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the¡¡original¡¡writing¡¡of¡¡Thomas¡¡J¡£¡¡Monroe£»¡¡or¡¡indeed
of¡¡any¡¡person¡£¡¡The¡¡will¡¡was¡¡not¡¡admitted¡¡to¡¡probate¡£
Experiments£»¡¡both¡¡in¡¡open¡¡court¡¡or¡¡during¡¡its¡¡sessions
in¡¡the¡¡testing¡¡of¡¡ink¡¡and¡¡paper£»¡¡microscopically
and¡¡chemically£»¡¡are¡¡of¡¡frequent¡¡occurrence£»¡¡and¡¡many
contests¡¡involving¡¡enormous¡¡interests¡¡have¡¡been¡¡more
or¡¡less¡¡decided¡¡as¡¡the¡¡result¡¡of¡¡them¡£
The¡¡contest¡¡of¡¡the¡¡alleged¡¡will¡¡of¡¡George¡¡P¡£¡¡Gordon£»
tried¡¡before¡¡the¡¡late¡¡Chancellor¡¡McGill¡¡of¡¡New
Jersey¡¡in¡¡1891£»¡¡illustrates¡¡in¡¡a¡¡remarkable¡¡degree¡¡just
how¡¡certain¡¡are¡¡the¡¡results¡¡of¡¡investigations¡¡of¡¡this
character¡£¡¡The¡¡chancellor's¡¡decision£»¡¡after¡¡listening
to¡¡testimony¡¡for¡¡many¡¡weeks£»¡¡was¡¡in¡¡effect¡¡to¡¡declare
the¡¡will¡¡a¡¡forgery£»¡¡largely¡¡because¡¡of¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡the
premise¡¡on¡¡which¡¡it¡¡rested¡¡was¡¡a¡¡so¡called¡¡draft£»¡¡from
which¡¡it¡¡was¡¡sworn¡¡it¡¡had¡¡been¡¡copied¡£¡¡The¡¡ink¡¡on
this¡¡draft¡¡it¡¡was¡¡proved¡¡could¡¡not¡¡have¡¡had¡¡an¡¡existence¡£
until¡¡many¡¡years¡¡after¡¡the¡¡date¡¡of¡¡the¡¡forged¡¡will¡£
The¡¡decedent£»¡¡who¡¡died¡¡in¡¡1878£»¡¡was¡¡the¡¡inventor
of¡¡a¡¡famous¡¡printing¡¡press£»¡¡and¡¡left¡¡a¡¡large¡¡fortune¡£
A¡¡will¡¡offered¡¡for¡¡probate¡¡soon¡¡after¡¡the¡¡death¡¡of
Gordon¡¡was¡¡not¡¡probated£»¡¡owing¡¡to¡¡the¡¡discovery¡¡that
the¡¡witnesses¡¡had¡¡not¡¡signed¡¡it¡¡in¡¡each¡¡other's¡¡presence¡£
The¡¡principal¡¡beneficiaries£»¡¡however£»¡¡under
that¡¡will£»¡¡the¡¡widow¡¡and¡¡daughter¡¡of¡¡Gordon£»¡¡agreed
to¡¡a¡¡division¡¡of¡¡the¡¡estate¡¡which¡¡was¡¡satisfactory¡¡to
the¡¡other¡¡heirs¡¡at¡¡law£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡matter¡¡apparently¡¡was
settled¡£
But¡¡a¡¡retired¡¡lawyer¡¡named¡¡Henry¡¡C¡£¡¡Adams¡¡began
in¡¡1879£»¡¡a¡¡year¡¡after¡¡Gordon's¡¡death£»¡¡to¡¡endeavor¡¡to
obtain¡¡the¡¡assistance¡¡of¡¡some¡¡heirs¡¡at¡¡law¡¡in¡¡an¡¡enterprise
which¡¡was¡¡finally¡¡ended¡¡only¡¡when¡¡Chancellor
McGill's¡¡decision¡¡was¡¡rendered¡£
In¡¡1868¡¡Adams¡¡lived¡¡with¡¡his¡¡father¡¡and¡¡brothers
on¡¡a¡¡farm£»¡¡near¡¡Rahway£»¡¡N¡£¡¡J¡££»¡¡adjoining¡¡the¡¡Gordon
place¡£¡¡The¡¡two¡¡men¡¡became¡¡well¡¡acquainted¡¡through
their¡¡common¡¡interest¡¡in¡¡music¡£¡¡Adams¡¡called¡¡upon
A¡£¡¡Sidney¡¡Doane£»¡¡a¡¡nephew¡¡of¡¡Gordon£»¡¡and¡¡told¡¡him
