A Widow's Estate, a Suspicious Death, and the Fight to Deny an Assyrian Immigrant His Inheritance

The tragic death of Mrs. Michel Jasous, formerly Mrs. Marie J. Bernhardy, of Tacoma, has led to a bitter contest for control of her estate. According to the attorney for her Assyrian husband, efforts are being made by influential men in Tacoma to prevent Jasous from getting his rights as the surviving husband. Through the recommendation of John L. Boole, counsel of the Turkish consul at San Francisco, Jasous has secured the services of Robert H. Lindsay of Seattle. Lindsay has made two trips to Tacoma and taken preliminary steps toward having an administrator appointed.

Jasous, who can hardly speak English, welcomed Lindsay and unburdened himself of the wrongs and suspicions he has suffered through designing persons in Tacoma. At the suggestion of the attorney, Jasous waived his right to be appointed administrator and agreed to petition the superior court of Pierce County for the appointment of Dr. Clinton Munson, a prominent Tacoma citizen, whose standing would leave no room to question the honesty of the Assyrian. The petition was presented, and the application will be heard a week from tomorrow, Saturday, January 26.

Jasous is about 32 years old, six feet tall, and handsome. His late wife was between 45 and 50, a Hollander by birth, strong and sturdy, though considered eccentric. The wedding took place in San Francisco a little over two months ago and created considerable comment. Before she left Tacoma for California, she placed in the vaults of the Fidelity Trust Company a trunk containing her valuable papers. After her death, the receipt for this trunk was found among her effects. Attorney Lindsay, accompanied by Jasous, presented themselves before President Wallace of the trust company and asked permission to examine the trunk. Wallace peremptorily refused, demanding an order of court. Lindsay agreed to get such an order the next day.

No sooner had he left than John H. Palmer, who had for years been connected in some capacity with the dead woman's affairs and was deeply exercised over the marriage, secured the attorneys of the Fidelity Company and had an application for an order made out. Before dark he had secured the court order Lindsay had promised to present the next day. He and Wallace then repaired to Jasous' house, told him of the order, and invited him to help examine the papers. Jasous refused, protesting that his attorney would come the next morning with a court order. Palmer and Wallace went through the box that night and reported to Lindsay on his arrival that no will was found. A draft of a will was found, but it was never executed, so it cuts no figure.

Lindsay says that even if a will had been found made and dated prior to the marriage, the marriage itself would have revoked it. The law is clear on the rights of surviving husbands, and though not quite so clear on the wife's side, the statute was intended to apply equitably to either. Speaking of Jasous and his brother, Lindsay said he found them well-educated, intelligent men and gentlemen, with the peculiar fears and suspicions of Orientals toward strangers. From the Jasouses, Lindsay learned that Palmer was at the bottom of the antagonism. Jasous had Lindsay write Palmer a letter asking him to find other quarters. Palmer obeyed, and the Tacoma papers asserted that Jasous had literally kicked him out. The antagonism also emanates from parties in debt to the dead woman who fear a close investigation, and others who fear foreclosure on mortgages.

In his petition, Lindsay values the estate at $75,000, though it is supposed to be much more. The bank of the property is unproductive outside real estate, and in the present depressed condition of affairs in Tacoma, it is impossible to place a fair estimate on its value. Jasous told Lindsay that he once heard his wife say that her only heirs were the children of a married sister in Holland. Lindsay says Jasous is anxious and willing to give him power of attorney for arranging the affairs of the dead woman, and is also prepared to transfer his interest to anyone who can produce a legal claim to the estate. Lindsay does not know where the dead woman kept her bank account.