Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-11-25
FOR 4 PENNSYLVANIA
ESTATE.
A Washington Widows Claim.

]
| controversy as 20 who shall inherit the estate
| Of the late A. II. Sinner, OF Wilksbarre, in that
| state. who ded October II, 1877, and was sup
/ posed TO be bachelor. woman Of this city
| known as Miss or Mrs. Francis E. Woodward,
| through MesSrs Hine and Thomas, filed her
! claim as the lawful widow OF deceased and also
cam IoT her daughter, who she claims is the
| testimony was taken in this city last summer
| Before Mr.. John CrufkShank as commissioner.
| ihe claimant being represented by her counsel
! named above, and MeSSTS. McI.ain and LeWinGS-
| ton, OF Wilksbarre, representing the Pennsyl-
/ Vania relations.
| THE MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE AT CITY POINT
DURING THE WAR
| The testimony for the complainant Is to the
ERECT that III the month Of June. 1865, while our
| army was at City Point, Va, the deceased Chen
| being q sutleF at that Doint) and a young lady
walked from the boat just arrived from Baiti-
| more. and being met by minister named H0l-
| land or HOllns, they went up on the Opof the
nh and were married; and after marriage they
| took the cars, went to Petersburg and after re-
| naming few days they returned. The wit
! neSseS 10 the marriage testify that it was the
first marriage OF whites they had seen there that
| there great many people about, principally
| employees of the cOmmiSsary department
| Robert Nelson, 12th street, near Boundary
| Walter Nelson. his brother. James Albert Wash
/ iDgton. {. l.. Gillingham, and Edward Burke
| estftied 10 seeing or bearing OF the marriage
| john r. SeifZ testified to having known Sinner
| as n Sutler at City Point, to hearing Rev. Nj
| Holland speak OF the marriage. TO seeing the
| petitioner after they returned from Peters
| burg; and TO having heard Sinner say that he
| was married. James ii. Rgby, of Baltimore
| testified that he has known petitioner well since
| 90, and WAS also acquainted with deceased
They lived together in Baltimore. and she in
troduCed deceased as Eer husband. She had a
enid bonn in May, 1S61. II. G.. King. Louisa q
Shultz. Louisa Schleck, and Isabel B. Whedon
testified tohaying known complainant in Balti-
more. as Mrs Sinner and also TO knowing Mr..
Sinner.
RAISED on BOARD SHIP.
The petitioner Is a Well formed woman, a little
below the medium size, with handsome features.
dark Drown hair and eyes. and red spot on
one OF her cheeks-by which several of the wit
nesSeS Identified her. she gives her age as 80
According to her statement she has no distinct
recollection of her father and mother. She
spent her childhood on snip board, her uncle.
whom she called Papa" being the captain of
the vessel Miss. Schultze testified that in 1852
petitioner was placed in her charge by her
father on the steamer at Philadelphia and
brought to Baltimore. she being then a girl OF
10 years. and her (WitneSSD father got her a
pace al trf0Ncf Bakers TO sew: that in 1S65
she had two rooms at her fathers house. and
her husband came there and was introduced as
such.
THE WIDOWS STORY.
Mrs. Fannie f. Sinner testified that her nus
pants name was HOrnbeck 4. Simmer, VINO
died at NilkeSbarTe. Pa. October 1ltn 1871:
1h2t she married him under that name AT City
FONT. Va. in June. 1861 man named EO,lenS
or Holland performing the ceremony; first met
Mr.. Sinner after Lincoln was elected as he (shi-
men was peddling lemonade in a circus in town
IN Pennsylvan she being then small girl.
The next time she saw him was in the spring or
fall OF 'G3, at the Fountain hotel, Baltimore, She
Sitting In the second story window over the
store In which she was employed and saw him
In the hotel yard. He says Hello when did
you come here" and she answered -. live
here He says Where: :" and she then wrote
ON a card. and said = Don't talk, Mr.. Alley is in
the front room and might hear YOU He asked
" what time do you leave the store?' and She
held up six fingers for o'clock. She left at
ND no lt-n1 y~ifh hon ti,ic.
