The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1921-09-01
FOR MURRAY
MILLIONS IS ON
HEIRS OF RICH MONTANA MIN
ING MAN START BATTLE
OVER LARGE ESTATE
Property Involved Includes Boulder
Hot Springs Hotel, Which Stands
in the Name of James f. Murray,
Butte Nephew, and Three Office
Buildings in Seattle.

James Il. Murray, an eccentric
Butte mining man and banker,
died a few months ago leaving
an estate worth from 10,0OO,-
600 to SIS, 900, 900. His heirs
consist of Mrs. Mary III. Murray,
his wife, who was formerly Mrs.
George Haldorn; Stuart Hal
dorm, step son; James E. Murray,
a nephew who is a well known
Butte lawyer, and other blood
relatives. Whether the blood re-
Iatives are to retain property
decided to them, or given them
through certificates in the
Monida Trust company, to which
most of his wealth was transfer
red, or will revert to the widow
and stepson will be determined
in the suit now pending before
Judge Lyman III. Bennett of
Virginia City and its ultimate
termination in the higher courts.
Judge Bennett of Virginia City,
sitting in chambers in Butte by
stipulation, heard arguments on a
special demurrer attacking the right
of Henry G.. Smith, special adj
ministrator of the Murray estate, to
sue for the annulment of the Monidah
Trust company and the setting aside
of deeds to property conveyed to the
blood relatives.
The property involved, estimated
to be worth several million dollars,
is claimed by the relatives who are
contesting the Murray will, as gifts
from MI. Murray and are declared by
Henry C. Smith, representing the
widow and stepson at Monterey, to
have been decided only nominally,
Mr.. Murray's intention, it is alleged,
having been to repose title in trust
for business reasons only. In this
property is included an office build
ing in Tacoma, decided or given to
the nephew, three office buildings
in Seattle, including the one oc-
cupied by the American Trust and
Savings company, given to the widow,
Mary H. Murray, and stepson, stocks
and bonds given to Miss May Murray,
a niece, at Seattle, Boulder Hot
Springs in Montana given to j. E.
Murray and other property in Mon
tana given to nephews or Mr.. Muir
sisters.
The petition for leave to intervene,
counsel for the nephews here
said would be filed by the first wife
of James A. Murray, is held in abey-
ance and this action and the contest
of the validity of the will itself are
the only ways remaining through
which the blood relatives can hope to
share in the vast estate if the case
now pending before the Virginia City
Judge is won by the special admin
If the demurrer is overruled and
Smiths request for the annulment of
the Monidah Trust company and the
consequent setting aside of the deeds
to blood relatives as requested, the
Monidah Trust company would be
propertyless and the property now
held by it would revert to the estate
and, according to the terms of the
Murray will, would go virtually en-
tirely to the widow and stepson in
Monterey.
. The 1000 shares of the Monidah
Trust company claimed to have been
decided in the will to James E. Muir
ray of Butte would also be without
The Boulder Hot Springs property
stands in the name of James E. Muir
-ay, nephew of the late James A.
Murray, a deed having ben filed some
line ago. The property was trans
to James E. Murray by the
Monidah Trust company, which
corporation held all the property be-
to the late Montana mill
ionaire.
Henry G. Smith, attorney for Mrs.
Mary H. Murray, and special adj
Illustrator of the Murray estate In
Montana, brought suit in Jefferson
against James E. Murray,
he Monidah Trust company, R. B.
Ialonde, e. L, Chapman and William
". Knox, asking that the transfer of
he property be set aside, on the
that James e. Murray, at the
ime of his death, was sole owner Of
III of the property of the Monidah
rust company. The court was asked
0 declare the transfer of the property
.ull and void, and James E. Murray
e required to convey the property
o Henry G. Smith as special adj
Illustrator.