Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-24
Many Attorneys Order Copies
of Six Testaments and
One CodiCiI.
BURGLAR ALARMS PUT
IN BEQUEATHED HOUSES
Possibility of All Being Declared
Revoked or Invalid Seen
by Lawyers.

The possibility of SO distinct court
battles arising out of the expected con-
test of the will of Mrs Mary F. Hem
derson, wealthy society leader, was fore
seen today.
Already there have been filed in Dis
trict Supreme Court six wills and one
codicil made at various times during
the past seven years by the widow Of
the late Senator from Missouri, and
it was explained. each legatee under
each Of these documents has the right
to initiate litigation in an effort to
secure his or her bequest.
If the will should be contested, and
1t appears almost certain that such
will be the case, the principal litigantS
will probably be Mrs. Beatrice Hen
derson Wholean, reputed granddaughter
Of the dowager; Frances A. and Henry
Arnold of New York, her niece and
nephew; representatives of the Battle
Creek Sanitarium and College and
Jesse Shima, her Japanese secretary.
Many Other Legatees.
Many Of the other legatees are given
relatively small amounts in the various
they would employ counsel to repre-
sent them. 1t was pointed out. how
ever, that II any one will should be held
by the court to be valid all of the bene-
ficiaries under it would receive their be-
quests even If they did not each resort
to legal action.
1t was learned today that local coun-
sci. acting for DR.. John Harvey kellogg
Of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, have
ordered HnniPC nf a he will
was construed in some quarters as a
preliminary step on their part to legal
action seeking to set aside Mrs Hen
derson's latest will. which left the bulk
of the Sc 900 900 estate to her niece and
nephew. The counsel involved would
! not confirm these reports. however. and
! would not even admit they had been re-
tanned by the eminent physician.
Others Seek Copies.
| 1t was also learned that a number
/ of other local attorneys have been TO
the court house to examine the wills
| and have, In some cases, ordered copies
made.
One interesting feature of all the
| wills, it was pointed out, is that each
contains clause revoking all former
wills There is a possibility, it was
said that the court might hold the
revoking clause of the last will valid
and the requests in the will invalid
This would leave the estate as though
Mrs. Henderson had died without
making will and the property would
go to her heir-at-law, presumably Mrs.
Wholean.
There was considerable speculation as
to whether the first will. that Of Feb
ruary %. 1924, might not be the only
valid instrument executed by Mrs. Hen
derson.
Sons Will Cited.
1t has been contended that. under
the terms of the will of Mrs. Hender-
sons son, John Henderson jr., she was
obliged to leave at least half of the real
property she inherited from her hus-
band and son to Mrs. Wholean.
The first will does leave virtually the
entire estate to Mrs. Wholean. then Miss
Beatrice Van Rensselaer, Henderson, but
each Of the subsequent wills cuts her
out with comparatively small requests.
No word has been Forthcoming from
Mrs. Wholean or her attorney, H.
Prescott Galley, as to a contest from
that source. 1t was generally believed.
however that unless there is sub
stantial settlement the granddaughter
will ask the courts to enforce the rights
she claims.
Both of the Fifteenth street houses
mentioned In the wills and Boundary
Castle were wired with burglar alarms
yesterday. Servants at the houses said
they did not know why this step was
| taken or who Lad ordered it.