February 17, 1916

SEEKS BUSTANOBY'S WILL

Widow Gets Permission to Search Safety Deposit Box

Surrogate Cohaian yesterday signed an order giving to Mrs. Juliette Dolores Bustanoby or her attorney, Willard Baylas, permission to open the safety deposit box of her husband, Andre Bustanoby, the restaurateur, in an effort to learn whether he had left a will disposing of his estate. The order directs teh officers of the Commercial Trust Company where the box is located, to bring the instrument, if any be found, to the Surrogate's Court.

The petitioner declared that during his last illness and just prior to his death, Mr. Bustanoby "stated to the deponent that she would find a paper in his safe or box by which she would be protected and given power to protect herself and minor children in business matters, and that the deponent believes that there is a will in favor of herself and minor children in existence."

The petition further recites that she has searched for the will at the home and the office at 110 W. Thirty-ninth street, but without result, and that employees at the restaurant have informed her that Mr. Bustanoby kept his important papers in the safety deposit box in the Commercial Trust Company.

Note: The paper gives some confusing information on both the date of Andre's death and the surviving widow. An obituary notice on February 11, 1916 (not quoted in this history) says "February 10th, Andre, beloved husband of Lolita Bustanoby, age 44 years, 11 months [funeral place and time]."

On the previous page of this history is another February 11, 1916 article that says Andre "was in his forty-fifth year." Perhaps because he was only one month short of being forty-five he was listed that way.

The other matter has to do with the identity of the surviving wife. Is the surviving wife Lolita Bustanoby or Juliette Dolores Bustanoby? The fact is that this is one and the same person. She was the sister of Conception Steven Bustanoby, Andre's first wife. And, after Andre died, she remarried a doctor Sherwood and became Juliette Dolores Lolita Steven Bustanoby Sherwood!