Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-03
VAN LEAR BLACKS
WILL is PROBATED
Brother Named Trustee of
Estate After Proof of Death
Is Accepted.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BALTIMORE, September 3.-The will
Of Van Lear Black, Baltimore publisher
and world flyer, who disappeared last
month from his yacht, was admitted to
probate today after hearing at which
proof of his death was established.
The WILL disposing of an estate of
several million dollars, leaves the pub
lsher's brother, Harry c. Black, his in
terest in the A. S. Abel Co., publisher
of the Baltimore Sun and the Evening
Sun, and leaves sums of from $4,000
to $3.50, 900 each to various relatives and
others
His widow, Mrs. Jessie Gary Black,
and their five children, with one excep-
ton, are provided for in a provision
that gives her one-third of the residuary
estate and four children the remaining
two-thirds.
A $4,000 trust fund is provided for
Van Lear Black, jr., the publishers
eldest son. Mrs. Jessie Black Blakiston,
his daughter, is bequeathed $250,000
and her husband, Buchanan Blakiston,
$780, 900.
Friend Is Given $1OO.o00
Mrs. j. Walter Lord of Baltimore, a
widow, and lifelong friend of Mr..
Black, who was with him on the yacht
Sabalo when the publisher disappeared
last month, is left 500 900.
Requests of $4,000 each are made
to his two pilots, c.. j. Geysendorffer
and j. B. Scholte of Holland, who few
with Mr.. Black on his flights from Lon
don to Toxic and to Cape Town and
laA ,kn11 nc Cd
The publishers confidential seCre-
tary, Thomas w. Rogan. of Baltimore
is bequeathed 100000 and a similar
sum is left to Miss Allison Bone Of
London, England, his secretary there.
Testimony on the circumstances Of
the death of the publisher at sea on
the New, Jersey Coast was given at the
hearing by Capt. John N. Kelly of the
yacht Sabalo: "a steward, Thomas G.
Cardwell; Mr.. Blacks valet and Perry
Sellers Of England.
Seamen Give Testimony.
Capt. Kelly, Cardwell and Sellers re-
peated at the hearing testimony they
had given at other hearings of the dis
appearance of Mr.. Black the evening
of August 10.
The yacht had sailed from New York
for the Chesapeake Bay, and the w.t.
nesses said the publisher had been seen
on deck after dinner and then, after
more than an hour, the disappearance
was discovered by the valet.
Capt. Kelly said his employer had
been warned several times to avoid a
dangerous perch on the rail he habitu-
ally occupied. All said they believed
he had fallen accidentally from the
rail.
Capt. Kelly said the yacht was be-
tween 223 and 31a miles from shore at
the time, and that it would have been
impossible for Mr.. Black to have
reached shore. The steward said he
could not have lived more than is min
utes In the fairly heavy sea that was
running. :
probate Judge Gather announced at
the conclusion of the hearing that the
court accepted the evidence as proving
that Mr. Black was dead, and letters OF
administration were granted Harry C..
Black, who was named in the will as
trustee of the estate.
VIII Made This Year.
The will was made January 8; 1890,
in London, before he started flight
that took him to Toxic. and then, after
a trip by ship. across the Pacific, from
San Francisco to Baltimore.
1t was directed that in case he died
in the United States his body be buried
at sea.
The minor requests, of from 1000 to
$1,000 each, were to James Bone, Lon
don editor of the Manchester Guardian,
the father OF his London secretary; Paul
Patterson, president of the A. 8. Abel
Co., and Mrs. Albert Richie, mother of
the Maryland Governor, among others.
The children not specifically men
toned are. Mrs. Alfred j. Bolton, Gary
Black and Madeleine Black.