The New York herald., 1872-12-20
MEMENT0 OF THE ORIGINAL
CHRISTY MINsTRELS.

-~
A New Years Present by George christy
to His Wifc-The Property Sold by the
Sheriff without Her Knowlcdge-A
Family Legal Muddle-Thc Case i'm the
Courts and How IL Ended.
few years ago few persons were more widely
known In this city than George Christy. As an
Ethiopian dehneator he stood at the topmost Of his
profession His versatility was wonderful and
his success was correspondingly brilliant.
1t is, in fact, not saying too much to
say that to his peculiarly marked abilities
In this line Is owing more than to any one else the
present prominence and success OF Ethiopian min
strelsy. He made It, in short q success-the sue
cess SO successfully maintained by the later brill
liant Bryants, by Wambold, Backus and Billy
Birch by Kelly and Leon and the host OF imitators
who, IN every city and considerable town through
out the country, to-day delighting crowded au-
diences and filing their pockets with grateful
greenbacks through their delineations OF the pecu
liar vagares and idiOsyncracies OF the negro char
acter. 1t would be unnecessary to state except
for the purpose OF our present narrative that
was an assumed aT name s Ills real name was George
n. Harrington. He took the name OF Christy from
=. I. Christy, the pioneer Ethiopian minstrelsy
the latters son, but this was pleasant little fc-
tion, to give him more eclat George Chrsty, as
we shall continue sSsH f0 cal him made
He spent 1t quite as easily. But let the grave
cover his many foibes. In the
- DAYS OF HIS EARLY CAREER
he was more prudent than afterwards, and from
the large proceeds Of his professional career
IN IL "a s U
1857 he gave it to his wife as New Years present
On the 22d Of April. 1855 he came running breath
away" he exclaimed hurriedy. ~ e- 'A'
''What paper ~ asked his wife anxiOusly.
IA Of tAil-
down stair stairs n now.T WV ' 0N' y 'A"' A"' lawyer 20
This was suinclent There was lawyer in the
asked no questions Her signature would save her
husband from prison and she wrote 1t. Two weeks
from this time George Christy left for California
dren In the care OF her father. George and his
wife continued their travels till 1855, when they
again returned to New York. In 1868 George died.
They lived then in their old residence In West
Twenty third street.
WAKING FROM DREAM
Mrs. Chrsty, or Mrs. Harrington rather, mOurned
the death Of her husband She had loved him with
all his faults, and she did not believe he would de-
ceive her. 1t was some comfort that she was not
left wholly destitute. She had at least q hOme-a
shelter for herself and children. There came q
painful waking from this dream. 1t came within
q few days after her husbands death:
''This house Is not yours" said Mrs. Miller, o
"what do you mean s'' she asked. setting hold Of
a mean that the house is your fathers."
"Impossblei My husband gave 1t to me, and
nave never QlSpOScu Oh H."
'DO you remember that paper you signed for
George2 You signed away the house then"
Mrs. Harrington could not believe 1t, but it was
she called In Mr. Buel. lawyer. and had him
examine the records In the Recorders office. The
result Of the investigation disclosed the fact that
her father and tess he had bougH i upon . jndg.
husband. Her father was GonYpert 8. Gompert
who formerly carried on. the business Of awning
IN N a m children decided
her. she employed the late James T. Brady as
her counsel and was about instituting
PROCEEDINGS TO SET ASIDE THE DEED
when her father died. Mr.. Gompert 1t appears, had
previously decided the property to his wife. She
had not the heart 70 bring an action n5
had been for years; and she, TOO, was almost bed
ridden, both being aniicted with sciotic rheuma-
died. The latter left q win giving the house and
lot in question, as also No. 1O1 Bowery, to her chill
to ner a
aiterward Mrs. Harrington caused legal proceed
ings to be instituted, with the view to substantiate
street property The case was taken to the superior
Court, Special Term, and issues OF fact framed
upon which TO carry the case to trial
TRIAL OF THE CASE.
Court before Judge Brady, 81 the the supreme rel court.
those taking the leading part being Ira Snafer for
the plaintiff and E. P. Wheeler for the defendant.
one OF the saddest features Of the trial was bring
carried into the court room. she stIil wears the
hablliments OF mourning, as do her two daughters
and two very lovely and intelligent looking young
ladies they are-who were present during all che
trial The
FRAMED ISSUES
were, as usual in such cases, in the form Of inter.
r0gatories. They were eight In number. The 1rst
asked whether the deed and conveyance BY Mrs.
Harrington to her father were obtained by fraud
and conspiracy; the second, whether the deed was
taken by the father with intent of fraud the third
whether the representations made to Mrs Harrng.
ton to induce her to sign the deed were true; the
fourth, whether Mrs. Harrington was ignorant 0
ance till February, 1869; the nth, whether the
second subsequent purchases and holders Of the
title to the said premiscs-to wit Gompert 8. Com
| pert and Mary Ann Gompert, or either
OF them-were bona 1de purchasers, and
for q valuable consideration; the sixth, whether
Mrs. Harrington ever signed or verified the al
legged statement, authorizing entry Of Judgment
SALE. purchased the premises in pursuance o
| fraud, and eighth, whether the purchase and re
| ceipt OF the Sherirs deed therefor were In goOt
faith and for o valuable consideration. His inven
tory will suggest some facts not set forth in tn,
above narration, as the alleged verifcation by Mrs
husband, the sale OF the house by the Sheriff ant
the alleged purchase by her father. None Of whicl
| facts she claims to have known anything abou
until after the search into the title.
TESTIMONY AND VERDICT.
There was q good deal OF testimony taken OF
| both sides, and some, OF course, natly contradic
tory In character IL is from this evidence and the
case Is given. on the part Of the defendants tn,
| allegations Of fraud were OF course denied. It Il
no more than fair to state that the GOmperts Oeret
Mrs. Harrington an equal share In the whole estat