Wenl on TIL they were married. they went from
Baltimore TO City Point, and after they We're
married went to Petersburg, Va. then TO BaIti-
more. stopped with Mrs: Harris on Broadway.
and Mrs. Schultze at the Fountain hotel. then
Went 10 Dr.. Buckler Jones. where she Stad
some time, and was taken away By Mr.. Shi-
ner TO woman named Madame Celestial
as DR.. Jones said he did not want her
to stay longer for Sinners $500 would not
pay him for going to the peniLentiary. Don't
know what happened at Dr.. Jones, tor she was
under the influence OF chlOrOfOrn, out when
she left she was not in the same condition she
was In when she went there. She then went to
house on MulliCan street. where She and
Sinner kept house. and lived there till 1856
August, being absent part OF the timel then
went to Philadelphia and Sinner lived with her
Oh ana on, and In March. 1861 went back to
baltimore. where Eva was born In May-har
husband then being in Philadelphia or Wilkes
oa4e-and soon afterwards he came to see her.
After Keeping house about couple OF years
she thought il WAS might funny that her nus
band should be half the time at NilkpShlrrp
and half the time at Baltimore. and With d CO..
Oieu woman size took her bl0J and went to
NLEeSbaTre. stopping at Kingston, and tying
her face up in q Veil, She went over to the
Exchange hotel at Wiikesbarre, and after baily
shown room she asked tor some milk for he's
baby, and tho landlady WAS sent lp with the
milk. The iandiady said Ion, what a sweet
little baby you Lave got" and complainant re-
pied. amt talking about babies now, |
want to know who you are?" She said. :. I'm the
iandlady, and complainant asked, Are you MI
sinners wife or note she answered yes
'Qir col
ried? | didn't know that the laws OF PennSyl-
yania allowed man but one WIFE, | am his
wife, and want to know all about this" and
She tthe hOusekeeper cried The complain
ants testimony continues Il had a pretty
sharp conversation with her at first bit she
cried, and pitied her and said. I'm sorry for
you; there are other women he has treated
worse then you, for I'm his wife" She replied
she never would have done as She did il he had
not promised to marry her when his mother
died. said, "Annie, he shall marry you for /
shall give him cause for a divorce before |
leave town. I've had him watched for
months, but l didn't believe this OF him
j have made promise that if found that what
was said was true, would do as he had done
She the h0usekeeper} said that she had had
child by Sinner, born alive, and he had put
it IN bucket OF water. then said ..GO down
and tell Mr.. Sinner that wish to see him.
that his wife is here" / think it was Mr. Oily
who came up then, and he said, For Gods
sake leave the hotel and go back to Baltimore
MI Sinner has gone a fishing, and You cant
see him until tomorrow morning. The mex
morning he came up stairs to see me. | said
''feck this is pretty way to treat me. isn't it,
lie said, IF you had minded your business
and stayed in Baltimore, where you belonged il
would be all right" / said. MIR. Sinner. ain
not going to live with you. either YOu de-
CeiTed ne: YOU married Inc; you robbed me
and now you have added insult 10 injury. and
wouldn't live with a murderer, nOh0W, beca.lsa
Il ! I'D | don't know but the first pretty face
you met you'd poison NE to marry her. and
couldn't trust YOU" lie says. What in the
Eal;le OF God do you want me to dOo" | said
tive Inc the money back that you've robbed
me out OF. and give me my liberty You marry
Mis-. Dougherty, and give me my freedom, and
let ne marry again. | am young. and do not
despair" He says, Fannie, do you love Iaa?'
First said, No." and then | said Yes" be-
cause did love him. He says '.An right darl-
ing; you stay here. Anna DOugherty and all the
rest may go TO the devil" | told him
he had too many wives for me- would be Will
ing to share everything had except nv hus-
band. and that was done; that WANTED di-
yOrce. He says: You would not disgrace me-
would you? | have nothing to get q divorce
for" says: ''Well, I'll give you a chance" lie
says: ''iou may give Inc all the chances YOU
choose; you are my wife, and my wife you
shall remain until my death or yours" SAYS:
Every wei, II that Is your decision support me
and you go your way and I'll go mine, bar as
long as remain your wife | expect YOU to sllo-
port your child and myself He says: Have
YOU got any money!" | says: Not 4 cent"
He says: Fannie, here is some money, and
think twice before You leap" | said: My de
clSion is made, and I'll never change it until