Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-04
VAN LEAR BLACK
WILL FIGHT SEEN
Eldest Son and Two Minor
Children Appear With Attor-
ney as Terms Are Given.

~ ~. s-ssn.aS>A GS<ss
BALTIMORE, Septe6loel ~. - 7Ai
Lear Black, publisher, capitalist ano
world flyer, who disappeared into the
night from his yacht on August 18. wa:
legally adjudgsd to be dead Yesterday
after a hearing, and his will, disposinG
of an estate of more than $4,000, 900
was admitted to probate.
The presence in court of an attorney
for Van Lear Black, jr, the eldest son
and two minor children f the pub
Usher, who asked for delay in recog-
MIXING the instrument, indicated the
possibility that an attempt to break the
will might be made, but none would
discuss this.
Capt John N Kelly of the yacht
Sabalo, a steward and MIR. Blacks
valet. Percy SellerA testified that they
believed he had fallen overheard ac-
cidentally while sitting on the rail OF
the yacht, but the three judges of the
OrphaCat Court, who conducted the
hearing ruled only that the fact of
death had been established and that
the will should be admitted.
Van Lear Black, jr., was made the
beneficiary of lifetime trust fund OF
$4,000 by the will, made i'll London in
January of this year, shortly before Mr.
Black started fight TO Toxic.
Daughter Gets $3.50. 900.
A daughter. Mrs. T. Buchanan
Blakiston, was bequeathed $250,000 and
a share in the resduary estate, and
her husband 100000, but Van Lear,
jr. was given only the $4,000 trust
fund, and the publishers widow Mrs
Jessie Gary Black, and the four other
children are to share only in the reSid-
CnnPial hnnnpSfc
totaling more than $l,000,000 are paid
The control of the A. S. Abel Co.,
publishers of the Baltimore Sun and
the Evening Sun, was given to the pub
fishers brother, Harry C. Black, who
was bequeathed all of Van Lear Black S
share in the company, and made
trustee of the estate.
The special requests included $780,
900 to Mrs. j. Walter Lord. widow of
a man who was Mr.. Blacks lifetime
friend. Mrs. Lord, a distant family
connection, was aboard the publisher S
yacht the night he disappeared, when
the yacht was off the New Jersey coast
en- route from New York to Chesapeake
Bay.
Secretaries Get 100000 Each.
Sums of 100000 also were bequeathed
to Thomas w. Rogan of Baltimore, for
30 years the publishers confidential
secretary. and to Miss Allison Bone, his
London secretary, who is the daughter
of James Bone. editor of the London
edition of the Manchester Guardian.
To the two Dutch pilots who ac-
companied him on his flights in his
plane, the Maryland Free State, to
Toxic, the Dutch East Indies and to
Cape Town, the will made requests. c..
j. Geysendorffer was given S25, 900 and
J. B. Scholte $4,000.
The petition for the letters Of adj
ministration estimated the value of the
estate at $3,270,000, but attorneys said
this figure was conservative.
The three witnesses at the hearing
all testified that Mr.. Black was in good
spirits at the start of the trip and that
he had made plans for the future at
his island home in the York River.
Capt. Kelly estimated the yacht was
about three miles from shore and he
and the steward said they believed the
publisher could not have survived more
than IS minutes after he fell from the
rail into a fairly heavy sea.
Van Lear Black, jr., today was not
willing to say whether he would con-
test the will.
81 have nothing to say as yet, but
may have later" he said over the tele-
phone from Lancaster, Pa.