CONSUL’S WIDOW

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 770, 17 September 1929, Page 16

CONSUL’S WIDOW

“A VERY CURIOUS CASE” MRS. SEEGNER’S ESTATE BEQUESTS AMOUNT TO £12,000 Charles Ernest Whistler Mackintosh, well known to Auckland Rugby followers as the Scottish international threequarter who played in Auckland last year, was one of the plaintiffs in an action which Mr. Justice Herdman described at the Supreme Court yesterday as “a very curious case." The action was an application for probate in the will of the late Mrs. C. E. Seegner, widow of a former German Consul. Large sums of money were found in Mrs. Seegner’s home after her death, and the amount involved in the will is £12,000. The application was moved by the executors, Ronald M. Algie, Professor of Law of the Auckland University College, and C. E. Mackintosh, retired. Besides Mr. Mackintosh, to whom was left the bulk of the estate, the beneficiaries are: Maud Mackintosh, £300; Eva Pares, £100; and Mrs. Jeeves, of Purewa, £ 50. The defendants cited were: Bertram Whistler (Mr. Weir), Eva Pares (Mr. Stanton), Maud Mackintosh and Florence Whistler, of London. On behalf of the applicants, Mr. Northcroft said that these proceedings were taken in view of the doubt concerning Mrs. Seegner’s testamentary ability. The result of his attendance on Mrs. Seegner in September last year was given by Dr. F. W. Gordon in an affidavit handed in to the court. He at first found Mrs. Seegner under the influence of drugs, which, he had been informed were administered day and night, the doctor declared. Mrs. Seegner’s mental and physical condition was consistent with that information. Gradually he had redmced the doses of drugs until they were eliminated altogether, with the result that her mental condition greatly improved. The doctor told the court he had read Mrs. Seegner’s will to her one day and she replied that she understood all its contents. He was of opinion she knew the full effect and nature of the testament, and that Mrs. Seegner was in full possession of her faculties at the time of execution. Commenting that it was a very curious case, the judge granted probate of the will.