Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-07-29
MARRYING A FORTUNE.
"A Life Story From the C0urts-Tht
Wife I'm the M madhoase, and the hus.
band cut on with Psltry Thou.
sand.
From the New York Sun, Nth.

sand.
From the New York Sun, nth.
After a prolonged litigation. the last will
and testament of Mrs. Anna Maria Forman
has finally been adjndged valid by the Gen
| eral Term Of the Supreme Court of this
district A case more interesting and
novel has not often been presented TO the
public.
Mrs. Forman before her marriage was
the pet child of n kind and indulgent
father, who educated her at the most fash
ionable boarding schools. She married
MIR. Forman in 1851, being then 43 years
of age, and he a trifie over 4S, after COM
monplace courtship of years. She married
HIM ut the suggestion of her father, and
certainly without any enthusiastic love on
either side. Her father died in 1866, but
before his death he gave her all his prop
erty, amounting in the aggregate TO SI50.-
600. She made a will in 1866 after her
fathers death, by which she gave her llus-
band tho bulk of her estate Up TO this
time she and her husband appear to have
agreed very well, but they had no chill
dren, and never had am.
-Four years later, with less affection for
her husband, she made another will, i'm
which she gave her husband less. Two
years later, in August. 1861, her affections
| again underwent n change, and she made
another will, by which she gave her hus-
band still less. Six months later she exc
cuted the two papers in dispute. i'm which
she gives her husband only bare piitanco
of $1,000. Although she had no children
| or descendants, she had collateral relatives
and one halfsister, Mrs. Haviand, who il
her heir-at-law.
Mr. Forman appears to have been at the
time of his marriage n cool, calculating,
circumspect man, without vices or virtues
| to excite or attract the attention of men or
women, with little education and little
means, and at the time of his marriage and
for some years nfterward engaged i'm bu-
siness which of all others was least calcu-
lated TO add to or expand the ideas that he
had. lie quit business i'm 1853, and there
after devoted himself 10 the management
of his wifes estate
Mrs. Forman not only despised, dis
trusted and hated her husband she feared
him. There liz no doubt that soon after
the execution of the contested instrument,
she was in dread of her husband and of
the servants whom she thought he might
control. II is a fair inference that these
feelings toward her husband led her TO exc
cute the two papers, which gave her husband
the 81, 900 inheritance. There il no doubt
that she intended by them to prevent her
husband from getting any more. Mrs.
Fcrman complained often that lie married
her for her money, and that he did not pay
her as much attention as he did the serv-
ants in the kitchen. During the last wears
OF her life they occupied separate rooms,
and the wife passed her days In lonely &C.
clusion. She was on one or more Occa-
sions reminded Of the apparent kindness
and affectionate attentions of her husband
She answered by saying. eyes, a man may
smile, aud smiling be villain"
The last two years of her life she passed
in n private madhouse. where she was ta-
ken by her husband, aided by the police,
without any shadow of authority for the
decd or cause for the proceeding, without
advising with her friends and relatives, and
without even the certificate of her physi-
clan, or of any physician. There she was
kept SIX months, without seeing any of her
intimate friends or relations.
After her death the will, excluding the
husband from everything but tho 81 ZOO,
was admitted TO probate by the Surrogate
This decision of the Surrogate was appeal
| ed from to the Supreme Court on several
grounds, the most important Of which was
the insanity of Mrs. Forman at the time
the instruments We're not attached in the
manner prescribed by law.
Judge Sutherland delivered the opinion
OF the Court yesterday, confirming the de-
cree OF the Surrogate, Justices Barnard
and Car'toZo concurring. In his written
opinion, His Honor bitterly condemns the
husband and his selfish motives, which the
Judge declares to be such that he does
not believe his testimony unless corrobo-
ratcd by other witness Referring TO the
capacity of the testatrix to make her will
when the two papers were executed, he
says: "a na0nomaniac on partially insane
person may mako will. A believer in
witches and witchcraft, in spiritualism. or
In the doctrines Of Mahomet, may make a
toM"
The case, 1t is said, is to be carried TO
the Court Of Appeals.