The New York herald., 1920-01-24
Senator Lockwood TestifieS
She ForeSaw Poverty While
Enjoying Fortune.
HUSBANDS TIME AN ISSUE
Witness in S3,25o,OoO Will Case Says
She Protested at Price, Then Law
ished Money on Gratuities.

because of trifling sums spent on her in
valid husband. whose income amounted to
s4oo, 900, while she distributed gratuities out
or all proportion to services performed.
was painted Of Mrs. Rosa Z. Spang in the
Surrogate's Court yesterday by Charles
Z. Lockwood, State Senator.
Mrs. Spang died June q last, leaving an
estate of s, $50, 900. inherited from her hus-
band. Charles M. Spang,s steel manufac-
turer, Of Pittsburg. He died on February
II, 1919. His total fortune, approximated
ss,ooo.Ooo. half Of which went into a trust
fund for relatives, with provisions for its
reversion to charities. On the day before
Mrs. Spang's death she had her will drawn,
bequeathing the residue in trust for the
founding Of a home for "the relief Of pow
erty and distress among children" She
appointed as trustees George w. Wicker
sham, DR.. Henry Dwight Chaplin and
Colonel Michael Friedsam.
That will is being contested by her only
daughter, Mrs. Mabel Spang Crome Of
Copenhagen, Denmark, to whom was left
an annuity of $4,000 by her mother. which.
added to a legacy from her father, makes
nor total income $4,000 year.
Collected Strange Objects.
Senator Lockwood. who acted as Mr..
Spang's attorney for many years, de-
scrfbed the idiosyncrasies of the testatrix.
which on several occasions provoked
serious family differences and almost
ended in a separation between the Spangs.
10 ho1 t,z,x- a,-fv,, te
at the Waldorf photographs which
aroused his displeasure and a miniature
coffin He destroyed them after warning
MS wife she would have to cease collect
ing objectionable articles.
1t was the habit Of Mrs. Spang, said
Senator Lockwood, to invite strangers
into her apartments to look over her COL
lection. In October. 1915. she was attacked
and robbed of $1,000 worth of jewelry worn
on her nightgown and Mr.. Spang told his
wife that 1t was her chance acquaintances
who were responsible for the deed. He
expressed fear that they would be black
lacked and killed if Mrs. Spang continued
bringing strangers to their home, and
said he thought she was going insane.
When Mr.. Spang learned his admonition
was unheeded he called upon Senator
Lockwood, said the witness, to prepare
papers for separation, under which he
at the last moment changed his mind
about living apart, as his physicians had
advised him she was incompetent and ne
thought his friends would censure him il
he left his wife. Senator Lockwood said
the photographs which caused Mr.
Spang's diSpleasure were very obscene"
Again in the spring of 1916, testified
Senator Lockwood, another row took
place. but the couple were reconciled by
Iot- l.
rived from Europe. Mr.. Spang threatened
to leave his wife and she, although sew
enty-ono years old at the time, told him
to go ahead as she would marry a young
man she was in love with.
Mrs. Spang had taken this young man
to Saratoga the previous summer and paid
all his expenses" said Senator Lockwood.
Later Mr.. Spang paid him IS, 900 for the
return of some foolish letters she had
written him..
Objected to Cost Of Tonic.
After her husband suffered a stroke of
paralysis, which left him blind and help
less, Mrs Spang protested against ex-
penditures in hin behalf, and said they
we're on their way to the poorhouse unless
some one economical The lawyers showed
her that Mr.. Spang's income totalled
100000 a year, while his bank balance ap-
preached $350.Ooo but Mrs. Spang was in
SlSteHl tndt ninety Genus spent iOr a tonic
used by her husband each day was entirely
too much.
After making these protests Mrs Spang
would give belfboy 81 as a tip for de-
livering her two cent newspaper" con-
tinued Senator Lockwood. "She said she
could. not pay $12 a day for her rooms at
the Waldorf, and then selected a suite
costing SO Another time she looked over
the meal checks of nurses attending Mr.
nd co er1,,
gave the waiter $40 for bringing the checks
10 her When the nurses heard of her
complaint they were going to quit. and
we had to increase their pay from $40 to
so a week"
On many occasions Mrs. Spang expressed
disappointment because her husband did
not die, according to Senator Lockwood.
She was afraid he would outlive her and
thus prevent her from sharing his large
fortune. ''She wanted his physician re-
moved because he was prolonging Mr.
Spang's life" said Senator Lockwood. The
cost Of keeping Mr. Spang at the Waldorf
annoyed his wife, the witness said. and
she was anxious to have him taken to a
cheaper hotel.
prompted her to consider opening furnished
rooming houses in Pittsburs and New
York ''She said she would send notices
to members of all the clubs to which her
husband belonged, asking them to take
rooms, while she herself was going to
hire a hall bedroom" said Mr.. Lockwood.
Called Charity "Damn Fool PInn..
After her husbands death Mrs Spang
said he was a miser, who never gave any
thing to charities in his life and she
threatened to contest his will. the witness
declared. Mr.. Spang had been great
traveller during his lifetime, and when
friends inquired about his death she told
them he had gone on a hell of long
journey" His intention to take care of
charities she thought was damn fool
plan" Mr.. Lockwood related
Mrs. Spang never evinced interest In
children. and referred to them as "brats."
said Senator Lockwood, though she gave
practically all of her fortune TO take care
Of their welfare. She also had decided
views against giving to charity, saying the
money never went where II was intended.
Before closing his testimony for the day
Senator Lockwood told OF Mrs. Spang
once asking her husband for $4,000, and
his refusal to give her the money because
he thought she would squander Il. She
then cut her request down to s25, 900, then
to 5000. and accepted cheque for $1,000,
the witness told Edgar r.. Bracket at
torney for Mrs. Crome.
In behalf OF the proponents Henry W.
,Taft introduced testimony showing that
Mrs. Spang appeared free of coercion