that¡¡Gordon¡¡had¡¡made¡¡a¡¡will¡¡in¡¡1868¡¡which¡¡might¡¡be
found¡¡or¡¡if¡¡lost£»¡¡established¡¡by¡¡means¡¡of¡¡a¡¡draft¡¡of¡¡it
which¡¡he¡¡£¨Adams£©¡¡had¡¡retained¡£¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Doane¡¡refused
to¡¡act¡¡upon¡¡this¡¡proposition¡£¡¡Then¡¡Adams¡¡presented
the¡¡matter¡¡to¡¡Guthbert¡¡O¡£¡¡Gordon£»¡¡a¡¡brother¡¡to
George¡¡P¡£¡¡Gordon¡£¡¡He¡¡declined¡¡to¡¡consider¡¡the¡¡proposed
search¡¡for¡¡a¡¡new¡¡will¡£¡¡Adams¡¡then¡¡wrote¡¡to
Guthbert¡¡Gordon£»¡¡Jr¡££»¡¡cautioning¡¡him¡¡to¡¡say¡¡nothing
to¡¡any¡¡one£»¡¡but¡¡to¡¡come¡¡and¡¡see¡¡him¡£¡¡Guthbert¡¡Gordon£»
Jr¡££»¡¡declined¡¡to¡¡accept¡¡Adams's¡¡invitation¡¡for¡¡a
secret¡¡conference¡£¡¡Adams¡¡did¡¡not¡¡write¡¡or¡¡communicate
with¡¡the¡¡widow¡¡or¡¡daughter¡¡of¡¡George¡¡P¡£¡¡Gordon£»
or¡¡with¡¡any¡¡of¡¡the¡¡officials¡¡or¡¡other¡¡persons¡¡who¡¡dealt
with¡¡the¡¡estate¡£¡¡Finding¡¡that¡¡the¡¡heirs¡¡at¡¡law¡¡were
satisfied¡¡with¡¡the¡¡arrangement¡¡of¡¡the¡¡estate¡¡under
Gordon's¡¡daughter's¡¡management£»¡¡he¡¡gave¡¡up¡¡his¡¡efforts
at¡¡that¡¡time¡£
In¡¡1890¡¡Mary¡¡Agnes¡¡Gordon£»¡¡the¡¡daughter£»¡¡died¡¡in
Paris£»¡¡and¡¡remittances¡¡from¡¡her¡¡ceasing¡¡and¡¡her¡¡will
not¡¡being¡¡satisfactory¡¡to¡¡those¡¡who¡¡had¡¡been¡¡receiving
them¡¡from¡¡her£»¡¡another¡¡contest¡¡was¡¡begun¡£¡¡This
caused¡¡a¡¡renewal¡¡of¡¡Adams's¡¡activity¡£¡¡In¡¡1890¡¡he
wrote¡¡to¡¡Messrs¡£¡¡Black¡¡&¡¡King£»¡¡a¡¡firm¡¡of¡¡lawyers¡¡who
represented¡¡the¡¡contestants¡¡of¡¡Mary¡¡Agnes¡¡Gordon's
will¡£¡¡Adams's¡¡letter¡¡to¡¡the¡¡law¡¡firm¡¡contained¡¡this
expression£º
¡¨If¡¡one¡¡of¡¡you¡¡will¡¡come¡¡over¡¡here¡¡on¡¡Sunday
morning£»¡¡bringing¡¡no¡¡brass¡¡band£»¡¡fife¡¡or¡¡drums£»¡¡I
will¡¡tell¡¡you¡¡something¡¡worth¡¡knowing¡£¡¨
Mr¡£¡¡King¡¡visited¡¡Adams£»¡¡who¡¡was¡¡then¡¡living¡¡at
Orange£»¡¡N¡£¡¡J¡££»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡told¡¡by¡¡him¡¡that¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Gordon
had¡¡executed¡¡a¡¡will¡¡in¡¡1868¡¡which¡¡he¡¡£¨Adams£©¡¡had
drawn¡¡at¡¡Gordon's¡¡instance£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡retained
a¡¡corrected¡¡draft¡¡from¡¡which¡¡the¡¡will¡¡itself¡¡had¡¡been
copied¡£¡¡He¡¡also¡¡told¡¡King¡¡that¡¡the¡¡original¡¡will¡¡after
its¡¡execution¡¡had¡¡been¡¡left¡¡with¡¡his¡¡father£»¡¡and¡¡that
it¡¡must¡¡be¡¡at¡¡his¡¡father's¡¡homestead¡¡near¡¡Rahway£»
where¡¡he¡¡would¡¡try¡¡to¡¡find¡¡it¡£¡¡A¡¡few¡¡days¡¡later¡¡he
