New-York tribune., 1920-10-09
ArOcena Heirs
Win Over Girl
In Will Fight
Referee Says Miss Carreras
Has No Claim on Estate
of Aged Spaniard, Even
Though Living Together
$lO,OOO at Stake
Legatec Described as Man
Devoid of Morals, Who
Deserted Another Woman

Louis O. Van Doren, as referee, filed
his report in the Surrogates' Court
yesterday, with the finding that the
called herself Mrs. Consuelo Carreras
Arocena, was not the wife Of Rafael
Arocena, a Spanard, who was seventy
two at the time of his death in June,
1919, and therefore was not entitled to
any share in Arocena's estate, said to
be valued at about S1O,oOO,00O.
Mr.. Arocena and Miss Carreras lived
at the Hotel Plazo as husband and
wife. When his will was filed and
the young woman found there was no
provision in the document for her she
fled objections to the probate, assert
ing that she was the common law wife
of the wealthy Spaniard and had
widows interest in the estate.
Forgeries Alleged
Referee Van Doren reported that the
alleged widow not only failed to sup
port her contention that she became
the wife of Mr.. Arocena by oral Agrce-
mcnt, but that certain exhibits were
presented to strengthen this claim that
were forgery and deserved the atten-
tion of the criminal authorities. Mr..
Van Doren said there was bungling
effort to deceive the court.
Mr.. Arocena, born in Spain, went to
Mexico when young man and made
Lis fortune in business there He be-
came political exile in 1914 and came
to this city. 1t was in New York that
he net Miss Carreras. Mr.. Arocena
led a life of luxury here. The testi-
mony taken by the referee also showed
that he lived with another woman in
Mexico and was the father of her two
children. After leaving this woman.
ne sent her regular allowances, which
are now continued by the executor of
Mr.. Arocena's will
francisco Arocena, nephew of Mr..
Arocena, married the daughter Of his
uncle by the Mexican woman. The
beneficlarlcs OF the large estate now
IN dispute are the two children of this
marriage. Mr.. Arocena was a witness
at the marriage of his nephew and his
natural daughter When he an
nounced himself as a single man. unon
the signing Of the usual declarations
at 'uch functions, his daughter
tainted.
Disgraced Own Daughter
"Decedent's acts abundantlv estab-
nshed,' said the referee, SHOW his
dlsdaln for marriage as sacred in
st'tution and evince a certain lack Of
moral sense. an absence of shame and
lack OF feeling toward the woman he
called his wife and with whom ho
lived in Mexico for twentv-three
years OF her youth, and even toward
ms daughter, whom he did not hest
tate to disgrace in lrr cry presence"
The record of the case shows int
M Arocena bought jcwery valued III
$4,000 for Miss Carreras. Scveral
witnesses testified that the Spaniard
mad introduced the young Cuban
woman as his wife. Notwithstardino
tins, Mr.. Van Doren reported that Mr
Arocena "all his life avoided entering
the sacred and responsible obigations
OF life" always buying his immunity
for his acts from the women With
whom he had for forty years main
tanned relations.
The referee characterized as q for
gerry letter submitted which pur-
ported to be one written by Mr.. Aro-
cena to Mrs Myra Kingman Miller.
writer and lecturer, in which he is
quoted as saying that he had married