Brooke Astor’s butler, who was instrumental in having the socialite’s son removed as her guardian, remains on staff at the grand dame’s Westchester estate, even though there’s no one around to serve, the embattled son’s lawyers are complaining.
Christopher Ely – whom the son, Anthony Marshall, blames for instigating the upheaval in his once-harmonious home – continues to make $82,000 a year for his services, although Astor died in August at age 105.
“The continued employment of a full-time butler-in-residence after Mrs. Astor has passed away is wholly unjustified,” Marshall’s attorney, Ken Warner, wrote to JPMorgan Chase Bank on Thursday.
Chase was appointed as guardian of Astor’s estate by a surrogate’s court judge after Anthony’s son, Philip Marshall, accused his dad of neglecting Astor while helping himself to her cash and valuables.
Marshall said he believes Ely instigated the coup as retaliation for being fired. A court evaluator later found the “elder abuse” claims to be unsubstantiated.
“It gives the distinct appearance of a reward to Mr. Ely for his having filed an affidavit in support of the now-discredited ‘neglect’ allegations,” Warner wrote of Ely’s continued service for the family.
Warner contrasted Ely’s fate with that of Mily Degernier, Astor’s longtime housekeeper, who didn’t write any affidavits against Marshall – and who was fired by Chase last year.
“Surely you could have found some place for Ms. Degernier while Mrs. Astor was alive and continued her employment until Mr. Astor’s death. Even worse, Ms. Degernier was given not one cent of severance pay, despite all her years of faithful service to Mrs. Astor,” Warner wrote.
Chase spokeswoman Mary Sedarat denied Warner’s version of events.
“All of the employees that were let go were offered a formal severance package,” she said. She called the allegations of a cushy job in exchange for his affidavit against Marshall “nonsense.”
“All expenditures made are for the preservation of Mrs. Astor’s property. Any assertion of an ulterior motive is absolute nonsense,” she said.
In his letter, Warner claims property, including designer clothing, is missing at Astor’s homes.