Newspaper Page Text
WHAT IS THE HIDDEN SECRET? Mystery of Writing on Yellow Slip of Paper That Ended Contest for $SQ,CG9,GQQ. Something in Written Memorandum in the Fine' Hand of Viiliaa Wcightman Humbled the Pride of Mrs. Jones Wister and Drove Lawyers Out of Court Neither Side Will Talk. Philadelphia. One little slip of yel low paper, covered with fine, closely written lines, but It humbled the prldo of a vomnn hlsh in society In Phila delphia: It drove three skilful lawyers out of court In confusion and figured to another woman the undiluted con trol nnd pvsesslon of the $ V.O.'HlO.fMJj left by old William WclKhtninn. Ira:natic sier.es arc cimmon In the courts of the land, strong situations are not Infrequent, but tin oldest law yers s.iy they cannot recall a scene quite so strong or a situation quite so clevrtly worked up as the one In whlrh Mrs. Jones Wister nnd her conns-cl confessed utter defeat nt the h.iuls of Mr. Ann Weight man Walker and her lawyers. In the Orphans' Court, presided over by .Iti'l-'o Ashman, the clerk, rattling over the calendar of hearinps, comeii to the ease of "Charles (flnvlliiers. as guardian, etc., of Margaret Welirht nian. a minor, etc., vs. Ann Welght man Walker, executrix and others," n:i I st-ips as from two tables slmul tareoas'y come measured voices an nouncins "Trial!" At the first of the counsel tables sit r zsz 1 Mrs. Welahtman Walker. the attorneys for the contestant. They are three and each or them well known at the bar Alexander Simp son, Jr., an advocate quick in speech, fertile In resource; Samuel Dickson, advocate and counsel, hero of years of legal warfare; V. Gllp'n Hoblnson deep In the law, skilled In every trick and technicality. Just across the aisle. Is the table reserved for the defense. Attorney Cioneral Ilapton Carson sits la tho front. His reputation Is more that state wide; behind him is Henry P. Prawn and to tho rear nre the broad shoulders, strong face and keen eyes of John O. Johnson. The Women In the Case. To the rear of tho counsel tablo, their chairs resting against tho bar ratline, la the line of women, five of them. Seated so closoly that the The cr.so opens and tho first witness is called. He Is A. V. Hoopes, for years credit inanauer for tho drus firm of Powers & Welghtman, which was owned by William Weight man nl:ne. The testimony of Hoopes Is of no consequence except to himself, because he tells of the pift of $100,000 made to him by Mrs. Walker after the death of her father. This causes a mild sensation, but that dies down as the plans of th! contestants ber.lns to unfold. It Id obvious that they ex pect to show that to the will of 1893 made by Weiphtmnn a codicil was added which distributed to the six daughters of Mrs. Jones Wister, once Mrs. William Wc'shtman, Jr., a pro portionate share of the estate. It de velops soon after that they know a paper was drawn up and It la now in the possession of Mrs. Walker. Old Man's Grim Prophecy. What induced the belief that it was a codicil U a letter treasured by Mrs. Wister In the aged man's flno copper plate wrjit.'ng received a few years be fore his death. It Is written on the Court u of July. "I have been much annoyed by the fireworks all day around the house, but 1 have Just signed and attested a paper which will some day make more noise than three such holidays." Couched as it was In the friendliest terms, addressed to the woman now contesting, in reality, there was every reason for her and her lawyers to think It is a codicil or a direction at least in aid of his grandchildren. That it might be revenge or a grim Joke never entered their heads. ' The will is produced and read, and after the ascd Hoopes has left the stand a stout, rod mustached man of about CO, answering to the name of Hdward T. Davis, is sworn In and be gins his testimony. He was V.'Illlarn WeiKhtir.an's private secretary and real estate aeeat for about 23 years. He was a witness to his will. The examination bad tow reached a point that ihrew a hush over every body but tho two. It appears that upon Davis the contestants relied to prove there had been a codicil. Mr. Simpson took up that phase. "Do you rcmenrbar a paper after ward written by Mr. Welghtman and locked In his desk?" began the lawyer suavely. The witness hesitates as If reluctant to answer, but he finally answers, qulet'y: "Yes, I rewci'iber it." Mr. Robinson draws himself up im portantly. "Mr. Carson," ho exclaims, Impressively, "I am afraid wo shall have to call upon you to produce that paper." Just at that moment Mr. Carson Is very busily eugai;ed In trying to make hlA thumbs go around In opposite dl rectlons. Mr. Robinson prows rather Impa tient. "Come, Mr. Cnrson, wo are ask ing for that paper! The attorney general looks up us in surprise. Yellow Slip Produced. "Ob, yes, to be sure." he exclaimed Inf. and thei witness turns It orer to tho cnger hands of