The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-05-09

What a fatal blunder to creep into that "win''-
who wrote that deadly error into that will"f Shons
knew better Shonts never made such preposterous oun
der Shonts in his right mind would never have signed
will which he knew utterly wrong.
Shonts drew that agreement in 1917 for purpose
to buy his freedom to run around with the Thomas woman
without being called to by his wife Shons pro-
vided for monthly allowance for his wife and daughters
which he didn't live up to.
Shonts knew thoroughly well Just what that agree
ment of 1917 was He knew there was no provision lot
his wife after his deathasde from the $lOoOo indeot'
edness. 1t was merely q modus vivendi, scheme 1or
buying his freedom No mention Of DEATH Wills bequests
Either Shonts never knew he was signing will when
he signed his name that July day-or Shonts was 20
feeble minded SO utterly gone mentally that he tried to
make stagger at a will that was crazy.
Amanda will try to have that will accepted by the
Surrogate Nco her friend and adviser and one OF the
executors has already moved to have it probated the
Surrogate accepts wrongly he will be overrued by the
higher court which has already said Mrs. Shons had
right to treat the alleged will as nullity"
If Amanda Thomas and her "wil' are thrown out,
then WHAT
At once three orIsr wills open to probate, and
these three wills show the progress of the influence of the
Thomas
The earliest of all the Shons wills made in 1905,
before Shonts had ever met Mrs Thomas And this was
lust such will as would be expected of loving husband
and father. The very first paragraph Is ths;
FIRST. To my wife, Mia D. Shonts bequeath the
sum One Million Dollars SIoooooo) absolutely, this
amount being my indebtedness to her.
And then to wife and each daughter he bequeaths one.
third each of his fortune. No my friend Amanda in
this will of 1906 The wife and daughters had not at that
time ruined his life as Mrs Thomas plantively wrote
her lawycr-and the sunshine of her own wholesome
friendship had not yet entered ShontsS life.
But the very next year Shonts and Mrs Thomas met
Things moved rapidly. BY 1911 Shonts fussing and
writing bullying letters his neglected wife and daugh
ters He had quit them and taken over Amanda-morn-
ing and night the Thomas woman kept sharp eye
on him. and in 1916 Shonts fixed up new will OF very
different kind-very different from the 1905 will.
Instead Of 100000 and one-thrd of his estate to
Mrs Shonts he gives her a $1,000 life insurance policy
and life interest in $4,000 But Amanda Thomas
figures in the will, and she is given life interest in
100000 trust fund Mrs Thomas 100000, Mrs Shonts
$5O000 and after their deaths the funds to go to
found Shonts Memorial Hospital
Next year, 1917, Shonts makes another will on just
about the lines the 1916 WILL except that he leaves
the trust funds establish Shonts Memorial Endow-
ment in the Post Graduate School and Hospital
And there is said to be fifth will made in 1918 Mrs.
Thomas and her friends will be forced to file this missing
will there is such will What it contains is not known
to certainty.
And then there Is the "last WILL" in which Mrs.
Thomas gets the big end of it, the "wll at which the
Supreme Court Justices have pointed the finger Of
ing and suspicion, "at most a pretended will"
Which Of these five wills is going to be finally ac-
ccpted by the courtsf