing in the cor
rider tainted and fell to the floor. Sheriff
y. III. Allen FASTENED to her assistance
and water soon restored hor to CON
seriousness
Mr., Billiard spent the early part Of the
afternoon answering the arguments of
Attorney Sargent. During the last hour
and half. Mr.. Bullard began to build
up tho case of the contestants. which
rests upon the allegation of undue in
nucnce on the part of Henry l.. Ward.
the residuary legatoe under the will.
Time and time again. throughout his
argument MIR. Bullard declared that this
laat will and testament of ETe l.. r.
Wells was not her will at all. but was
tho will Of Henry l.. Ward. under whose
influence she had fallen since tha death
of her husband in 1897.
To substantiate this claim. Mr. Bullard
brought into the argument tho will made
by Mrs. Wells in 1907 soon after her hus-
bands death, and in which she gave the
large part of her property to her step
daughter. Anna Wells Sykes, and her
grandchildren. Martha ard Elizabeth
Sykes. This will and that of Edward
Wells were read by Attorney a. +. Sher-
man, and Mr.. Billiard called attention
to the similarity of their provisions de-
claring that this will which Mrs Wells
| made in 1907 was rhe expression Of nc,
| real nature. This Will. he said. was in
harmony with the wishes of Edward
Wells. her husband. and was Just the
| kind Of will which would be expected of
mother who loved a daughter as Mrs
Wells was said to have loved Anna. This
was before II. L. Ward got his influence
to working upon Mrs Wells. said Mr.
| Builard. and that influence was shown
! the attorney declared. in the will of 1916
| when Mrs. Wells made Mr.. Ward her
| residuary legatee.
| Mr.. Billiard spent considerable time in
| detailing the relations existing between
| Edward Wells and his daughter. telling
| the jury more than once that Edward
Wells was ready and glad to give his
daughter money whenever she wanted It
and that he gave her no more accordingly
| than they would give to their children
Mr.. Billiard made light Of the claim that
Mrs. sykes had been accustomed to con
tinually seek money from her father.
Much was made of tho matter of dis
posing of the home at 81 Summit street
Mr.. Billiard argued that it had beer
| shown that there was an agreement
whereby Mrs. Wells was to have the us,
| of the house as long as she lived. ant
that it was the wish of Edward We'll.
l xt.... 4. -,
Sykes The attorney declared that nj
| woman who had the motherly regal
for Anna that Mrs. Wells apparently haC
would have deliberately taken the HON,
place away from Anna and given it T.
r. l.. Ward. unless there had been out
side influence brought to bear upon her.
| Although 1t had been testified that Ed
| ward Wells considered II. l.. Ward II
| the light of foster-son, Edward Well
never intended to adopt Mr.. Ward an,
put him in the place of Mrs. Sykes (Mr
Wells own daughter). declared Mr.
Bullard.
Just before the close of the afternoo,
session, Mr.. Billiard had taken up tn
! matter Of the lost bond in some detail
He told of the losing of the bond, of tn
failure of Mr. Ward to tell Mrs. Syke
anything about it's loss before she wen
| to Europe, some SIX months later al
though he had told Mrs. Wells about /
soon after the loss. Mr.. Billiard furthe
called attention to the disagreement he
tween Mrs. Wells and her step-daurhter
when the latter returned from Europ
in the fall of 1914 growing out of tn
lost bond.
The influence of Mr.. Ward over Mrs
Wells was shown at that time, declare
Mr.. Billiard. when Mrs Wells immediate
ly took the part of Mr.. Ward agains
her step-daughter. saying that Anna ha
no right to know about the loss OF tn
bond, according to the testimony OF Mrs
| Sykes, and that Anna should carry tn
matter no further against Mr.. Ward. be
cause Mr.. Wards word was as good 4
his bond. Mr.. Buiiard characterized thi
as an Unnatural course to pursue. show
ing the influence which Mr.. Ward ha
gaiyed over Mrs. Wells.