Mr. Kohlnson. The lawyers eyes fall upon the writing while his associates look at him. Sud denly Mr. Robinson sits down. Ills eyes op-n wide and tho color floes from his face. As In a trance be rends nnd rereads tho fateful words. Mr. Robinson received It without a word. He hands it over to Mr. Simp son without a word and ho turns pale, too. Mr. Dickson reads It, but that grim old warrior of the bar makes no sign. Only bo docs not smile any more. That was all. There were a few halfhearted questions further, and then tho attorneys for the contestant arise and ask a continunnce. They do not say an Indefinite continuance. Put they do not ask for a farther date.. They would not say if they will ever open the case again. Neither Side Will Talk. What did that yellow slip contain? For all questions there lias been but one official nnswer: "Nothing to say." Mrs. Walker's lawyers have only said grimly: "Let them tell." "Wo will say nothing," declare Mrs. Wisfor's attorneys. "My lawyers tell me to say noth ing," Is the sole reply of the woman In the case. Jones Wister, gentleman of tho old school, proud of his family, a million aire himself, hesitates, for ho is sorely tried, but be answers: "I am re quested not to say a word." This is the supposed contents of the yellow slip: It refers to the personal relations existing at one time between Mrs. Wister and Mr. Welghtman. She has said before that he wanted her to marry him at the time she was en gaged to be married to Jones Wister. There Is the testimony of Edward T. Davis that Mr. Welghtman once said that she wanted him to marry her, Our New York Letter interesting Gossip from GotJ:a:a town Prize-Winniaj Horses Are Guests at Millionaire's Dinner Free Magazine for Blind to Ce Published. ' NEW YORK. Harvey S. Ladew, many timet a millionaire, who attracted attention In the fash ionable world a few years ago by originating a buck-and-wlng dance, has eclipsed all previous attempts at novel entertainment with a, "pony dinner." Forty guests were summoned to his mansion at Glencove to celebrate the victories won by the Ladew entries In the Piping , Rock horse show and two of the four-footed winners had places at the board, while three more were led through the banquet hall by grooms in livery and fed with sugar plums. The Ladew country seat Is one of the finest on Long Island. The dining-room, built In the colonial style, accommodated 100 diners com fortably. The hospitable mahogany was In the form of a horseshoe. Directly over It were ln candescent electric llsrhtn In horseshoe form and with electric nails between the inner and outer cdRcs of the Bhoo. Near the curve of the table on either side were the box stalls of wnhr wood, garlanded with roses and bedecked with tho blue ribbons won by the occupants. Tbo stalls were close enough to the table for the horses there to poke out their velvety noses for caresses. The table equipment, all made to order, was symbolical of the occasion. The silver salt cellars were miniature feed boxes. The golden celery holders wei'e replicas of the hayracks nnd all tho glassware was engraved with deli cate little scenes of the Meld, the road and the course. short stories reprinted by 1 I I V i-cs-t 3- I Li ur . t r . i "fc lr . ' - . 1 r,7fZZ22. thousand dollars would start such a library In every state in the union, giv ing dooks 10 eacn siaio 10 tne value or about ? 1,000.' BELIEVE OIL MEN CONTROL MILK TRUST. Employes of tho milk trust have learned, al though no official announcement has been made, that on the 1st of November, the price of milk and cream will bo advanced by the $25,000,000 corporation which has the supply of New York city firmly in its grasp. The prii"e probably will be nine cents a quart for milk and 12 cents a half pint for cream, an Increase for the year of soaio $7,000,000 in milk bills for the city. The llorden company's competitors found It necessary last month to advance the price ol cream and of certified milk. Some of them de clare, however, that the price of ordinary milk will remain at eight cents. The trust meantime held off. and although It was intimated in vari ous quarters that conditions have been brought to a point where the screws could be put down tight er on the consumer, no move was made, and many customers of the Independents were Induced to transfer their patronage. It is asserted with a marked degree of confluence by some of the inde pendents that the $25,000,000 Dorden company is virtually in possession of the Interests which "the street" calls the Standard Oil crowd. It is believed that the board of -directors of the trust represents capital ists higher up, whoso methods in building a milk monopoly savor so strongly of Standard OH procedure that, one man said, a milk trust bottle smelled like a kerosene can. BROTHERS Two""! . hems of their gowns touch, three might be on the other s-Ulo of tne world so