The New York herald., 1922-01-28
.STEWARTGUARDIANS
FIGHT THEFT CHARGE
Ask for Referee to Check Up
On Handling Speedometer
Makers Estate.

The charge that Martin Taylor and
of the $6,000,OO0 estate of the late John
X. Stewart, have been "robbing the es-
tate at every opportunity" was made
yesterday before the Appellate Division
counsel for the opposition in the Stewart
litigation.
G. w. Field, counsel for the two adj
ministrators. replied that they were
tired of having mud thrown at them in
the shape of these absurd and ridicu-
lous charges" and asked that a referee
be appointed to determine the facts.
Mr.. Taylor and Mr.. La Chance have
Honeyman, Jr., daughter and sole sur
viving heir of John *. Stewart who
made fortune by manufacturing speed
ometers. On January 16 Surrogate Pei
letreau of Suffolk county terminated
their guardianship on the ground that
Mrs. Honeyman, being more than Is
years old. is of legal age in Illinois,
where she lives. and that the laws OF
Illinois must be respected in New York
State. The Surrogate also denied to
Messrs. Taylor and La Chance letters
OF administration on the estate Of Jean
Stewart, Mrs. Honeyman sister. who
died last October
Guardians Make Appeal.
The guardians appealed from this or
der. and it was on their application for
a stay of execution pending the appeal
that argument was heard by the Appel
| late Division.
Their attorney, M. Field, told the
court that Surrogate Pelletreau had
reached his decision by "some legal fic-
| ton which j can't understand He
contended that the guardians must con-
| tinue as such until Mrs. Honeymar
| reaches the age of q years. He wished
to have referee appointed so that his
clients could be protected against the
making Of charges anywhere and every
where" He said 1t was ''sickening" tc
have to keep denying falsehoods ano
| that the charges ought to be disposed
of once and for ALL
| In reply, Mr.. Honeyman said that the
Surrogate had based his ruling on the
law alone, and that If he had passed or
| questions of misconduct he would have
removed the guardians on that score as
we'll.
Nobody asked for Taylor" Mr.
| Honeyman continued HE was the per.
sonat choice of Justice Strong, then the
| Surrogate. Property in Chicago was sac
rificed and slaughtered They would
give Mrs. Honeyman $50 or 500 month
for her expenses at the same time they
were allegedly spending from $4,000 tc
| $4,000 a year for her maintenance. Al
A. - Al.
La Chance was merely director. Now
he is president Of one company ant
chairman of the board of the other. with
large stockholdings in both and collect
ing salaries from both. A suit against
the Chicago administrator was com
promised for s25o.000. That sum wa.
sent to the administrators here and wa.
paid out by him In payment OF the com
| promise. and they charged the estate
and took commissions on the s250.00t
received and paid out. These guardians
and administrators already are entitle,
| TO fees and commissions aggregatnt
S50O,000. and yet they must multiply thu
charges against the estate"
Valuable Tapestries Conc.
Mr.. Honeyman said that valuabl,
tapestries which were in Mrs. Stewart:
| California bungalow are missing, ant
that Mrs. Honeyman reports La Chance!
home in Los Angles as having man,
| things in 1t which belonged to hel
| mother.
Presiding Justice Blac<mar reserved
decision, and told Mr.. Field that hi!
clients could make answer in additiona
briefs. which are being prepared.
| Mr.. Taylor, who is a lawyer with al
office at 100 Broadway. said last night:
"All the charges are untrue, and not 9
scrap Of evidence to sustain them ha!
been offered. We have vouchers fol
every cent that was ever paid out. Al
commissions have been paid In accord.
ance with the law and court orders"
| Mr.. Taylor said he could not state ex
actIy the sun received as fees and com
missions by himself and Mr. La Chance
but he thought it was little. II any, more
than 5000. 900.