The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-01-17
CoFFINs CONCLUSIONS.
An Official Resume of the Story of
Sewing Machine Singers Wives
and ConcubineS.
IsAACM. SINGERS WIVES.

WITH THE MILLIONAIRE VIEWED MOhALL1
AND LEGALLY.
The conclusions of Surrogate Coffin in the
case of Mrs. Foster against the estate of the
late Isaac NJ. Singer, telegraphed in brief to
the Sentinel, are thus stated in the New York
Suns report: The will of the man of many
millions and many wives was admitted to
probate on Saturday last, by Surrogate
Coffin, after the delivery of the following
interesting history OF the litigation: In the
matter OF proving the last will and tesla
ment of Issac M. Singer, deceased, the pc
tition Tor a citation with view to proving
the will of the deceased, represented among
other things, that the deceased lett surviv-
ing his widow, Isabelle EugeDia Singer
On the return day of the citation, Mary
Ann Foster, who was not named in the
whom the citation should be directed. sp-
peaTed in person, and by r. Nj. Van Pelt,
Eco, her proctor and counsel, and claiming
TO be the lawful widow of the deceased,
asked leave To intervene in the proceedings
ana thus have afforded TO her the opportunity
to oppose, sborld she see fit, the admission
of the alleged will to probate. David Hsw-
ley, Esq, the sdrviving executor ramed In
the prOpOuudei instrument, by his proctor
and counsel, J. G.. Carter, E'q and said
Isabelle Eugenia Singer, by John X. Porter,
ESQ her proctor and counsel, and the
i
next OF kin and heirs at law, denied that said
Mrs. Foster was the widow of the deceased, or
that she was entitled to intervene in the
proceedings. The issue thus framed, lying
at the threshold of the matter, it was de-
termined to try before proceeding to prove
the will. The facts in regard tbere'o, as
sclOsed by the testimony, are sub
stantislly as follows: Isaac NJ. Singer, who
was native of the town of SchaghticOke,
Rensselaer, county, in this state, was mar
ried in December, 1880, at Palmyra, in
Wayne county, In this state, to Catherine
NJ. Haley, whose parents formerly resided at
Collsberg, now known as Croton Landing,
| Westchester county. This was
CEREMONIAL MARRIAGE,
the ceremony having been performed in
public, by and before justice of the peace,
and was followed by a cohsbitation and q
recognition of them as husband and wife by
family, friends and acquaintances. At that
time Mr.. Singer appears to have been a
wood turner, or mechanic OF some sort. The
| fruit of this marriage was child born at
Port ellison, near Palmyra, in 1884, ana an
other one born in tn city of New York in
1886 NJ. Singer, then attached to a company
of strolling players at Baltimore, Nd, made
the acquaintance of Miss Mary A. Sponsler,
then about nineteen years OF age, whose
father was engaged In The oyster trade. He
was attracted by her, a representing him.
self to be = single man, proposed marriage
to her. His overtures were accepted, and
he afterwards returned to the city of New
York, where she, in September of that year,
in pursuance of previous
arrangement, Joined him, with a
view of being united with him
formed by him of the ia It of his having a
wife, or "a woman who claimed to be his
wife," and that having ground therefor, a.
soon as he could get the time and means he
would procure divorce from her, ar then
would make her Miss Sponsler) his wife.
He solici e. her in the mean time TO yield to
4 his wishes and form an illicit connec-
ton with him, to which she consented
/ The connection thus formed in the year
1886 continued with occasional Interruptions
of little moment until July or August. 1860.
| In the early part of his period they Travelled
about the country, acting upon the stage to
| gether, under the name of Merritt. Sub
sequently he took an interest in inventions
/ until at length he became the inventor OF
some valuable improvements In sewing
machine, which became embodied in what
is known as the ''SiIger sewing machine
and by which
HE ACHIEVED HIS COLOSSAL FORTUNE,
variously estimated at from $13, O0O, 900 to
SIS 600, 600. During all this period, from
1886 to 1860. Mr.. Singer and Miss Sponsler
| lived together, with brief intervals, as hus
band and wife. she went by the name,
whether Merritt, Singer, or otherwise, wa
| introduced 10 others as his wife, and seems
| TO have been treated and regarded by their
| acquaintance as his wife. During the same
period she had by him ten children, eight of
whom are still living. The latter portion OF
this time was spent in the city OF New York.
at various places OF residence, until they
/ finally located themselves in Fifth ay enue.
/ Without going into the facts in detail 1t
may be sufficient to say that there Is abun-
oant proof from which marriage could be
inferred, down to January %, 1860, had
there been no impedimenE existing to repel
the inference. The difficulty WIS that he
had another wife. But on the last nsmsd
day decree was obtained, in the proper
tribunal, by Mr.. Singer, granting him oil
vorce, a vincullo from his wife, formerly
Miss Haley, and permitting him TO marry
again. Down to this point of time it is very
plain that Miss Sponsler (Dow Mrs. FOster)
was not the wife of MIR. Singer, and the
| only question to be determined
is, did she, thereafter, become bis
wife? Alter January %, 1860, they contin-
ued to live together until July or August
following, when disruption of their rels-
tons, whatever It may then have been, &C
cnrred, and they cess to live or cOhsbit to.
gether from that time to the decesse OF Mr..
Singer in 1875. When this divorce was OBJ
tanned, the parties were living in the Fifth
avenue. and they continued so to live for
about six months. and until the separation
referred to. Before that decree was gran ed
as has already been observed, they were
known as Mr.. and Mrs. Singer, he intro
duced her as his wife, and they lived TO-
gether, apparently, in that condition and
under those circumstances which usually
characterize the relation of husband and
wife. From that time forward they lived to.
getner In the same way, under the same con
dition, and surrounded by the same circu M
stances, and none other, in any msteria
point, so far as l am able TO discover. The
fact that the old relation remained un
changed is admitted by Mrs. Foster in wha
is known as the "McKssn complaint" duly
verified by her on ths 18th cay OF Novem
Der, 1861, in which she alleges that soor
as Mr.. Singer obtained the divorce, be
DECLINED TO HAVE THE MARRIAGE CERE
MoeY PERFORMED