The Morning herald., 1875-11-02
A EililouAiro's Wives.

}, terday. The tsstator left property in thi
. country and IN England valued at Sl3,
0Q0,D0Q He provided for most bis mum
srous children, but left nothing to any o
the Eve women who lived with him, 4
various p'riods, ss his wives, except to thu
last one, known as Isabella E. Singer. T,
her he bequeathed life interest in hi
estate in England, valued at $4,000, 900
The contestant, Mary Ann Singer, knowr
~ Mary Ann Foster, says that she is hi
only real wife, and therefore she sues for 9
widows dover.
! Mr.. Van Psft examined Mrs. Mary Ann
Aegarey to prove the marital relations bs.
tween Mr.. Singer and the contestant. The
witness became acquainted with the couple
seventeen years age. She was introduced
to Mr.. Singer first, and he then presented
her to the contestant as "my wife," Both
At that time, and after they had moved into
their Fifth avenue mansion, ladies and
gentlemen Of high social standing called
upon tbes, and moth ng, as far as the wit
ness knew, was ever said to indicate that
the contestant was not tho lawful wife of
Mr.. Singer.
Mrs. Mary Ann Foster the contestant,
was called to the stand She is an exceed
ingly we'll preserved and dignifed person,
hfly-nine years of age. She has blue eyes,
and smssth brown hair without trace of
silver. She was becomingly dressed, and
presented something more than the mere
remains Of the beauty that fascinated Isaac
Merritt Singer forty years ago. She was a
native Of Maryland, she said, and in the
spring Of 1885 MI. Singer began to pay hi.
addresses to hsr in Baltimore. In October,
1886. she went to New York with Mr..
Singer and assumed toward him the rela-
ton of a wife. Here tho Surrogate locked
At e1-Judge Porter aad suggested, with
all that the term implies" The counsellor
laughed, as did the contestant.
The witness continued that she cohabited
with Mr.. Singer for twenty-five years,
soaring him ten children, of whom two
died. She had no marital relations with
my other man during that period. They
travelled about the county for thirteen
years as Mr.. AMI Mrs. Merritt, for tim.
playing temperance piecs in churches.
her he always called her Ann;
. strangers he spoke of her as "Mrs. Sing
'r," or my wife" She spoke Of him as
Mr.. Singer" and usually addressed him {
IS father" They were very poor at first,
tut in 1888 they went to Chicago, and Mr.. ,
singer invented machine to carve tvpe,
nd rsapinE machine. After they had
'ecome wealthy and we're living in Fifth :
Avenue, the witness frequently made larg.
purchases at Stewards and Lord & Tayl.r's '
nd the bills were sent to her for signatur. 9
nd then presented at the office Of the sew. I
ng machine Company. Wherever she
ought goods she was traeated as Mr.. Sing. =
rs wife. She had $40 day for market !
'g expenses, and used to draw what money II II
ne required from the bookeeper of the n
whs knew her a. Mr.. Singers S
ife. When living in Fifth Avenue they !"
opt ten horses and six carriages. She "
ad one csachman and Mr.. Singer had an
her. In 1860 she went with Mr.. Singer .,
Baltimore. and their names were regis y
red in the hstel book as "Mr. and Mrs. =
niger" Their two children, who died, q q
ere buried in Greenwood Cemetery, and
the monument over their graves is the 5:
'ms Of Singer. On the 7th Of August, :
$50, the trouble" mentioned BY the pre- n
edins witness occurred. The contestant, l..
no was driving down Fifth avenue in her ''>
'n carriage, met Mr.. Singer with one -,
ary McGonigal going toward home in an IA
zen vehicle. She had seen his compan- 'o
n in the Singer Csnpany's Philadelphia vi
hcs more than once, but rot with Mr.
niger. She had heard rumors, however, Pl
the relations between them, and seeing co
en together she screamed 50 loud as to SO
heard by them. She drove to Third
'enue, and thence home, and there found ha
r. Singer awaiting her. When she 1t
tered the room he beat her severely for do
roaming. She had him arrested, and :
terrards instituted proceedings for
vorce.-N. Y. SUI.