Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-17
GR|SWOLD ESTATE
TRANSFERS TRACED
Carlton Godfrey Denies He
Charged Excessive Fee in
Selling Maine Properties
SHOWS LETTER IN PROOF

Special Dispatch to Evening Public L"do"r
Atlantic City, Oct. II. - Carlton
Godfrey, former Speaker of the New
Jersey Assembly, one Of the attorneys
for Mrs. Mary RI. DrischmNn, took the
stand in the Grisuold will contest this
morning to refute the charge that he
had taken excessive fees from the estate
when he served as counSe p"ior - me
death of Mrs. Alice Gerry Griswold.
Mr.. Godfrey presented letter signed
by Mrs. Griswold authorizing him to
search for and dispose Of any property
she might have in Portland. Me-, on n
| 25 per cent CONTINGENT fee basis. 1t
was in pursuance of this agreement, Mr.
Godfrey testified that he charged
500. 900 fee for selling the Griswold In
terest in the Mninc property for SOC, 600;
(;odfrev testified that Mrs. Griswold
always referred to her first husband,
William Melville Patterson, in the
highest terms, but wns bitter in her
denuncfation of both David Stewart and
! Francis u. Griswold, her second and
third husbands.
The name of the late Charles j. Bona
parte, former United States Attorney
General, was brought in by Mr.. God:
frey, who said that Mr.. Bonapnrtc ana
Mrs. Griswold, had controversy over
ground rents in Baltimore.
Says Widow Criticized Daughter
Mr.. Godfrey said that at one time
Mrs. Griswold instructed him to proceed
legally against Mr. Bonapartc. but that
the proposed suit was not pressed. lie
testified that Mrs. Griswold frequently
talked to him as if her relations were
not pleasant with the countess, while
on the other hand. she always prai ed
Mrs. Drischman in the highest terms.
did it ever occur to you that Mrs.
Griswold had a dual mindT' he ask"'
Clarence l.. Cole, chief counsel for the
countess. ~ mean was she pclH"n
who would write one thing today and
the direct opposite tomorrow
Il couldn't say answered Mr.. Cod
frey. ,
How do you reconcile the letters
produced by the proponCnt of this Will,
in which Mrs. Griswo.d denounced her
daughter. and the letters produced by
the contestant, in which she refers to
| her daughter in most afcctionate
terms" asked Judge Cole.
| II wouldn't dare to comment, re-
Piled Mr.. Godfrey.
"In your prcviols testimony you
stated that Mrs Grisw old. TO, your
mind, was brilliant woman. honest
dealing and intelligent in business
transactions, said Judge Col. "Now
you wouldn't think that She would nt-
tpmpt to de ,civc any one by writing
letters which are - contradictrr
~ wouldn't say what she might do v
rcnlicd the witness.
Prior to his taking the witness stand
Godfrey had been identified by another
witness as the attorney for Mrs. Drlsch-
man. despite Mrs. D7schman aSscr-
tions that Godfrey had always been the
attorney for Mrs. Griswold and had
never represented her in any transa .
tions involving the Griswold property
Dummy Corporation Formed
That Godfrey, however, was attorney
for Mrs. Drischman when the liindrr
Realty CORPORATION was dissolved was
testified to bv Wilbur Zimmerman, a
witness for the defense, who told Of the
organization of the dummy corporation
70 enable Mrs. Griswold to give the
$40 600 Little Rock avenue residence
to Mrs. DrisChman.
b According to Zimmerman. the property
was transferred by Mrs. Drlschman As
trustee to the Binder Realty Corpora :
ton, which had been orgnui2cd to take
title 70 this p"operty. AZ the time the
corporation was organized, Zimmerman
hold one share Of stock, one share was
held by Louis Kuchnlc, eight shares by
, Mrs. Louise Blizzard, Mrs. Drisch
mans sister. and 400 shares by Mrs
Griswod. After the title to the resi-
3 dpnce was passed to the corporation
] Mrs. Griswold turned over her 41C
/ shares Of stock to Mr.. Drschman. The
| corporation then dc dcd the property tc
Mrs. Drischman personally, and thu
! corporation was dissolved.
t 'Whcre are the books of this cor
! poration." asked Judge Clarence |.
\ Cole. chief counsel for the Countess da
COnturbia.
II sent the stock book and the min
utc book to Mr. GodfrryS ottirr.' an
e,ycrcd the witness. "IIc was the lawyer
. retained by Mrs. Drischmun TO dissolve
] the corporations.
Zimmerman testified to the transfer
Of other Griswold properties through
dummies during th" administration ~
Mrs. Drischman rs trustee. and sai'
s that in one ease man named GIL Smitt
Y '',yas paid for his services in acting n
, straw man.
. Mrs. Griswold Careful In Business
| ON direct examination, Zimmcrmaf
e said that Mrs. GriSwold had repeatedly
: talked to him Of her personal affairs
| and that on one OCCASION she said:
"Whcn ] make q win intend tc
. leave my property TO those who have
i been good TO me,
e "DId she say whom she had il
; mIndT.
u "No.'
Zimmerman insisted that Mrs. Girls