The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-06-06
ALSO W|NSFORTUNE
And HER B|RTHRlGHT
Mrs. Ellis Is Declared Chief
Heir of Chapman Estate
After 35 Years.
ROMANCE IN LAWSUIT
Marriage in Gretna Green
in 1910 Passed On Now
in New York Court.
PRAYERBOOK GIFT CITED
Justice Burr Draws Parallel of
Love Affair With One At
fecting Henry VIII.

Mrs Louise c. Ellis, 80 years old.
and for many years a resident of
Brooklyn, was yesterday conclusively
determined to be the daughter of the
late George M. Chapman, and sole
heir-atrlaw of an extensive estate left
by him at his death nearly thirty-fve
years ago, according to a lengthy de-
cision handed down by Supreme Court
Justice William p. Burr.
AS a result of the decision, Mrs.
Ellis. after fourscore years Of illegfti-
macy before the law. is in a position
to inherit part Of the estate, which
is said to be worth at least $4,000.
Property already bequeathed in trust
funds to Hawley Chapman, described
as Mr.. Chapman's natural son." will
twenty-five other relatives may now
come within the claim Of Mrs. Ellis
as her fathers sole and direct Eeir.
Samuel Keller and the Title Guaran-
tee and Trust Company are ordered
to render an accounting of the estate
and pay to Mrs. Ellis amounts includ-
ing surplus income which she has not
received since her fathers death.
Estate Was Extensive One.
Mr.. Chapman. who had extensive real
estate holdings in Brooklyn and Man
haitian, died September 80, 1887, leaving
the bulk of his property according to a
will filed in New York county, to Mr..
and Mrs. Hawley Chapman. Hawley
Chapman. in 1896, conveyed his interest
in the estate to his mother. Louise w.
Wyeth, also known as Louise w. Chap
man, according to the recital Of evidence
set forth in Justice Burr's decision. She
died In the same year. leaving her prop
crty in trust to the Title Guarantee and
Trust Company, the income OF the fund
to be paid for the support Of her son
Hawley and to his possible heirs.
Mrs Ellis claimed to be the legitimate
daughter and heir Of her fathers prop
erty by reason of his marriage to Jane
Compton Wells in Gretna Green. Scot
land, in 1910.
''It is admitted by all parties to the
action that Louise w. Chapman, mother
OF Hawley Chapman. was never mar
ried to George NJ. Chapman" wrote JUS
tice Burr. st being conceded in the
trial and the evidence being clear and
uncontradicted that the plaintiff, Louise
Ellis, is the daughter of George NJ Chap
man, a strong presumption of her legiti-
macy Immediately arises and In the abb
sence of evidence rebutting such pre-
sumption Of law it is conclusive"
Mrs. Ellis was born in 1912. and five
years later her parents came to the
United States, living for time at 66
mother in 1855 was sent to New Jer-
sey farm suffering from brain fever.
Prayerbook In Evidence.
Justice Burr attaches significance to a
childhood gift, a prayerbook, showing
attendance at st. AIMS Protestant Epis-
copaI Church, with this inscription on
the fly leaf:
ITO Louise from her papa, G. M. c.
Louise c. Chapman, 1851"
Subsequently 1t appeared from the
summarized testimony that Mr.. Chap
man desired to marry Miss Wyeth. but
on advice of counsel, according to one
of the witnesses, he held that he could
not legally do so. In this Justice Burr
round occasion to strike parallel with
history in the person Of Henry VIII. OF
England and wrote
George M. Chapman was apparently
content with his wife and entertained
no doubts as to the legality of his
marriage until he desired possession of
another woman. Like King Henry VIII.
he then began to have conscientious
scruples,' but as in the Kings case, so
with Chapman, 1t was not really that
doubt as to his marriage has crept too
near his conscience but rather that his
conscience has crept too near another
lady,"
HawIey Chapman, who has been In a
sanitarium at Whitestone, L.. l., for
about twenty years. appeared at one
time on the stage with Joseph Jeffer-
son and Edwin Booth as Godfrey Haw-
ley, IL Is said