Evening star., 1948-09-14
Protracted Delay Seen
In Final Disposition Of
Mrs. Patterson Estate

Mrs. Patterson Estate
Final disposition of the estate of
Mrs. Eleanor Medill Patterson, late
owner and publisher OF The WASH
ington Times-Herald, appeared to-
day to be facing a protracted de-
lay, following her daughters action
yesterday in opposing admission of
Mrs. Patterson's will be probate.
The daughter. Countess Felicia
Gizycka, charged in a petition filed
in District Court that her mother
was not "of sound mind and mem
ory.- or in any respect capable OF
making will
The will. filed July %, was dated
June 81, 1946, and was amended un-
Ger dates of November 7, 1916, and
May 20, 1947.
Undue Influence Charged.
Countess Gizycka also alleged Mrs
Patterson's signature was obtained
by the undue influence, duress and
coercion exercised by some person
or persons unknown to the petit
toner and that such persons were
guilty of fraud and deceit"
Further the petition asserted. the
witnesses to the will did not affix
their signature attesting to it lin
the presence of the said Eleanor
Patterson or in the presence of each
other"
Insisting the paper was not, in
fact, the last will and testament |
and codicils thereto of said dece-
dent" Countess GiZycka asked that |
the will may be refused probate
and that the decedent be decreed
to have died intestate without hav-
ing made valid will.
The petition did not allege the
existence of any other will.
Countess Gizycka is Mrs Patter-
sons daughter by her first marriage
to Polish cavalry officer. She is
the former wife of Drew Pearson,
newspaper columnist. They have
a daughter. Mrs. Ellen Pearson
Arnold.
If the petition were granted,
Countess Gizycka would receive the
entire estate as sole heir at law
The bequeSts in the will. includ-
ing that which left the newspaper
to seven executives would be voided.
Left Life Income.
In it, Mrs. Patterson left her
daughter life income of S25 900 a
year, most of her personal effects
and substantial amount of real
estate.
Countess Gizycka. who lives in
New York, signed the petition filed
yesterday. 1t was filed on her be-
half by Lloyd K Garrison and Ran
dolph E. Paul, who have Offices
there and at 1914 l street NV.
and by Harold A. Kertz of he law
firm of Roberts and McInniss, with
Offices in the Transportation Build
ing.
The action came just one day in
advance of the deadline for filing
objections to admission of the will
to probate
s The executors row have 10 days
III WIuCI W Illc an dIiSWCI W Jlt
petition. Thereafter, the court has
10 days-a period which can be ex-
tended-in which to frame the is
sues raised by the petition and
answer and to set date for trial.
Countess Gizycka asked that these
issues be placed before jury.
Shelton Accepts Service.
Service of copy of the petition
was accepted on behalf of William
C.,Shelton and his co-eXecutors by
Roy B. Kelly of the law firm of
Kirkland, Fleming, Green, Martin
and Ellis, which has Offices in the
National Press Building.
Mr.. Kelly said there would be no
statement from the executors for
the time being.
Mr.. Shelton. general manager of
the newspaper, is one Of the seven
named by Mrs. Patterson to in
merit 1t.
He Is continuing in charge of the
neWSpa per under supervision of the
Riggs National Bank. which was ap-
pointed collector of Mrs. Pattersons
estate by the court, following the
filing of a petition for probate Au-
gust 2.
In that petition. the executors es-
timated value of the estate at Sl6,-
100000.
The newspaper business was
Jumped with unknown amounts of
cash, stocks bonds. furniture. jew
elry and personal belongings and
other items of personally" in
Valua ton of about $l5.000,000
Countess Gizyckas petition asked
the court to continue the bank as
collector, pending disposition of the
will litigation.
Residue Was Left to Friends.
Mrs. Patterson died unexpectedly
July "a at one of her homes. Dover
House in Prince Georges County
Contents Of her will we're released
five days later The bulk of the
remainder of the estate was to go
to friends and charities.
The seven Times-Herald execu-
ttves to whom the paper was left
a1e Mr.. Shelton. Frank C. Waldrop
editor in chief; Edmund F. Jewell
advertising director Michael w
Flynn, supervising manager editor:
e. A. Robinson. circulation man
aeer J. Irving Belt mechanical