Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-04-17
A LEGAL ROMANCE
In Which two Living Wives and the
Children Of a Deceased Wife
are ActOrS-The Stacey
VIII and Heirs.

In the court Of last resort n Kentucky
there has just closed q litigation that at
its inception created quite a sensation in
the community where the parties we're
known. Iu some features Of the ease
there is a decided spice of romance, which
illustrate the old adsge, that everybody
has a skeleton 10 his or her closet.
George Stacey was born in England
aud started life 10 an English workshop
as a worker in iron. In early manhood
he exhibited much skill in his trade and
manifested an ambition to take hold Of
great enterprises, and became a contrac.
tor. But in the first flush of youth, and
before success had widened at all his
field socially, be married in that station
in life to which the humble fortunes of
his birth had consisaed him. In sailor
p~arlance, he married before the mast. "
Inbarmony and want Of congeniality as
he rose il life made the breach in the
domestic circle Of this first connection
lie came to America and settled at Gin.
%cinnati, where, in a lew years, be became
a leading manufacturer and constructor
of gas works, iron bridges, etc. He rapidly
accumulated a fortune aud at the time of
b s death some two years since left a
large estate The children of his first
marriage he brought over from England,
but the secret of the still living wife
scross the sea was strictly kept in the
new American home, and from the socie.
ty in which he moved. A second time
be married, the second wife aiding by
her thrift 10 the accumulation of his
large estate. She died leaving children.
A third tine, when at the zenith of his
prosperity and at an advanced age, he
married a beautiful woman much bis
junior in years. By her, at bis death,
be left, Likewise, children. Before bis
fatal Illness he made a will devis;ug
a fair and reasonable disposition among
the children of the two first marriages
and the last wife and her children, ex-
cept that he excluded from participation
in bis estate two OF the children of the
first marriage, fer reasons satisfactory 10
himself. But just before his death he
added to the will IN annuity of $500 to
this last wife during her life.
The diSiuherited children OF the first
wife after his death brought to the front
their mother, going to England for her,
OF course her dover in the estate was
large. Thus not only we're the children Of
the two last marriages and the surviving
third wife confronted by the scandal of
the first marriage, but a large diversion
of the estate in the way Of dover to the
long deserted English wife was immi.
nent. To add, however, to the compli-
cation the will was assailsd BY the ex.
cluded children of the 6rst wife for in
competency of the tsstator and undue
influence by the last wife. Success in
in~validatiug the will would leave the
children Of the last two marriages p,nni
less, while if the annuity, codicil in favor
Of the last vile was sustained a large
portion Of the estate would be withheld
from distribution for thirty or forty
years Thus it was the interest Of the
children Of the second marriage to
maintain the will with the exception
OF the codicil. After u fierce
contest the will was sustained but the
codicil rejected, thus preserving to the
children Of the two American wives the
interests devised to them aud relieving
their estates of the heavy annuity in
favor Of the third wife. The result oil
the whole is that several people, who a
few weeks since did not know whether
they had any property, now fud them.
selves in comfortable circumstances.
The courtroom is sometimes as full Of
surprises and dramatic situations as a
frst-class romance.
Judge Brown, Of this city, represented
as attorney the interests of the children
by the second wife.
Proclamation.