wrote¡¡to¡¡Black¡¡&¡¡King¡¡that¡¡the¡¡will¡¡had¡¡been¡¡found£»
and¡¡the¡¡next¡¡day¡¡went¡¡with¡¡the¡¡lawyers¡¡to¡¡Rahway
and¡¡identified¡¡the¡¡package¡¡found¡¡by¡¡his¡¡brother¡¡Edward
Adams£»¡¡who¡¡occupied¡¡the¡¡Rahway¡¡farm£»¡¡as¡¡that
which¡¡contained¡¡the¡¡will¡£¡¡The¡¡package£»¡¡unopened£»
was¡¡taken¡¡to¡¡a¡¡safe¡¡deposit¡¡company¡¡and¡¡the¡¡original
draft¡¡was¡¡deposited¡¡with¡¡the¡¡secretary¡¡of¡¡state¡£¡¡The
alleged¡¡will£»¡¡which¡¡Chancellor¡¡McGill¡¡pronounced¡¡a
forgery¡¡when¡¡finally¡¡opened¡¡in¡¡the¡¡preliminary¡¡probate
proceedings£»¡¡was¡¡found¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡very¡¡long¡¡and
complicated¡¡document£»¡¡written¡¡on¡¡blue¡¡paper¡¡in¡¡black
ink¡£¡¡The¡¡draft£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡on¡¡white¡¡paper£»¡¡was¡¡also
written¡¡in¡¡the¡¡main¡¡in¡¡black¡¡ink£»¡¡but¡¡a¡¡copious¡¡quantity
of¡¡red¡¡ink¡¡had¡¡been¡¡used¡¡in¡¡interlineations¡£¡¡The
significant¡¡paragraph¡¡of¡¡the¡¡new¡¡will¡¡was¡¡a¡¡direction
to¡¡his¡¡heirs¡¡to¡¡purchase£»¡¡if¡¡the¡¡testator¡¡had¡¡not¡¡succeeded
in¡¡doing¡¡so¡¡before¡¡his¡¡death£»¡¡the¡¡Henry¡¡Adams
farm¡¡for¡¡32£»000¡£¡¡Minute¡¡directions¡¡were¡¡given¡¡to¡¡insure
the¡¡purchase£»¡¡but¡¡no¡¡lower¡¡price¡¡than¡¡32£»000
was¡¡mentioned¡£¡¡Commenting¡¡upon¡¡this¡¡Chancellor
McGill's¡¡remarks£º
¡¨It¡¡is¡¡also¡¡to¡¡be¡¡here¡¡noted¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Adams¡¡farm
is¡¡now¡¡scarcely¡¡worth¡¡one¡third¡¡the¡¡price¡¡for¡¡which
it¡¡is¡¡directed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡purchased¡£¡¨
Continuing¡¡the¡¡court¡¡says£º
¡¨The¡¡only¡¡living¡¡person¡¡who¡¡professes¡¡to¡¡have
had¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡this¡¡disputed¡¡paper¡¡prior¡¡to
November£»¡¡1890£»¡¡is¡¡Henry¡¡C¡£¡¡Adams¡£¡¡He¡¡most
clearly¡¡and¡¡positively¡¡testified¡¡that¡¡he¡¡drew¡¡the
disputed¡¡paper¡¡at¡¡the¡¡instance¡¡of¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Gordon¡£¡¡He
produced¡¡a¡¡draft¡¡from¡¡which¡¡he¡¡said¡¡it¡¡was
copied¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡I¡¡have¡¡already¡¡stated¡¡that¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Adams
testified¡¡most¡¡positively¡¡when¡¡the¡¡draft¡¡of¡¡the¡¡disputed
paper¡¡was¡¡offered¡¡in¡¡evidence¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡the
identical¡¡document¡¡from¡¡which¡¡the¡¡will¡¡of¡¡1868¡¡had
been¡¡copied£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡is¡¡to¡¡be¡¡remembered¡¡that¡¡the
