Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-04
A CURIOUS LAW SUIT.

0nc Woman Sues Another EOr SER
vices Rendered in Procuring "a Hus-
bamd-'EEO Thousand Dollars, n
Piano, and Il Gold watch and the |
Education of n Child The Price
Demanded.
From the New York Times.
The good people of Saugerties, n. Y,
and vicinity are in a gossipy mood just
now oyer novel law suit, which will
probably come off in Ulster County Cir
cult, at Kingston, in April next.
The principals are females, and
the story, as CLEANED from authentic
sources, is a strange one. The complain
ant is Mrs. Susan Crawford, and the de-
PENDANT is Mrs Christine Russell. The
counsel representing Mrs. Crawford are
Messrs. E. s. c. .WhitakerAOf Saugerties,
while Mrs. Russal's attorneyis Hon. John
A. 'Griswold, member of Congress from
the Thirteenth District.
Mrs. Crawford, the complainant, is a
woman about forty-five or fifty years OF
age. rather iuclined to obesity, widow
with four children. She is school
teacher in Saugerties, and her actions,
stvle of speaking, and department gen
orally. show her to be a strOng-mlnded
woman. shrewd, smart and calculating.
Previous to her husbands death the fann-
iIv were in affluent circumstances, but
| owing to some financial trouble during his
last DAYS much money was lost, and to-
day the widow, though not really want
| ing the necessaries of life, is compare
| lively poor.
Christine Russell, the defendant, is now
about seventy years of age, surrounded
with all the comforts of good home, and
has money enough to keep her safe
from poverty's intrusion. Both of the
IaGies are respected in the best cir
| Giles, and are members of Rev. Mr.. Bar
NUNS Methodist Church, in Saugerties.
Mrs. Russell's husband, jeremiah Russell,
has been dead nearly three years. In
1886 he was Van Buren, Presidential
Elector from this State. In 1912 he was
sent to Congress from the Thirteenth
District by the Democrats. Was renoml'
mated in 1876, but defeated. He pos
sessed a good physical frame, and to this
day it is said of him that he worked more
hours out of the twentyfour than any
one in his district. In June, 1916, hi
first wife died and he became widower
and now comes a curious story.
The next month, July, if the legal state
ment is correct, Mrs. Christine Crawford
(rhentioned above as Christine russell,
who was sister to the husband OF Susal
Crawford, approached the latter, and con
| yersed with her upon the subject of secur
ing Hon. jeremiah Russell as husband, h
then being about seventy years of age, an
reputed to lie worth $780, 900, and sh
about forty years of age and worth consid
l erablv less. At the interview with Susa
l | Crawford, if the complaint be true, Chris
tine told her if she would bring about
marriage between her and jeremiah Ru!
, sell, and she should survive him, SD
would give her 1000, piano and gol
watch. and educate her child. Susa
listened attentiyelytO the offer, and final
accepted it, when a written contra'
to that effect was drawn up and signe
bv both parties, and that cOntrac
is said to be still in existence
Soon after Christine met Jeremia
at Susan's house by previous arrang'
ment. when an introduction followed
Then visit after visit occurred, Mrs. CraV
: ford finding light and fuel for the pal
+ Thus matters progressed happily L
I, October, 1917, when the two we
united in marriage and lived togeth
happily and much respected uni
1867, when Hon. jeremiah Russo
, died without making will.
short time previous to his death !
: seemed DESTROYS of drawing up and fms
> ing such a document, and often cOnsultC
Counselor Winans, of Saugerties, in rel
. ton to it, but the will was never complete
: After waiting proper length of time Il
% widow Russell claimed the portion of HI
!, deceased husbands property allowed h
= by law, claiming also that there was an q
! tc-nuptial agreement between them in rel
y ton to the disposition of it. Seeing tn
there were prospects of considerable Int
: CATION growing out of the complcatiC
of the affair, the executor finally cOmpr
missed with the widow by paying over
her the snug sum of $95, 900, when 81
s.signed off, any further claim on Il
n property.
As soon as the settlement transpirC
:. Mrs. Susan Crawford demanded the 81
900, piano, gold watch, and the educ
r ton of her child as the contract priC
q agreed upon in writing for services REM
q" cred the widow in obtaining Hon. Jer
miah Russell for her ashusband. She q
= serted that the contract had been futile
on her part to the letter, and {
!, Mrs. Christine Russell had survive
: Hon. jeremiah Russell, as especially +
= ferred to in the contract, there was not
:, ing for the widow Russell to do but
II pay over the price. The defendan
:, though counsel, puts in a general denia
and also pleads the Statute of Limitation
= 1t is a most curious case.