far as tho other two are con cerned. The three chat quietly at limes and tho two do likewise, but their glances nre never to tho s'do except when tho lorgnette is employed very inuh as when a woman goes elumming. Just behind her counsel or the counsel for the defendant sits Mis. Jor.es Wister, past CO, gray haired, ct-.ld looking but determined. At her side sits her sister-in-law, Mrs. Rodman Wister. similarly aged and similarly arlstociatlc looking, and at her sldo sits a palo slip of a girl, the nominal plaintiff or contestant in tho case, looking as if she would fancy any other place in the world than this comt room and any other time than thU. hurriedly; "pardon me." Ho sel?.es a greon bn;; ami besins to sort the pa pers therein hurriedly. Ho goes over them once or twico and at last ilnds what ho seks. U Is a slnglo sheet of yellow paper, about Ave Inches wide and six Inches Ions, close ruled across and length- wise. It is seen that it is written full on both sides nnd holds a notarial seal. A hasty g'.ar.ce and Mr. Carson passed It over to Simpson. Without glancing at It Mr. Simpson passed it up to Mr. .Davis on tho stand. "Is that tho paper?" he demands. Davis studies it carefully. "Yes, sir," Is his answer, "but I did not know it had been acknowledged before a notary." "We'll take the paper for a mo j ment," continues Mr. Simpson, smil- ZIEGLER RICHES TO HELP THE BLIND. A monthly magazine for the blind, the first to be published In America, the second periodical of Its kind In the world. Is tho benefaction for which Mrs. William Zlegler, widow of the late baking powder king, has supplied funds, v. Tho limited number of books that have been printed with raised characters are so expensive as to be beyond the reach of thousands of poor folk, whose poverty 1st made tho more unbearable by lack of sight. "Pen Hur," for Instance, which sell3 in de partment stores for one dollar or less. In tvne j for the blind sells for $10.50. Other books that I ViflVA hnfln nut lnn n I . i .. ,,.T. , luo"; u i expensive. The blind, shut out from tho thou- Welghtman millions smiled when they j Bands of pleasures that come through tho sense heard of the contest. Although the ; of sight, enjoy Intensely the reading of books. So amount Involved was largo they as-1 far little has been done to provide literature for serted that It was not altogether 1 tut 70,000 blind persons of this country. The magazine will contain ne ws of the rlnv women diametrically opposite in dis-' Permission from leading periodicals and contributions from blind readers position, character and ambitions were llfZt'Thf f.ronlnmite9 f state blind schools all over the country, oniv continuing n fu-ht thnt mennt I telIlns ?f tnc work beInS dono by them, will be one of the features. t L lv 1 '? n0t J"11 wllat WI" be ,he annual cost 01 lnl3 magazine until It more to them than mere money. ean be learned how many of tho blind persons of the United States can read. William Welghtman, whose strange j The first estimate secured from a printing house on 10,000 copies a month humor or hope for revenge inspired was $10,000 a year, but this llgure can be considerably reduced. the contest at the same time he killed 11 18 nopeu mat some other wealthy person may soon become Interested the hone of success, an Englishman by ; ,n PrlntlnK 'or the blind, and undertake a circulating library. Two hundred birth, was a chemist He was one of the founders of the great firm of Pow ers & Welghtman. That firm had a monopoly on the preparation of qui nine for the market and during the civil war mode a great fortune. Welghtman Family History. Willinm Welghtman had two sons and a daughter. John Farr weight- man, the eldest son, was educated as a physician at home and abroad, but his father's business called him and he went into it, remaining until his death, In l&SG. William Welghtman, Jr., married Sabballne d'Invllllers, a daughter of a French family that iert trance in time to escape the guillotine of tbe Reign of Terror. The family settled in Philadelphia and speedily took a commanding position In society. Then came Ann, the daughter. Mora like the shrewd father than the sons, she was a business woman from the day she knew anything about the world. She became the wife of R. J. C. Walker, of Willlamsport, and lived In that little Pennsylvania city for years, but she always took an inter est in the business of her father, and she was regarded as having a man's shrewdness. Mrs. William Welghtman. Jr., cared nothing for business or tbe acquisi tion of money. Her tastes ran to en tertainments and society. In the t seuce of the aaugnter sne soon ie came tho favorite in the big marble mansion fronting In Kittenhouse Squaro and Raven Hill, a magnificent country estate. As her six daughters were born tney Decnruo me pib m the aged man and when William Welghtman died in 1SS9, Mrs. Weight