The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-05-10
5000 HEIRS ASK
PART OF SNUFF
KINGS FORTUNE
S17,000,000 Is at Stake in
Parallel to Famous
Wendell Case.
BvNEAFerrfoe

~ n IA soy ice
PHILADELPHIA. Pa May 10
4 parallel 70 the fairytale Wendsi
fortune and its attendant legion Of
quarrelling heirs nov Is IN the
Orphans Court % Philadelphia over
the fortune Of $1,000 600 left by
Mrs. Henrietta Schaefer Garrett.
79-year-old widow OF walter Gar
Tett millionaire snuff manufacture
IN the Quaker city
Like Ella wendell in New YORK.
Mrs. Garrett died in sombre sur
rOundinEs IN an Old-fashiOned
broWnstOne house In which she
never had even Installed electric
lights and where she had had the
oompanionship Of only a few old
family retainers.
After Mrs. CARROTS death IN No
vember, 1880. a slip Of notepaper
headed a Request" and dated
June ?. 1921. was found among her
shabby belongings. IN il she had
disposed of s62. 500 by instructing
Charles 6. Starr. Of Haverford. Pa.
her lifelong financial adviser. to
give from her estate sums ranging
from 500 70 $4,000 20 l6 friends and
employees whom She designated.
5000 Present Claims
Al first there were no heirs ap-
parent: the note was probated as
will. and since there were no execu-
tors named. the court appointed
Starr and Frank G. MarceIus to
administer the estate.
But when, some months after the
death Of the semi-recluse. It was
disclosed that she had in reality
left Sl7000O00. and had named no
benehciaries for the huge fortune.
cousins Of all kinds. first, second and
Once-Temoved. began popping up al
over the world with ame 1aug
Tapidity.
As a matter OF fact. on March 25.
1885. 5000 alleged relatives Of Mrs.
Garrett. haiiing from nearly all
parts Of the United States as well as
from p foreign countries. some in
person. others through their at
torneys. presented their claims to
the fortune
state Has Hopes
In addition 60 persons who
claimed kinship 10 the long dead
Walter Garrett we're ready 10 show
reason why the money really be-
longed TO them. And. in a third
corner of this unusual battle. there
was the commonwealth of PENN
sylvania. hoping to get the entire
estate in eScheat in the event that
neither camp Of Garrett Schaefer
kinsmen could give satisfactory
proof of their claims.
But Judge Allen NJ. Stearne of
the Orphans Court. with whom
decision rests. had no intention of
listening to the testimony of the
various claimants or nearing the
highly technical legal arguments Of
the battery of counsel who pre-
sented themselves before him.
Follow Odd Procedure
Shortly after the milling throng
of fortune seekers had thrown the
corridors of the City Hall. where
the Orphans Court sits. into wild
confusion. Judge Stearne ruled that
before any other point was decided.
a ruling would have TO be given as
to whether the estate was left out
right 10 Mrs. Garrett by her hus-
band or was intended 10 revert TO
Mr.. CARROTS heirs This in plain
language means that those who
hope TO set some Of the Garrett
gold will have TO wait at least two
years to learn what their chances
are.
But perhaps the most unusual
procedure was followed by a group
Of IS claimants in Maryland who
received the permission of the Bal
timOre County Commissioners to dig
up a swamp near BiCklevSville for the
purpose Of getting out some pom
derous blocks Of granite supposedly
removed from a family burying
ground and cartCd 70 a crossroads
in order 10 help in making a road.
These claimants hoped that the IN
Scription on the tombStOneS might
establish their kinship with the