THE SACKVILLE CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 22, 26 June 1913, Page 5

THE SACKVILLE CASE.

.'A SAVOURY SCANDAL.

By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London, June 24. Mr. -Malcolm Scott is contesting the probate of the will of his brother, Sir Murray Scott, whose valet said in evidence that : he ' believed his master always carried a codicil to the will in his pocket. Counsel alleged that Lord and Lady Sackville spent ten years in gaining an ascendancy over the testator. They induced him to finance them with (enormous sums of money, and ultimately to leave them the' bulk of his fortune. During 1906 the Sackvilles i received £29,441. ; Received 25, 10.55 p.m. London, June '25. Sir E. Carson is representing the Sackvilles, and Mr. P. Smith is counsel for Malcolm Scott. Mr. Smith said that Sir John willed Lady .Sackville. in token of her goo'dness and sympathy, particularly at the time of his mother's death, £150,000. pictures and furniture in Paris ■worth £350,000, and other valuables. As they were all left duty free, which amounted to 40 per cent., there is likely to be little or no residuary estate for the family out of a total of £1,180,000. Mr. Malcolm asks the court to pronounce that the missing codicil revokes the bequests to Lady Sackville. Another codicil df 1908 provided that if the members of the family disputed the will they disinherited. Mr. Smith continued that Sir John was affectionate! and easily influenced. He met Ladv Sackville in March, 1897. He kept a diary, and an entry in June, 1599, read: "She is a tnilymarvcllous woman,, clever and sympathetic:*' In a later entry: '"She told me all her troubles and wor- | ries;" Mr. Smith stated that Walter Scott was desirous of becoming his 'brother's 'private secretary. Lady Sackville objecting, he took Walter for walks, and suggested that Walter was in love f with her. 'Walter bluntlyrepliedi' h You never mirae a greater mistake." Lady Sackville afterwards told John that Walter-; was ;in> love, with her. Mrs; Scott tried to persuade John to give up the Sackvilles. Finally, in December, lSsj!) Walter asked Lady Sackville to leave his. brother alone, as she was alienating the family.. Lady Sackville-refused, and Walter-spoke to Sir John the same evening. His mother overheard the conversation, and died of heart attack the next morning. Lady Sackville gradually insinuated herself as mistress in Sir John's' house, used his motor-cars, gave orders to Che servants, and arranged entertainments, putting the sisters in the back- ■ I™?".™ Some lnoney was S iven to the' Sackvilles, apparently upon a mortgage of Knowle House. John advanced £SOO to meet the expenses of the litigation in a legitimacy case. :

Some of Scott's valuables- were sold j yesterday at Christie's day sale, bringing I £5/,551, including four panels of Bean jvais tapestry, which brought £lB 980