interlineations¡¡in¡¡that¡¡draft¡¡are¡¡almost¡¡all¡¡made
with¡¡red¡¡ink£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Adams¡¡testified¡¡that
those¡¡interlineations¡¡existed¡¡when¡¡the¡¡will¡¡was
copied¡¡from¡¡the¡¡draft¡£¡¡With¡¡a¡¡view¡¡to¡¡testing¡¡the
truth¡¡of¡¡this¡¡testimony¡¡the¡¡contestants¡¡submitted
the¡¡draft¡¡to¡¡scientific¡¡experts£»¡¡who¡¡pronounced¡¡the
red¡¡ink¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡product¡¡of¡¡eosine£»¡¡a¡¡substance
invented¡¡by¡¡a¡¡German¡¡chemist¡¡named¡¡Caro¡¡in¡¡the
year¡¡1874£»¡¡and¡¡after¡¡that¡¡time¡¡imported¡¡to¡¡this
country¡£¡¡At¡¡first¡¡it¡¡was¡¡sold¡¡for¡¡125¡¡a¡¡pound£»
and¡¡was¡¡so¡¡expensive¡¡it¡¡could¡¡not¡¡be¡¡used¡¡commercially
in¡¡the¡¡manufacture¡¡of¡¡ink¡£¡¡Afterwards¡¡the
price¡¡was¡¡so¡¡greatly¡¡reduced¡¡that¡¡it¡¡became¡¡generally
used¡¡in¡¡making¡¡red¡¡ink¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡distinguished
by¡¡a¡¡peculiar¡¡bronze¡¡cast¡¡that¡¡is¡¡readily¡¡detected¡£
It¡¡was¡¡recognized¡¡in¡¡the¡¡red¡¡ink¡¡interlineations¡¡in
the¡¡draft¡¡of¡¡the¡¡disputed¡¡paper¡¡produced¡¡by¡¡Mr¡£
Adams¡¡by¡¡a¡¡number¡¡of¡¡scientific¡¡gentlemen£»¡¡among
whom¡¡were¡¡some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡best¡¡known¡¡ink¡¡manufacturers
in¡¡the¡¡country£»¡¡and¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Carl¡¡Pickhardt£»¡¡who
first¡¡imported¡¡eosine¡£¡¡Upon¡¡further¡¡examination
the¡¡witness£»¡¡Adams£»¡¡said¡¡he¡¡thought¡¡the¡¡draft
produced¡¡to¡¡be¡¡the¡¡original¡¡until¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡will¡¡on
blue¡¡paper£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡then¡¡he¡¡was¡¡perplexed£»¡¡but
dismissed¡¡his¡¡doubt¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡suggestion¡¡of¡¡counsel£»
but¡¡afterward¡¡he¡¡thought¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡subject¡¡'in
the¡¡vigils¡¡of¡¡the¡¡night£»'¡¡but¡¡by¡¡an¡¡unfortunate
coincidence¡¡did¡¡not¡¡reach¡¡substantial¡¡doubt¡¡enough
to¡¡correct¡¡his¡¡previous¡¡testimony¡¡until¡¡after¡¡the
testimony¡¡concerning¡¡the¡¡character¡¡of¡¡the¡¡red¡¡ink
he¡¡had¡¡used¡¡in¡¡interlining¡¡had¡¡been¡¡produced¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£
It¡¡is¡¡impossible¡¡to¡¡study¡¡this¡¡remarkable¡¡case¡¡at
this¡¡point¡¡without¡¡grave¡¡doubts¡¡as¡¡to¡¡the¡¡truthfulness
of¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Adams£»¡¡and¡¡indeed¡¡as¡¡to¡¡the¡¡frankness
with¡¡which¡¡the¡¡case¡¡was¡¡produced¡¡in¡¡court¡¡in
behalf¡¡of¡¡the¡¡proponents¡£¡¨
As¡¡to¡¡Adams¡¡as¡¡a¡¡witness£»¡¡the¡¡court¡¡finally¡¡says£º
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Adams¡¡and¡¡note¡¡his¡¡apparent¡¡misapprehension¡¡of
questions¡¡that¡¡would¡¡tend¡¡to¡¡involve¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡note
the¡¡apparent¡¡failure¡¡of¡¡his¡¡theretofore¡¡wonderfully
clear¡¡and¡¡exact¡¡memory¡¡of¡¡the¡¡most¡¡trivial¡¡and¡¡unimportant
details£»¡¡I¡¡am¡¡inclined¡¡to¡¡reject¡¡the¡¡whole
story¡¡as¡¡a¡¡fabrication¡¡that¡¡has¡¡been¡¡punctured¡¡and
fallen¡¡to¡¡pieces¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡I¡¡find¡¡it¡¡to¡¡be¡¡impossible¡¡to
rely¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡testimony¡¡of¡¡Henry¡¡C¡£¡¡Adams¡£¡¡Excluding
it¡¡the¡¡will¡¡is¡¡not¡¡proved¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£
¡¨I¡¡will¡¡deny¡¡probate£»¡¡revoking¡¡that¡¡which¡¡I
have¡¡heretofore¡¡granted¡¡in¡¡common¡¡form¡£¡¨
¡¡*¡¡¡¡¡¡*¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡*¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡*¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡*¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡*¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡*
In¡¡the¡¡attempt¡¡made¡¡to¡¡prove¡¡the¡¡alleged¡¡last¡¡will
and¡¡testament¡¡of¡¡Stephen¡¡C¡£¡¡Dimon£»¡¡deceased£»¡¡chemistry
was¡¡the¡¡all¡determining¡¡factor¡¡in¡¡the¡¡most¡¡important
branch¡¡of¡¡the¡¡case¡£¡¡The¡¡peculiar¡¡features¡¡of
this¡¡remarkable¡¡and¡¡unique¡¡case¡¡are¡¡best¡¡described
by¡¡presenting¡¡them¡¡with¡¡a¡¡brief¡¡history¡¡of¡¡the¡¡entire
matter¡£
In¡¡1884¡¡Stephen¡¡C¡£¡¡Dimon¡¡of¡¡the¡¡city¡¡of¡¡New
York¡¡made¡¡and¡¡executed¡¡a¡¡will£»¡¡choosing¡¡as¡¡legatee
and¡¡executrix¡¡a¡¡Mrs¡£¡¡Martha¡¡Keery¡£¡¡The¡¡will¡¡he
intrusted¡¡to¡¡the¡¡custody¡¡of¡¡his¡¡counsel¡£¡¡It¡¡appeared¡£
that¡¡some¡¡time¡¡during¡¡the¡¡following¡¡year¡¡his¡¡attorney
transferred¡¡this¡¡will¡¡from¡¡its¡¡resting¡¡place¡¡in¡¡a¡¡desk
drawer¡¡to¡¡a¡¡new¡¡safe¡¡and¡¡recalled¡¡having¡¡seen¡¡its¡¡envelope
a¡¡year¡¡later£»¡¡but¡¡said¡¡he¡¡never¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡will
thereafter¡£
In¡¡1893¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Dimon¡¡died¡£¡¡No¡¡will¡¡being¡¡produced£»
his¡¡brother¡¡took