The New York herald., 1921-11-26
CRUDE EASTON Will
RECEIVED BY MAIL
Pencilled Document Gives
S250,000 Left by Woman
Recluse to Daughter
UNKNOWN TO FAMILY
Mrs. Johnson Named as
Beneficiary Visited I'm
dertaker Here.
THEN RETURNED WEST
sWill' Tells of Quarrel With
Josephine and Injustice
Done to Her.
THEN RETURNED WEST

A strange life In It's later years was
that OF Mrs. Margaret Easton of 90
lutnam avenue, Brooklyn. and her
oeath was equally 80, for she sat in
her rocking chair and died and sat
there so for many hours before any
one found her. In due time 1t was
found that, although she had lived in
squalor. she owned a fortune of
s250,0o0.
She died on Saturday, October 2s.
On the following Monday the Brook
lyn police received this telegram from
Bloomville Ohio:
please have undertaken hold body
of Mrs. Margaret Easton until I ar
rive. If she is or is not buried notify
me at once. Mrs r. D. johnson"
The undertaken. J. J. Sullivan of 4s6
Ciasson avenue. wired that the funeral
had been arranged for Wednesday, No
venaber 2, end would take place. 1t did,
and Mrs. Easton was buried In Green
wood Cemetery beside her husband
James Easton. who had been employed
by the Mutual Life Insurance Company
and died In 1914.
Two days after the funeral SOM
berly dressed woman past middle age
called on the undertaken and told him
she was Mrs. +. D. johnson OF Bloom
VILE, Ohio. She said she was daughter
of Mrs Easton, that her name had been
Josephine Easton. This astonished the
undertaken. for all the old friends OF the
F,astons whom he had seen had told
him they had only one daughter. Flor
ence, who died thirty years ago. and
whose grave Is In the family plot In
Greenwood Cemetery. Mrs. Johnson had
little more to say. The undertaken asked
her where she was born. She said ION
Long Island" without specifying where.
She said her parents had placed her ir
q convent and that she had left 1t and
there was long separation from her
parents, but she said she had letters at
home proving she was Mrs. Easton's
daughter. She left the undertakers shop
and he saw her no more.
No will of Mrs. Easton could be found.
Yesterday the postman left large
envelope in the Brooklyn S-rrogatc's Of
flee. 1t was postmarked New York.
November 23. 10 p. NJ" addressed
CLERK for Surrogates Court, New York
city. Brooklyn, N. "" and further in
scribed: Found in 90 Putnam street
to-day. Found by on outsider who does
not wish to be mixed In the affair on
account OF friendship. VIII OF Margaret
Easton, June 3. 1921"
The will" thus nysteriously dis
closed is pencilied on q regular lawyers
form for such documents by some one
who apparently had little knowledge of
spelling, capitalization or punctuation.
IT bequeath." II says, my two trunks
with my close an my geweiery to my two
neices Allene and Marie and my house
which now live in on Putnam st to go
Allen and the Money on deposits to go
TO my husbands daughter Josephine who
lives some Where In Ohio Residence un-
known. This instrument being drawn
by John v. Bacot with my hand helping
the Pencil for am not able TO write
but i hold the Pencil as he moves my
hand and this instrument remains in Mr..
Bacots Possession until 1t is Probated.
was at outs with Josephine and my De-
ceased husband willed her his money In
1911 and l tore the will up and burned
up and I am sorry for all / did and
said. But now confess II Is all wrong
and there must be no fussing over this
will for what have done ! have done"
Tho "will'' then leaves the whole re-
siduary estate to Josephine johnson Ito
satisfy the Last will and testament OF
James Easton, deceased" and ends: II
V. Bacot. my attorney, Of New York to
be administrator" The date Is June 9,
1891. and the pencilled signatures. all In
handwriting resembling childs. John
v. Bacot." Samuel Clark" and Mar
seret Easton." The first mans name is
apparently spelled "Bacot" in some
places and in others "Bocat." No John
". Bacot or Bocat Is listed In Manhat-
tan or Brooklyn directories. Henry A.
Vieu. attorney for the administrators.
says the will is obviously fake"
Pressed for a New YORK mailing ad-
dress at the time OF her visit to him
the woman. who said she was Mrs +.
d. or Josephine johnson of Bloom
vile. Ohio, said she was staying tenn
porarily in lodging house at Sl7 West
Fourteenth street. The proprietor OF
that lodging house said last night he
knew of no Mrs. Johnson and that no
one from Ohio had had a room there
Within hfo