The odds – and Brooke Astor’s family, friends and favorite charities – are against Anthony Mar shall, but he’s not giving up his claim to his moth er’s estate without a knockdown, drag- out fight.
Marshall and his wife, Charlene, were in West chester Surrogate’s Court yesterday. Law yers for his son, his grandchildren, and insti tutions including the New York Public Li brary, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Rockefeller University lined up behind An nette de la Renta and JPMorgan Chase Bank’s bid to be admin istrators of Astor’s $190 million estate.
Their appointment would mean big bucks for the charities, be cause the pair are of fering Astor’s 1997 will for probate, which leaves tens of millions of dol lars more of As tor’s money to her favorite causes. By contrast, her 2002 will and its amendments leave more money and control to Marshall.
Marshall is ve hemently opposed to the pair – who had been Astor’s court-appointed guardians – being named administrators, accusing them in court papers of carrying out a “cruel” vendetta against him and his wife, Charlene.
“Most heartless and hostile was Ms. de la Renta’s refusal to allow Charlene to see my mother with me on the Saturday night before her death on Monday, when we thought she was going to die and she was given the last rites. When I asked her personally that night to allow Charlene and me some final moments with my mother . . . she emphatically refused,” Marshall’s filing says. Security was then allegedly called to make sure Charlene stayed out.
De la Renta’s side said she was following court orders.
Marshall’s court filings also mock de la Renta’s stance that Astor, who died last week at age 105, was mentally incompetent when the 2002 will was drawn up.
“Only one day after the Jan. 30, 2002, will was executed by Mrs. Astor, Ms. de la Renta was given a gift of valuable jewelry by Mrs. Astor, specifically a gold and diamond necklace and matching earrings (appraised at $75,600),” his filing says. “It is apparently Ms. de la Renta’s contention that . . . Mrs. Astor recovered for enough time to make this gift to her.”
The filing says Astor gave de la Renta – the wife of designer Oscar de la Renta – more jewelry eight months later.
“In what Ms. de la Renta would describe as another burst of sudden lucidity, Mrs. Astor gave Ms. de la Renta a pearl necklace with ruby and diamond clasp (appraised at $29,100),” the filing says.
De la Renta lawyer Paul Saunders said one of the pieces was a Christmas present, and his client had given Astor a valuable gift in return.