Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-07-28


band cut off with Paitry ThOu.
sand.
From the New York Sun, 18th.
After prolonged litigation, the last viii
and testament of Mrs Anna Maria Forman
has finally been adiudged 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 kind and indulgent
father, who educated her at the most fash
lonable boarding schools. She married
Mr. Forman in 1851, being then 43 years
of age, and he q trifie over 48, after com
monplace courtship of years. She married
him at 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 $150-
900. She made n viii III 1855 after her
fathers death, by which she gave her hus-
band the 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 any.
-Four years later, with less affection for
her husband, she made another will, in
which she gave her husband less Two
years later, in August, 1861 her affections
again underwent 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, in which
she gives her husband only o bare pittance
of 81 900. Although she had no children
or descendants, she had collateral relatives
and one halfsister, Mrs. Hayiland. who is
her heir-at-law.
Mr. Forman appears to have been at the
time of his marriage 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 afterward engaged in bu-
SlneSS which OF all others was least calcu-
lated to add to or expand the ideas that he
had. He quit business in 1858, and there
after devoted himself to the management
of his wife's estate.
Mrs. Forman not only despised dis
trusted and hated her husband-she feared
him. There is 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. It is n 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 is no doubt
that she intended by them to prevent her
husband from getting any more. Mrs.
Forman complained often that he 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 Sc
cluslon, She was on one or more occa-
sions reminded of the apparent kindness
and af1ectionate attentions of her husband.
She answered by saying, eyes, man may
smile, and smiling be villain"
The last two years of her life she passed
in a private madhouse, where she was ta-
ken by her husband, aided by the police,
without any shadow of authority for the
deed 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 the $1,000,
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
when she executed that last will, and that
the Instruments were 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 CardOZo 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-
rated by other witness, Referring to the
capacity of the testatrix to make her will
when the two papers were executed, he
says: ga GaofOn1araidc or partially insane
person may make will. A believer in
witches and witchcraft, in spiritualism, OF
in the doctrines of Mahomet 1nag make q
aoiU"
The case, it is said, is to be carried to
the Court of Appeals.