The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-11-17
A MilIiOnaire's Wives.
MRS. aARF ANN FosTER's. CLAIM on
TuIRTEENM MILLIONS.

Coffin in White Plains yesterday.
The testator left property in this
country and England valued at $13,
100000. He provided for most of
his numerous children, but left moth
ing to any Of the five women who
S lived with him, at various periods,
as his wives, except to the last one,
Isabelle E. Singer, To her he be-
queathed a life interestin his estate
in England, valued at $4,oo0,000.
The contestant, Mary Ann Singer,
known as Mary Ann Foster, says
That she was his only real wife, and
therefore she sues for a widows dow
or. She was represented yesterday
by Mr.. Reuben W. Van Pelt. Ex-
I Judge John K. Porter and .. O. Car:
ter appeared for Mr.. David Hawley,
of Yonkers, one of the millionaire
= inventors executors 81
Mr.. Van Pelt examined Mrs. Mary
Ann Megarey to prove the martial
relations between Mr.. Singer and the
i contestant. Theigitness became ac
TqHainted with the couple seventeen
years ago when they they were living
jim Fourth avenue. She was Intro
duced to Mr. Singer, first, and he then
presented lhef 70 the contestant as
: 'sniys wife. 81 Both at,tbat time, and
after they had moved into their Fifth
: avenue mansiahs ladies and gentle,
men of high social standing called
upon them, and nothing, as far as the
witness knew, was ever said to indi-
4 cate thattheI Contestant was not the
Y lawful wife Of MI. Singer. The wit
d ness remembered that some trouble
arose between Mr. Singer and the
contestant, resulting 10 a separation.
The contestant went to live with lIer;
at S3 Clinton place, and afterS size
1.-THE witness had gone away, Mrs.
as she was 'ape.t, remained
in the house rs baartet aa@ssassss''a
married Mr.. Foster, This &as, qiy.eE,
divorce fromeMr Singer. - ]fs >
Up to this point the witness had
n called herfriend hiMrs. Ssihzer;" he
now began to speak of her as.. a9Mls.
Foster &,
- Mrs Mary Ann Foster the CON
,testaht, was called totbs stand. She
isian exceedingly well.preserved and
digniGed person, sRty.6ine years of
age. she has BIue eyes and spnptb
bre@a hair withoat~a trace OF silver
She was becomingly dressed, and
presented something mpge than the
mere remains of the beauty that fas.
cinated Isaac Merritt Singer tof4
years ago. She was native Of NJ
rylanb she saids aud ip .tIq spring of
4. 1886 Mr.. Singer hogan to pay his ad
dresses to her in Baltimore In 'OD4I
tober, 1896, she went to New York
!. with Mr.. Singer, 5and assumed to-
ward him the relation of aswife.
Here the Surrogate looked at Ey-I
= Judge Porter and suggested "with
all that the term implies" The
counselor laughed, as did the con
testant. aEg EE1;7f @9
Is The witness continued that<sad
{ cohabited with Mr.. Singer for tween
ty-tive years, bearing him ten Gail !
dren of whom two died. She had ~
marital relations with any other man
during that period. They travelled
about the country for thirteen years
as Mr.. and Mrs Merritt, for a time
playing temperance pieces in church
es. Addressing her he always called
her Ann; to strangers he. spoke of
her as "Mrs. Singer" or my wife."
She spoke of him as "Mr. Singer. =
and usually addressed him as "fath-
= en-" They were very poor at first,
Ell but in 1888 they went to Chicago,
and Mr.. Singer invented q machine
to carve type, and .areapiug machine.
After they had become wealthy and
: were living In Fifth Avenue the wit
ness frequently made large purcha-
ses at Stewards aud Lord q Taylor's
and the bills were sent to her for sig
I nature, and then presented at the Of
fee of the sewing machine. Where
yer she bought goods she was treat
ed as Mr.. Singers wife. She had
$40 o day for marketing expenses,
and used to draw what money she re-
CURED from the book:keeper of the
company, who knew her as Mr.aSin-
gers wife. 3 When living in Fifth |
Avenue they had ten. horses and six
carriages. She had one 'coachman
and MrsSingerhad another. In 1860
she went with Mr.. Singer to Balti- /
more, and their names were register
] geaiin the hotel bookfas 'tMr. and Mrs.
Z Singer q Their two children who
died were buried in Greenwood Gem