Opinion ID: 2338603
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Mrs. May's antagonism to her brother's family and her plotting to prevent them from inheriting any part of her mother's estate and to acquire all of it for herself, her husband and her own children.

Text: It was testified that Mrs. May constantly talked against Rose, her sister-in-law, saying to the testatrix on one occasion: That damned Rose Frank has spent enough or wasted enough of her (Mrs. May's) dead daddy's money. Nurses testified that she tried to prevent Rose from visiting the testatrix in the hospitals where she was confined during the periods of her illnesses,  efforts in that direction being made to such an extent that the testatrix's physician had to order that Rose be allowed to visit the testatrix if the latter wanted her, which, the nurses said, she certainly did. And now we come to a damning bit of evidence which shows not only Mrs. May's objective but the reckless and even arrogant way in which she sought to gain it. Mr. Crawford Conrad, investment officer of the Mellon Bank, testified that Mrs. May visited the bank on January 15, 1946, which (1) was but ten days after Herbert's death, (2) was at least five days, according to the Mays' testimony, before the testatrix disclosed to them her wishes in regard to the disposition of her property, and (3) was the very day on which the testatrix was declaring to Mr. Ruslander that she wanted to change her will so as to provide better for her son's children than the one-third of the estate she had provided in her previous wills. Mr. Conrad says that she stated she wished to discuss with him how her mother could create some trusts for her ( Mrs. May's ) benefit and that of her children, and she said that in her opinion Herbert's children should not participate in her mother's estate. It is true that she denies having said these things to Mr. Conrad or that that was her purpose in calling upon him, but he, of course a perfectly disinterested witness, had made notes of the interview and the trial judge found that Mr. Conrad's statement was true. Indeed, it may here be pointed out that Mrs. May not only contradicted Mr. Conrad but each and every one of all the numerous nurses, domestics and others who testified against her. There are other incidents pointing strikingly in the same direction to show Mrs. May's undeviating determination to get her mother's money for herself and her family and prevent any of it being acquired by her brother's children. After she had succeeded in obtaining the power of attorney she made out checks, each for $3,000, to herself, to her husband, to her son, to her daughter, and to each of her daughter's two infant children. Shortly thereafter the testatrix herself made out checks, each for $3,000, to Herbert's children, Stephanie and Ann. The four checks which Mrs. May made out to herself, her husband and each of her children, were cashed, but she succeeded in having the two checks to Herbert's children held up on the ground, not justified by the fact, that there was not enough money in bank to meet them. Incidentally, Mrs. May's daughter attempted to cash the two checks to her children the very day after the testatrix died, concealing that fact from the bank. The testatrix, pathetically eager to make sure that Herbert's children would obtain the money covered by the two checks, wrote on one of the stubs: Be sure to pay this and above check whether I am here or not. Mother. The stubs on one of which this inscription was written were found in a waste basket torn in pieces, under circumstances which clearly point to their having been destroyed by Mrs. May. It is of interest to note in this same connection that in the case of a check which the testatrix gave to her daughter-in-law with which to buy a car for Stephanie, the testatrix told her to cash it immediately before Florence (Mrs. May) found out about it,  thus again showing a complete fear of her daughter.