The evening world., 1920-08-19

T.
Walker, and that the latter is not,
after all, to enjoy the benefits Of any
such sum as 100000.
BELIEVE ESTATE WILL BE FAR
LESS THAN S50,oo0,o0O.
And some of them even go so far
as to doubt that the residuary estate
viii be found to be anywhere near
20 large as that, because great for
tunes have deprecated lately all over
Athe world.
Y As for the suggestions Of contest
iof the Searles will which have popped
up on the horizon in the last few
days, the one in which the name of
Albert Victor Searles, the million
aires nephew. is mentioned has
caused most comment.
This young man, an artist, received
S25O,OOO by the terms Of the will She
townspeople seem to think 1t scarcely
likely he will try to break the will
because, one of them pointed out,
young Victor was not over-popu-
lar with his uncle" Indeed, this same
man said Mr.. Searles cared so little
for his nephew that when the latter
once went to Pine Lodge to see his
uncle he was refused admittance.
TO a great number of the towns
folk-it is difficult to imagine Meth
uen as a city though 1t is one, Of
flcially-even the name of Mr.. Walk
81 was a surprise. He was known
as one of the many employees Of the
millionaire, known perhaps to a few
as a most trusted employee, one who
enjoyed the confidence of the strange
man who lived so lonesomely behind
the high stone walls of his estates.
He was known, too, as one who
made constant visits 10 Pine Lodge,
the fortress which Mr.. Searles built
for himself on the site of his mothers
old home here. But from all ac-
Asounts no one 40 much as dreamed
that to this comparatively unfamil-
lar Mr. Walker would be left the
huge remainder OF the Searles es-
tate. Yet there it was in black anil
white in the will as the townsfolk
read II.
IL was drawn at Methuen on July.
"a last, less than a month ago. and
stated very clearly, in the eighteenth
provision, that "All the rest, residue
and remainder or my property and es-
tate, both real and personal. OF what
ever kind and wherever situated Of
which shall die possessed. and any
property over which l may have any
power of appointment at the time of
my death, give, devise and bequeath
unto my friend Arthur II. Walker, his
heirs and assigns, absolutely and in
fee simple forever"
Nothing could have been made clear
er than that, and II would seem that
Mr.. Walker has come into possession
and enjoyment of about $4,000, 900.
But the townsfolk are not inclined to
read literally the absolutely and in
fee simple forever part of the be-
quest to Mr.. Walker.
1t Is not that any one of the people
begrudges Mr.. Walker a penny of the
Searles estate. Mr.. Searles vas
man who did as he pleased and every
one recognizes his right to dispose Of
his estate as he pleased. They rust
feel, somehow, that what looks now
like a royal gift to an old employee,
will turn out to be n great sum for
administration IN accordance with ex-
pressed wishes. They do not doubt
that Mr.. Walker will have some Ct It
for himself. because Mr.. Searles had
A1~Yarm friendship for him and keen
faith in his administrative abilities
and rewarded him for hts faithful
ness, but they believe, II one may
pervert an old saying. that there's
a string in the woodpile" and that it's
tied to some OF those millions.
II should be said that while the