Robert Kaufmann left his fortune to the man he lived with, and two New York juries gave it to his brothers

Robert D. Kaufmann inherited minority interests in his family's businesses in Washington. In 1947 he took up painting and moved to New York. In 1948 he met Walter A. Weiss, five years older, who became his paid "financial advisor". From 1949 Weiss lived with him, at 965 Fifth Avenue and then in a five-storey town house at 42 East 74th Street. In 1950 Kaufmann's will divided the residue among his brothers and nephews. In 1951 a new will gave Weiss the town house and half the residue, with an expectancy of over $500,000. A handwritten letter placed with it called Weiss "my dearest friend" and credited him with Kaufmann's painting and his "balanced, healthy sex life". On 19 June 1958 Kaufmann signed a will leaving nearly everything to Weiss as sole executor. He died on 18 April 1959. His brother Joel contested the will. Two juries found undue influence. On 19 March 1964 the Appellate Division affirmed 3 to 2, describing a plan by Weiss to displace the family; the dissent said there was no direct evidence of undue influence and that the court denied Kaufmann his right to dispose of his property as he chose. The Court of Appeals affirmed in 1965^†. A casebook summary says the brother suspected a homosexual relationship. Probate of the 1958 will was refused; the opinion names his brothers Joel and Aron as his only legal heirs.