Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-05-13
MRS. SYKES TELLS
HOW TROUBLE STARTED
Step. Daughter of Late Mrs.
Wells and One of Contestants
in Will Case Reveals Much
Family History While on Wit.
ness Stand

Anna Wells Sykes step-daughter OF
the late Effie r. p. Wells. testatrix of
the will now being contested in county
court was the chief witness for the
contestants Yesterday. Mrs Sykes, who
Is one of the contestants, told the story
of how the trouble between herself and
her step-mother started and of the
family relations which had previously
existed, both before and after the
death of her father, Edward Wells.
According to the testimony Of Mrs.
Sykes. the relations between herself
and her step-mother had always been
most affectionate up to 1914, when the
matter Of tho lost bond came up. Mrs.
Sykes said that she was abroad In the
summer Of 1914, and heard nothing
about the lost bond until Just before
she sailed for home in the fall. AS soon
as she got back to this country she
came to Burlington to get the children.
who had been with their ranimother
through the summer.
Then, in talking with Mrs. Wells.
Mrs, Sykes learned, she said, that the
bond had been lost in November 1913,
and that Mr.. Ward had told Mrs. Wells
about IL at the time it was lost. But he
had not told her. MRS Sykes) any
thing about II, even though they had
met early in June. just before she had
gone to Europe.
Mrs. Sykes first information about
the lost bond came through a letter
from an attorney in Boston. Mr.. South
ard. while Mrs. Sykes was in London.
In talking the matter over with Mrs.
Wells Mrs. Sykes said that her mother
took the stand that Mr.. Southari ought
not to have written Anna about 1t, that
she had no right to know about it. Mrs.
Wells said. also, that the matter should
go no further that Mr.. Wards word
was as good as his bond. and that it
was not a serious matter. anyway.
At a later interview. when Mr.. Ward
was present Mrs. Wells told Mrs.
Sykes. so she testified. that the mat
ter should go no further. that IL Anna
fought Mr.. Ward, she (Anna) would
have to fight her (Mrs. wells). Mrs.
Sykes said that Mrs. Wells declared
that she would spend every cent
she had to help Mr.. Ward. if
Anna carried the matter fur
Their. Mrs. Wells seemed to think. the
witness said, that Mrs. Sykes was max =
ing personal matter out of the lost
bond affair, even though she told her
mother that that was not the case, that
it was simply matter of business and
that she wanted it carried out in a
business-like way.
Copies OF letters written by Mrs.
Sykes in reply to letters written by
Mrs. Wells to Mrs. Sykes. already In
, troduced In the case were read. In the
letters Of Mrs Wells she had upbraid-
ed Anna for the stand she had taken
In regard to Mr. Ward. In the first re-
~,
apparently she did not understand the
whole matter. The letter said. among
other things, that Mrs. Sykes believed
! that II her father were alive. he wNuld
| side with her in the matter. and Anna
asked Mrs. Wells If she would not
give Mr.. Cushing, Mrs. Sykes lawyer,
n conference, in order that he might
explain Annals point of view.
The second letter which Mrs. Wells
wrote in this connection. Mrs. Sykes
did not answer. In answer to the third
! letter. Mrs. Sykes wrote Mrs. Wells
that she (Mrs. Wells) had no more
right to interfere In this matter than
would she (Anna) have to NEEDLE In
the personal affairs of her mother
Mrs. Sykes further wrote that nothing
| would be done to harm her fathers
memory or the memory Of her deceas-
ed uncles, but as to others. every con :
alteration had been given them and II
they were injured now 1t would not be
because of what she (Anna) had done
but because of what they had done
Mrs. Sykes said that there never had
been any trouble between herself and
Mrs. Wells up to the time of the diff
ference over the bond matter that Mrs
Wells had always been like a mother
to her and was very fond of the chill
dren. Martha and Elizabeth. At Mrs
Wells invitation. the children spent
nearly every summer with her in Bur-
lington. up to 1915. During several OF
these summers. Mr. and Mrs. Sykes were
, in Europe. Mrs. Sykes testified that
she and Mr.. Sykes always paid half
Of the running expenses of the house
when they left the children there with
Mrs. Wells. The children did not come
to Burlington during the summer of
1915. because there was infantile para
| lysis in the city. and physicians ad-
.vis5d that it would be better for them
not to come. 1t was not because of any
I