Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-12-02
a MILLIONAIRE WITH FIVE WIVES

A MILLIONAIRE WITH FIVE WIVES.
The old adage concerning the superiority of
truth over fiction 10 the matter of stranpeness
finds fresh illustration in the facts connected
with the will case of Mr.. Singer, the we'll
Known inventor of sewing machines, in which
the proceedings taken in the New York court
to set the will aside are to be followed by 81 mi
lar proceedings 10 England A few weeks ago
Mr. Singer, who had resided 10 England for
the iast ten years, and who had married here,
died at his country seat 10 Hampshire, leaving
au estate valued at 90 less than fourteen mil.
lions Of dollars, or s2, 500, 900. About five
years previously, while at Paris, the deceased
had executed will and this instrument has
now been presented for probate. It discoscs
that the testator had been married to five Diff
terent women, OF whom three are living, and
by them he was the father of q children, of
whom 22 survive. lie was about IS years of
age at the time Of his death. His estate in
Hampshire was magnificent one, and he was
an excellent landlord, but the neighbourinc
gentry deemed him very eccentric. He CON-
menced bis life in abject poverty. In 1880 he
married his first wife in Brooklyn, New York,
and lived with her for ten years, to whom were
born two children, both of whom are living; to
the SOD ls lett elOO, to the daughter, who is
now woman, the father has left $4,000. In
1860 the wife ascertaincd that her husband
was untathful to her, and she obtained di-
yorce. Under the laws Of New York Mr..
Singer could not marry again as long as bis
wife, who had divorced him lived. But he
lived with the woman to whom he had trans
ferred his affections, and by her he had
ten children, of whom eight are now living.
TO these eight children he has bcuueathed
sS50,0O0. The first wife dying he was at
liberty to marry this woman, who thus
became wife No. 2. Two years afterwards,
however, she discovered ih her turn that
be was upfaithtul to her, and she obtain
ed divorce from him, leaving him un-
able to marry again during her life. Notwith-
standing the law he did marry again bride No.
3. lady from California. By her he had five
children, all of fwhom are now living and to
whom he has bequeathed another $3.50, 900.
At or about the same time he likewise married
wife No. 4, by whom be had one child, girl,
to whom he has left 100000. Wives Nos
and are still living, but to them be has left
nothing-an act of omission on his part which
has caused all this trouble. In 1864 this much
married gentleman left all his wives behind him
and came to England, where soon afterwards
he married for the fifth time With this lady
he ii'Co up ~ Gut IlIue vi MS OeaUD. Dy Dcr
he had six children, all Of whom are liviug;and
in his will be speaks of her as his lawful wife,
and of these children as his only legitimate
heirs. He bequeathes to his wife his estate in
England, valued at eSOOOOO These she is to
enjoy during her life. and at her death they
are to 20 to her children, and to these six
children he bequeathes FL 100000. In this
way the whole estate of the deceased, amount
lug to the princely sum of e., 1872, 100 is dis
posed of. But when the will was presented
Tor probate in New Y ork it was met by claim
on the part of wife No. 2, who alleges that
she is the rightful widow Of the deceased, and
that the legacies bequeatbed to wife No. are
uugatory and void, because the latter was not
and could not be the lawful wife of the testator,
nor in any way entitled to the dowry She
also asserts that the will was not legalIay and
properly executed, that the testator was not
OF sound mind at the time of its execution,
that he was subject to undue iufueoce and re-
straint that children of wife No. arc llegt-
innate, and that she (wife No. q was the law
tul wife of the testator at the time OF his de-
cease, and as his lawful widow is now entitled
TO her dover 10 his estate.