The Goodrich Will Case

An important will case was decided by a jury in the circuit court on Saturday evening, by which the will of Merchant H. Goodrich bequeathes the larger portion of his estáte to his niece, Mrs. H. K. Lum, of Columbus, O. The contest settled the title of several valuabie pieces of property on Huron and Ann streets and North Fourth avenue. Merchant H. Goodrich, one of the first graduates of Michigan University, who had always made his home in this city, died here in February, 1891. A will was offered for probate, made by him in May, 1888, which gave one piece of property to his nephew, George Goodrich, and the remainder of his estáte to his niece, Mrs. H. K. Lum, nee Lillie Goodrich, whom he had raised from childhood. There was a provisión in the will that Mrs. Lum should care for her aunt, Sarah Goodrich, during her lifetime, and later a memorandum or codicil was added providing that Ann North, another sister of Mrs. Goodrich's, and Sarah Goodrich, should each enjoy the use of $2,000 from the estáte during their lives. Mrs. North and Morrell Goodrich, of Dextet, a brother of Merchant H. Goodrich and father of Mrs. Lum and George Goodrich, the beneficiaries of the will, contested it, but the probate court admitted it and the contestants appealed to the circuit court. The case occupied four days in trial and was hotly fought. The contestants claimed and endeavored to prove to the jury that Mr. Goodrich afterwards made another will making a different disposition of his property, but the jury thought otherwise and brought in a verdict declaring the will of May, 1888, to be his last will and testament, the verdict giving general satisfaction to the large number of interested spectators who had listened to the case. B. M. Thompson and T. A. Bogle represented the contestants and A. J. Sawyer and J. F. Lawrence the defendants.