Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-25
CLAUSE IN WILL CONTENTION.
Judge Reserves Decision on Appeal of
Pulitzer Brothers.

Judge Reserves Decision on Appeal of
Pulitzer Brothers.
NEW YORK, February Is (NANA1.
The sons of the late Joseph Pulitzer,
Herbert, Ralph and Joseph, appeared
before Judge James Foley of Surro-
gates Court here yesterday afternoon
to get permission to set aside clause
in their fathers will which prohibited
the sale of the properties of the Press
Publishing Co., the Evening World, the
World and the Sunday World.
Judge Reserves Decision.
After three hours OF argument, Judge
Foley reserved decision, but is expected
to make an announcement within AZ
hours.
The clause which was the subject of
contention is herewith quoted in full:
Seventh: I further authorize and
empower my executors and trustees to
whom l have hereinbefore bequeathed
my stock in the Pulitzer Publishing
Company of st. Louis, at any time, and
from time to time, to sell and dispose
OF said stock, or any part thereof, at
public Or private sale, at such prices
and on such terms as they may think
best, and TO hold the proceeds of any
stosk sold in trust for the beneficiaries
thereof, and upon the same trusts. This
power or sale is not to be construed as
in any respect mandatory. but purely
discretionary. This power of sale, how
ever is limited to the said stock of the
Pulitzer Publishing Company of St.
Louis, and shall not be taken to au-
thorize or empower the sale or dispo-
sition under any circumstances what
ever, by the trustees of any stock Of
Dtrh
lsner of The World newspaper.
particularly enjoin upon my sons and
my descendants the duty of preserv-
ing perfecting and perpetuating The
World newspaper ito the maintenance
and upbuilding of which have sacri-
feed my health and strength in the
same spirit in which ! have striVen to
create and conduct it as a public insti-
tuition, from motives higher than mere
gain, 1t having been my desire that it
should be at all times conducted in a
spirit of independence and with a view
to intoxicating high standards and pub
lie spirit among the people and their
official representatives, and it is my
earnest wish that said newspaper shall
hereafter be conducted upon the same
principles"
Brothers Agree to Sale
All three OF the Pulitzer brothers, 1t
was testified, had agreed to the sale of
the World papers. because they felt that
the interests of the infant owners of the
property would best be protected by
such a sale. The Pulitzer brothers do not
own the World papers. but hold the
properties in trust for Joseph Pulitzer's
grandchildren.
The clause of the Pulitzer will pro-
hibiting the sale of the Press Publish
ing Co.'S properties disclcses the great
est ambition Of Joseph Pulitzer-the
founding OF a newspaper dynasty in New
/ York City. There have been four of
these ambitious attempts within the last
SO years and none has succeeded.
First on the list of these failures is
the passing Of the control Of the Times
I from the Jones family.
The next dynasty to fail was that of
| the Danas. While Charles A. Dana
! he was able to control the paper
| through the help of his great personal
| friend, Thomas Hitchcock.
The Herald of the BENEFITS lasted for
| two generations. During that time it
became one Of the outstanding newspa-
| perS in the world. It's stunts" were
! sensational, its revenues enormous and
| its reputation international. The Great
War came. 1.-The younger Bennett" now
+, an cid man, seemed to lose all ambition
and the Herald was stuffed out
And now the PulitzerS enter court
] with the hope Of abrogating the clause
that showed the ambition of the father
TO make the World monument to the
Pulitzer name.