The Washington herald., 1922-08-28
mo Wills LEFT
By NOR1nCLFFE
START CONTESTS
Last Instrument Made
Week Before His Death
Gives Widow Control.
FIGHT FOR TIMES
Litigants Agree to Appeal to
Court-Five Caveats
Filed.
FIGHT FOR TIMES

LONDON, Aug. 27.-Sensational
developments affecting the disposal
of the huge publishing enterprises
of the late viscount Northcliffe, in
ciuding the future of the London
Times. are now promised.
Assertions that the great pub
Usher left two wills. one executed
shortly before his death, led to pre-
atetions that a bitter legal fght
will be made for control of the
Northcliffe newspapers and periodi-
calls.
Friends of Premier Lloyd George
are said by some to be making a
strong bid for the Times in order
to convert this powerful organ,
which has fired daily broadsides at
the government for months, into a
friendly journal
Makes wife Executrix.
Northcliffe's second will was
made one week before his death, 1t
Is learned. Lady Northcliffe is said
to claim that doctors were present
when this will, which makes her
sole executrix of the estate, was
made and can attest that her hus-
band was of normal and sound
mind when the document was drawn
up.
In addition to intoducing a con-
troyersy- over Lord Northcliffe' $
mental condition when he made the
second will. the impending legal
tight probably will involve an at
tempt by the Harmsworths to re-
tain control of the London Times In
order to prevent its going to il
terests sympathetic to Lloyd George.
Executors to the first will who
are trying to have the second
thrown out are said to represent
Northcliffe's publishing associates
and editors who had expected to
snare in the estate. The second
VIII Is understood to leave the ea-
tire properties to Lady Northcliffe.
Three-sided Fight Starts.
Five caveats have been filed thus
far. one by the widow against the
FIRST will, one by the executors Sf
this documents against the second
will. and three others by North
cliffe's brothers against both.
The issue may be decided n -ar~e
part by the evidence submitted by
physicians who attended Lord
Northcliffe. DIR. Jacoby. of New
York. who was at the bedside Of the
publisher just before the end came.
may be one of the specialists 1,
testify. An appeal to the courts
was decided by the litiSsnts after
they conferred last week.
J. L.. Garvin. writing n the OBJ
server. says: The insistent rumor
is that the man who will get the
Times is Sir William Berry. owner
of Cassefs Publishing firm ard tns
Sunday Times. the latter con-
sistent follower of the prem er"
Garvin points out that Berry was
the man principally responsible for
obtaining the fancy s50O.000 price
for Lloyd Georges memoirs. Berry's
EFFORT to buy the Times would have
the sympathy Of Downing Street."
Garvin said.
Northcliffe. according to Garvin,
originally intended framing his will
so as to make the Times, which was
his favorite enterprise. an everlast-
ing monument to journalism-sim-
liar In far-reaching influence to the
Cecil Rhodes scholarships.
Became Strangely Changed.
But later Northcliffe became in
many ways strangely altered
man." Garvin says. "and he NAV
have decided not to carry out his
original wish"
Among other bidders for the
Times mentioned by Garvn. are
Lord Beaverbrook. proprietor of the
Daily Press; Sir Mackay Edgar. and
a number of others, probably in
clud:nS foreign interests. The
minimum price mentioned in con-
nection with the Times is s2,e5O. 900
Garvin states