INTERESTING WILL CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 26 June 1913, Page 5

INTERESTING WILL CASE.

MISSING CODICIL

ALLEGED UNDI'E INFLUENCE

(Received June 25, 9.30 a.m.)

LONDON, June 24

In the Probate Division of the High Court of Justice, Mr Malcol-n 'Scott is-contesting probate of the will of his brother, Sir Murray Scott. Counsel alleges that Lord and Lady SackviJle had spent ten year s in gaining an ascendancy over the testator, and had induced him to finance them, giving them enormous sums, and ultimately to leave them the bulk of his fortune. The Sackvilles during 1906 received £29,441.

1 STRANGE STORY.

OF A WOMAN'S INFLUENCE

(Received Last Night 11.55 o'clock.) LONDON, June 26.

Sir Edward Carson is representing ihe Sackvilles, and Mr F. Smith is counsel for Mr Malcolm Scott. Mr Smith said Sir John willed to Lady Sackville, in token of her good- J ness and sympathy,particularly dur- ; ing the time of his mother's death, £150,066, pictures and furniture in Paris worth £350,000, and other valuables. As all were left duty free, which amounted to forty per cent., there was likely to be little or no residuary estate for the family, out of the total of £1,180,000. Mr Malcolm Scott asked the Court to pronounce a missing codicil revoking the bWqu€»tS,to l*ady Sackville! .Another codicil in I#oß provided thai if meni-; V would be disinherited. Mr Smith continued that Sir John was of an affectionate and easily influenced. He met Lady Sackvili in March, 1897. He kept a diary, in which an entry. made in June,, 1899, read: "She is a tiuiy :marvellous woman, clever and sympathet-' ic," and a later entry: "She told me all her troubles and worries." Mr Smith stated that Mr Walter Scott was desirous of becoming his brother's private secretary. Lady Sackvilje -objected; and>*cf©k Walterltor .■■&:■ walk," and suggested that he was in love with her.' Walter bluntly replied: "You never *nade a greater mistake." . Lady Sackville after-, wards told Sir John that Walter was; in love with her. Mrs Scott sought,} to persuade Sir John to give up Lady K Sackville. Finally in 1899, Walter asked Lady Sackville to leave" his brother alone, as she wa& alienating his family; Lady Sackville refused, and Walter spoke to Sir John the <same evening. His mother overheard the conversation, and' died from heart attack the next morning. Lady Sackville gradually insinuated herself-as the mistress of Sir John's house, and used the motor cars. ■"' She gave brder ß to the servants, and arranged entertainments, putting hig sistors in the background. Some money was given to the Sackvilles, apparently upon the mortgage of. Knowle House. Sir John advanced £SOOO to meet the of litigation in a legitjmacy'case. ? Some of Scott's valuables were sold yesterday at Christies', and the day's' 1 sale brought £57,551, including four panels of Beauvais tapestry; which' sold at £18,900.