Salt Lake Tribune | 1904-05-04 | Page 7 | Pretty Girl Had Undue Influence

PRETTY GIRL HAD UNDUE INFLUENCE Millionaire's Stonographor Married Him, but His Sons Break Will Leaving Her the Property. BOSTON. Mass., May 3. That the will of Uriel II. Crocker, a Back Bay millionaire, who married his stenographer, stenog-rapher, Annie J. Fltz, ugalnst tho wishes of his family and tho advice of his Intimate friend, President Charles W. Eliot of Harvard, was procured through fraud and unduo Influence on the part of his wlfo was the verdict of a Jury In tho Supreme Judicial tcourt This verdict, If confirmed by tho Judge, breaks tho will, which has been contested twice In the Supremo and onco In thc Probate court. Two Issues wero considered, one u to unduo lnllucncc. and the other as to the sound mind of testator. To the question, "Wds Uriel II. Crocker of sound and discriminating dis-criminating mind and memory at the tlmo of the execution of tho will?" tho Jury answered "Yes." The vordlct, If Judgo Bruley confirms lt and throws out the will, doos not provide pro-vide for tho disposal at onco of tho Crocker Crock-er property. Thero aro prior wills In ex-islcnco ex-islcnco and Uieso aro yet to bo disposed dis-posed of. Mr. Crocker's will Involved property appraised ap-praised at 707,706, loft by him when ho died, March 8, 1902. An Interesting fact In connection with tho caso la that Mr Crocker, who drow thc will, wns a lawyer of high reputation, and tho author of law books which aro highly cstoemed by lawyers. Ono chapter chap-ter In his book on "Common Forms," the last book ho publlshod, doals with wills. At tho trial lawyers tcotlfiod to tho excellence excel-lence of Mr. Crocker's books. Lawyers say that no matter what action ac-tion Is takon in regard to tho other wlll. Mrs. Crocker will get ,ut least ono-thlrd i of j.ho CrocKoiucatatq- r