The New York herald., 1921-10-07
COUNTESS'S LAWYER
finds RICHES Shrink
Only $4,000 Left of Posi-
BILE Million in the Estate
of Mrs. GriswOld.
TESTATOR DRUG USER
Second Husband and Others
Testify She Was IncOm-
petent to Make Will.
MISSING GEMS UNTRACED
Mrs. Drischman, Beneficiary,
Admits Selling Property With
out Adequate Returns.
MISSING GEMS UNTRACED

special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
ATLANTIC CITY. Oct. 6.-Mrs. Mary H.
Drischman, wife of retired butcher,
trustee for the last five years of the
estate of Mrs. Alice Gerry Griswold
wolds will. testified before Judge In
gersoll in Orphans Court this after
noon that nothing remains of the
estate but three mortgages on Atlantic
City real estate worth approximately
$4,000. A previous witness. the for
mer manager of the Griswold estate.
had testified that when he turned the
estate over to Mrs. Drischman its value
was at least 100000, with a gross in
come Of $4,000 year and a net in
come OF $22 1000.
Mrs. Drischman was the principal
witness to-day in the hearings which
are to decide a contest instituted
against the probate Of the will by the
Countess Claire di Contubia of Milan,
q daughter Of Mrs. Griswold, who was
cut off with $500, and who charges
that her mother was not of testa-
mentary capacity and was unduly in
fiuenced by Mrs. Drischman.
Doubt Mrs. GriswolT's sanity.
Testimony along this line has been Of
fcred. and to-day several persons testi-
fed that they did not consider Mrs.
Griswold competent to make a WILL One
Of these was physician, who said that
Mrs. Griswold was not n sane person.
nrlt r.A
Mrs. Griswold's second husband. who
said that she had been addicted. to the
use of drugs since 1886.
Mrs. Drischman was cross-examined
for three hours by attorneys for the
Countess di Contubia. The attitude of
the spectators was so plainly antagonis-
tic toward her that several times the
court threatened to clear the room II
the demonstrations did not cease. One
of these occasions was when some
women snickered after Mrs. Drlschman,
telling of the death Of her brother. broke
down and wept. The crowd also became
restless when Mrs. Drischman, after
denying that Carlton Godfrey ever had
been her attorney, admitted paying him
several thousand dollars for closing out
property belonging to the Griswold
estate in Portsmouth. N. Fl.
Attorney Cole. representing the
Countess di Contubia. drew from Mrs.
Drischman the details Of several trans
actions in which property belonging to
the Griswold estate had been exchanged
and transferred until 1t stood finally in
Mrs. Drischman's name. One Of these
was $4,000 property in Little Rock
avenue. This property was transferred
BY Mrs. Drischman, as trustee OF the
Griswold estate. to the Binder Realty
Corporation, which was controlled by
Mrs. Drischman's sister and nephew
The corporation then transferred the
property to Mrs. Drischman.
Compensation Inadequate.
Mrs. Drischman also admitted that
the st. Clair apartments worth about
$4,000. had been transferred by her
as trustee to one Gil Smith and then
transferred by Smith to Mrs. Drisch-
mans sister. In reply to questions
asked by Attorney Cole. Mrs. Drisch-
man admitted that the estate had re-
ceived no adequate compensation for
either of these properties. She added
in each case.
THAT was the way Mrs. Griswold
wanted Ii because we had been kind
to her."
Attorney Cole spent some time try
ing to learn the whereabouts of the
Griswold jewels. sal ID to be worth about
$4,000. Mrs. Drischman said that she
had sold some Of them to Baltimore
jewcller for $4,000, which sum was
applied on the mortgage Of the Drsch-
man apartments. owned at one time by
Mrs. Griswold. but now owned by Mrs
Drischman. She denied that she had
ever shown O bucketful OF jewels to Mrs.
Mary Rosch. as Mrs. Rosch testified
on Wednesday.
Mr.. Stewart, testifyng regard ing the
mental condition of Mrs. Griswold. men,
toned several drugs to the use OF
which she was addicted He said
that six years after he married her
she lost her mind completely and had
TO spend some time in New Hampshire
before she recovered. When she re-
turned to Baltimore. he said, she re-
suned the use of drugs. He also testi-
fed that he drew number OF wills
for his wife. in each of which she left
all OF her property to the Countess
III Contubia.
John II. Cross. who managed the
Grswold property for twelve years be- !
fore turning II over TO Mrs Drisch-
man. testified that with careful man.
agement the estate would now be worth
a million dollars
Mrs. Drischman refused to answer
many questions regarding the manage
ment OF the estate because she said she
must first look at her books. These,
she said. were locked up and her sister
had the key.
The hearings will be continued to-
KLOOR OF BALLOON