man, his widow, and her daughters went to live in the old mansion en tirely. Mrs. Walker did not like this ar rangement and the real trouble started then. After her husband had served a term at Washlnston, they moved to Philadelphia and he went Into the offlco of Powers & Weight man. Mrs. Walker was made a part ner, and they attended to the business end. Mrs. Welghtman remained at the home of her father-in-law until about 1SI3. and one day Philadelphia was surprised to hear that she had become the wife of Jones Wister. Tbe marrlago of Mrs. William Welghtman was the severing of the relations between the daughter-in-law and her children and tho aged man Mrs. Walker and her husband at onca came Into the ascendant. William Wcightman, Sr., died In August. 1901, and the following week his will, written by hiaiseir, ehowea ho had left every penny of his fortune to bis daughter without condition. Ho had made her executrix without bonds nnd spared her tho necessity of filing an appraisal of the estate. Not grandchild was mentioned In tho will and not a penny left to charity. The suit was brought when Mrs. Wister nnd her attorneys thought they had collected sufficient evidence to prove a codicil or testamentary In tentlon to aid other members of the family. The almoBt forgotten Fourth of July letter was ono of the founda tions of the case, and men who knew William Welghtman now say only an unsuspected streak of grim humor nnd dramatic feeling could have made hlrn write that which arranged for th scene in court, with Its strange out come. Bp Thousands of women suffer dally backacho, headache, dizzy a p e 1 1 s, languor, nervousness and a dozen other symptoms of kid ney trouble, but lay It to other causes. Make no mistake Keep tbe kidneys well, and these aches and troubles will disappear. Mrs. Anthony Cadrette, 7? Mechanic street, Leomin ster, Mass., says: "My sight failed, I had sharp pain In my back and bearing-down paina through the hips. I was nervous, fretful and miserable. The urine was greatly disordered and I began to have the swellings of dropsy. I was running down fast, when I started using Doan'a Kidney Pills. A wonderful change came and after using them faithfully for a short time I was well." Sold by all dealers. EO cents a box. Foster-Mllburn Co., Buffalo, N. Y. Bird's Unbroken Plight. In one unbroken nocturnal flight ttta European bird known as the north ern blue threat has been proved to travel from central Africa to the Ger man ocean, alatance of 1,690 miles, making the journey In nine hours. The Ideal Family Laxative. Is one that can be used by the entire family, young and old, weak and strong, without any danger of harmful effects. It should have properties which Insure the same dose always having the same effect, otherwise the quantity will have to be Increased and finally lose its effect altogether. These properties can ho found In that old family remedy, Rrnndreth's Pills, be cause Us ingredients are of the purest herbal extracts, and every pill Is kept for three years before being sold, which allows them to mellow. We do not believe there Is a laxative on the market that Is so carefully made. Brandreth's Pills are the same fine laxative tonic pills your grandparents used. They have been in use for over century and are for sale everywhere, either plain or sugar-coated. Seek to Abolish Opium Evil. Three separate societies In England are agitating for the abolition of the opium trade in India. Give Defiance Starch a fair trial- try It for both hot and cold starching. and it you don't think you do belter work, In less time and at smaller cost, return It and your grocer will give you back your money. TENANTS' UNION ORGANIZED TO SEEK REFORM The Tenants' Union of New York has been organized. To get legislative relief for the rent payers of the city Is the purpose of the organiza tion, and to this end letters have been sent out to the candidates for the state legislature calling upon them for support. Treasurer George Graydon and President Cornelius Donovan alone are bearing tho expenses of the organization, which they now claim has a membership of over 5,000. "We dont' intend to Indorse any candidate for ofilce," said Mr. Donovan, "but wo do expect to be Indorsed by some of the candidat03 for pub lic olllee. The Tenants' Union is nonpolitical In character, working for a relief which can come from either purty and be equally welcome. There are two questions, however, that I would like to have answered by the judges now running for office. They are: "'Would it be constitutional to limit the landlords In the same manner as the pawnbrokers and money lenders are limited under tho law? "Is the landloid s demand moro money or your homo a free contract? "Our organization Is directed at downing tho dishonest landlord, whom we purpose to drive out of he city. These sharks hunt out a group of ten ants whose rent has