THE HOUSTON MILLIONS

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 31

THE HOUSTON MILLIONS

ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATE. ESTABLISHING WIDOW’S SANITY. LONDON. July 1. A sidelight on the fate of the Houston millions was shown when the Jersey Court to-day declined to rescind the appointment of a controller of the estate under the old Jersey custom for a year and a day. Sir Robert Houston’s American grandson, who claimed to be the sole heir, opposed the oontrolship of the estate, which is now estimated to work out at £6,000,000 The trial will come on Saturday when on behalf of Lady Houston eight of the most eminent London specialists whose fees amount to £IO,OOO will certify before the Appeal Court that she is sane and capable of managing her own affairs. The will of the late Sir Robert Houston waa proved in Jersey at the end of April. The testator said: “I declare that l have given up and relinquished my domicile of origin and have taken up a Jersey domicile, it being., my intention to remain so domiciled in N jersey until the end of my natural life. 1 now nominat and appoint ray wife and George Henry Appleton executors of my last will and testament. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife, whose self-sacrifice, devotion, care and wonderful intuition on two separate occasions saved my life when the doctors despaired, one hundred thousand pounds to be at once paid, also my steamer yacht Liberty, with her equip ment, and my pictures, silver-plate and the persona] effects. I give and bequeath to George Henry Appleton fifty thousand pounds to be at once paid; to Walter Francis Roche, fifteen thousand pounds; to William Sanders Fiske, five thousand ; to John Herbert Cronford, ten thousand pounds; to my executors the sum of fifty thousand for distribution in such amount and to such persons as they may determine in their absolute discretion who were in the service on or before October 31, 1918. of R. P. Houston and Co. and the Bri tish and South American Steam Navigation Company (Ltd.). As to the rest and residue of my said personal estate, I giv* and bequeath four-fifths thereof to my said wife absolutely and one-fifth to the said George Henry Appleton absolutely, the present will being made without prejudice to my will of reality.” The will was signed at St. Saviour’s, Jersey, on January 19, 1926. No declaration as to the value of the estate was required in Jersey. The will was proved by Mr Appletof. only, as Lady Houston was too ill to take an ‘oath. Subsequently Lady Houston was declared by the court to be mentally and physically unfit to take charge of herself or the estate and a curator was appointed. Sir Rob ert’s total fortune was valued at £7,000,000 As the testator died without an heir his property for a year and a day was declared to be the privilege of the King by the Jersey Assize d’Heritage, the oldest Land Court in the world. The King is Seigneur of the Fier du Roi, in which Sir Rcberl’s Jersey property is situated.