Young Australian Declares Mining Engineer Who Went Down with Ship Was Twice Married. 

New York, March 18 — That the estate of Col. John Weir, the noted mining engineer who met death when the Titanic was lost at sea on April 15, 1912, is being claimed in its entirety by Robin D. Weir, an Australian, who alleges he is the son and only legitimate heir of the colonel, became known yesterday in the surrogate's court when Michael F. Laffan of Lawrence, L.I., appeared before Surrogate Fowler to press the settlement of a $2,000 debt.

The fact also became public that Colonel Weir had with him in his stateroom, or in the ship's strong box, a large number of securities which cannot be duplicated and that therefore the estate lost heavily. The exact value of the stocks and bonds is unknown, as no one is certain just what papers the engineer took when he sailed from Southampton. 

Culver & Whittlesey of No.25 Broad street, attorneys for Harold M. Weir, administrator of the estate, informed the surrogate of the claim of Robin Weir and said that because of actions taken by his Australian attorneys the estate was tied up and no settlement could be made with Mr. Laffan. Their client lives in Goshen, Ind., and was not present in court.

MANY STOCKS WORTHLESS.

From arguments before the surrogate, it appeared that shortly after Harold M. Weir, who is a son of the decedent, had been appointed administrator. Culver & Whittlesey were served with Robin Weir's demands by New York attorneys representing his Australian counsel.

The surrogate was informed that young Weir declared himself the son of Col. Weir by a marriage contracted abroad many years ago, and that he insisted the marriage later contracted by his father in this country was invalid.

Col. Weir was supposed to have been wealthy, having for many years commanded a salary of from $25,000 to $30,000 annually, but the court was given to understand that practically his entire fortune had vanished. A great deal of his mining stock, so the attorneys for Harold M. Weir maintained, had been found to be worthless. Moreover, certain bonds o! value could not be found by the administrator.

Besides his wife, Hattle M., and his son, Harold, Col. Weir left two daughters, Mrs. Beatrice Mallinson Stewart-Seton and Miss Mary N. Weir. When Robin Weir demanded the estate, he tied up really in Scotland by causing to be appointed there a judicial factor.

He also put the estate into bankruptcy in England, where other property was located. The English receivers have demanded a settlement of claims filed there and have served notice to this effect on the American heirs. To square their account the Scotch probate authorities want $4,000. This, Harold Weir's attorneys declare, should be paid out of the estate in Scotland, if paid at all. 

VALUE OF THE ESTATE NOW.

The attorneys say that so impoverished is the estate because of losses and litigation that the assets now comprise but $924 cash on hand, 2,600 shares of the British Columbia Copper company, worth $5 a share; $1,000 held by the Farmers' Loan & Trust company, and several notes on which no collections can be made. An affidavit sworn to by Miss Kate Carter, secretary to Colonel Weir, states that among the stocks he had with him at the time of his death were 7,443 shares of the Nevada Copper Mines & Smelters' company, 2,600 British Columbia Copper company, 20 International Construction company and 11 Mexican Timber Field company. She thinks he also had eight $500 bonds of the Proudfoot Commercial Agency, worth par. 

Securities found in New York include 100 shares of the preferred and 25 shares of the common stock of the Hilliard Hotel company, which operates the Vanderbilt. Hotel at Park avenue and Thirty-fourth street.

Colonel Weir Was known the world over and was considered an authority on mines. For several years he was employed by the Guggenheims. In 1899 he went to the Philippines for the United States government to investigate the coal mining situation on the Island of Mindanao. 

Surrogate Fowler instructed counsel on both sides to submit their papers.