not boon raised n a year and buy tho building over their heads for the solo purpose of hoisting tho rent. This practice should be stopped by legislation, aud we expect to develop some definite plan ol action at the coming mass meeting. WOMAN CHEF FOR WOMAN'S CLUB THE LATEST. Following the Initiative Just taken by the Marlborough, the exclusive woman's club of Lon don, employing a woman to preside over Its cull nary affairs, the Colony club, Now York's most fashionable woman's club, Just building at the corner of Madison and Thirtieth streets, has de cided to do likewise. Announcement has been made that anions the 30 employes it will require to conduct this club properly tbe principal consideration namely, ihe chef Is a woman. Mrs. Naylor, for several years tho celebrated chef of W. C. Whitney and later with ono of London s most prominent ram Hies, has been engaged by tbe Colony club to fill this Important place. Mrs. Nay tor's advent In New York club life will be a decided Innovation when It Is remem bered that tho Martha Washington hotel, which i3 decidedly prejudiced In favor of women em ployes even to bellglrls,' employs a mam chef, as well as all women's clubi i.nd lunchrooms which women patronize exclusively. rniiCATINQ THE AFRICAN PIGMY. Otto Henga, the African pigmy, has changed very much since ho was transferred from the monkey cage at the Itronx Zoological gardens to the Howard Colored Orphan asylum, though little more than a month has passed i:inr he was rescued irom tne companionsnip or a cnimpcnzee uy a delega tion of negro ministers. Attired in all the trappings of civilization, even to a watch he takes his seat in the classroom every morning. He can spell tiia name now. and write it with the assistance of his teacher, although he tries to drink the Ink between lessons. He howls with glee whenever be writes his name or finishes repeating three letters of tho alphabets and onca .h tusk la over struts around the room, to tho delight of hla playmates, with whom he is very popular. Since his rcleuso from the monkey cage at the hia rcar-nom have been navlng quite a liltlo attention to hlB spiritual wel i-... n,.t nt, i n heathen, nure and simple, and the superintendent says it hold his attention long enough to teach him anything. The only complaint the pigmy has mude about h i new surroundings it that be has not been provided wnn a u Old Time Labor Law. As early as 1847 a law was raised In New Hampshire making ten houra a legal day's work. THEY CURE RHEUMATISM A Particularly Painful Form of This Disease Yields to Dr. Williams' Pink Pills. Of the many forms which rheumatism takes, that which is popular ly kuown as sciatic rheumatism probably tortures its victim more thnu any other. That Dr. Williams' Pink Pills have cured this stubborn as well as paiufal trouble is a fact proven by the following statement, and no sufferer who reads this cau af ford to let prejudice stand in the way of trying these blood-making pills. Rheumatism is now geuorally re cognized as a disease of the blood. Dr. Williams' Pink Fills make actually make pure blood. When the blood is pure there cau be uo rheumatism. Mrs. Thoiuus Brosnehan, of (A Mill street, Watovtown, N. Y., says : " My trouble began with a severe cold which I took about a week before Christinas iu 1904. I begau to have rheumatic paius iu my hock and limbs and after a time I couldn't straighten up. I suffered the most awfal paiu for months and moon of tue time was un able to leave tbe bouse aud I had to take hold of a chair iu order to walk and sometimes I could not vmua up at all. The disease was prouoauoed sciutie rheumatism aud, although I had a good mysiuian aud took bis medicine laitn ullv. I did net sret ay better. After some sis weeks of this terrible paiu and snfferiug I tried Dr. Williams' Piuk Pills and that is the medicine that cured me. After a few boxes tbe pain was less intense aijd I could see decided im provement. I continued to take the pills until I was entirely cured aud I have nevor had any return of the trouble." All druggists sell Dr. Williams' Pink Fills, or tbe remedy will be mailed post paid, on receipt of price, 60 cents per box, six boxes for $2.50, by the Dr. Wil-. liams Medicine Co., Schenectady, N. T. EDUCATIOSAI. fA YOUNG MEN WANTED 11 To I earn taleorafll. writs J. Z. TIUHE, BTI car ol SifM f Hi.. Arkantus Cit. Kan. SEVENTH TERM JONK6' NATIONAL SCHOOL OF AUCTIONEERING t9 lltUIORY, OPKXS MOV. 19, 1, AT inilittO, ILU, tSI AMIIL1N0 BHD, Th swhooi now give tu aftonu UisVivantAirf tta vreatovt satioD and Mvcutock markut of tlx world at do tddrd ipn. Bii wvtca Instruction In All brand: of Auctioneer! tiff, tfrswin tfHi now nellinu In itirUftn KUtfl and Carta!. FKfc.k CATAl-OUtK. CAUI Y U. iJOK 1, Vrtiliaalt DOUBLE ACTIOS CO rv "3 "0 C Mors . 1 tin J"" For ( now V W -SB JOINTED POLE CUTA traffor OS Circular! titt CUTAWAY ZL HARROW ZZ