The sun., 1881-04-24
MIR. MooREs STRANGE kxpER1ENcE.
HI. Struggle with Charitable Societies to Es-
cape Being ~ Pnuper.


A suit for the construction of the will OF
Mrs. Catherine Moore, n charitable woman, who
died in 1879, leaving egacies to charitable 30
cieties has so tied up tho estate in tho contro-
versies between the societies designed for
charity that the husband OF the testatrix. Mr.
Jamos Moore. who created tho estate. has beon
almost reduced to an object OF charity himself.
Mr.. Moore. who many years ago was n
prosperous business man in this city, In
vested his profits in real estate, purchas-
ing some property In Grand street and
some lots In Newtown. Determining to se--
euro this property to his family. and to set
it apart from his business. no deeded the lands
to his wife. subsequently his two chidron died
and he failed in business. Beng then old. he
and his wife settled in a cottage upon the New
town lots. expecting to pass their declining
years there. They lived n simple and retired
life. depending wholly for their income upon
the property which was in the wife's name.
Mrs. Moore was n Jealous Irosbvteran and
the Rev. Dr. John D.Wells Of the Brooklyn Pres
bytery was her spiritual advisor for over twenty
years. She believed that it was her duty to give
the bulk OF her property to the Presbyterian
Church or its charities. In 1869 she made
will by which she beuueath ed tho income OF her
property to her husband for life. aud tho bulk
of II upon his death to various charities. or
this will the Rev. Dr. Wells was appointed ex-
ecutor In her final sickness Mrs. Moore was
troubled with some doubt that she had not
made liberal enough provision for her hus-
occurred January IL. 1879. she sent for Dr.
Wells and begged him to draw for her codic
DR.. Wells had frequently urged upon her that
she ought to substitute certain other charities
for some OF those named in her Will. and rs he
understood about them, she was content to leave
that part of the. codicil, TO him. giving him no
iion. says Dr.. Wells in his testimony. was to
ma ke n moro liberal provision for her husband.
| and not to allow any of tho property TO be taken
| from her husband as long rs he lived.
The will, as it stood at her death, gives n inc
| twelths OF the income Of the estate to her hus-
band. and. upon his death gdy gives 600 TO the
American Bible Society, 81 900 to the American
| the Presbyterian Church, $4,000 to the Trustees
of the Princeton Theological Seminary, and the
| Board OF Foreign Missions in trust. Before
her death the testatrix sold the, Grand street
| property devised by the will. and invested the
proceeds in bond and mortgage, so that all the
| real estate that she owned at her death com
I pIrised the New!oyn y ono Ss; The & WILL as origin
Foreign Christian Union, 81 600 to tho Chris
tian Aid Society. and $4,000 to found q scholar:
ship in Union College. but the codicil revoked
| these bcQuests.
The societies are engaged in struggle for
| the legacies named and several OF tn em present
different theories OF the will Those mentioned
| in the codicil claim that they are to be paid out
OF the personally realized by the Grand street
died intestate as TO the personal property. and
that as she left no child or descendant such
|
| bought and gave her all that she had. His suf-
ierings while the various charitable societies
| are struRgli ing over the estate are descrIbed in
| the brief submitted 10 the General Term OF the
| Supreme Court in the Second Judicial District
| whore the case Ia now pending. He ia said to
| be a pnupsr and dependent III his own home.
| his only refuge from absolute starvation being
| the generous charity OF Mr.. Joseph b. Phlson.
| who has on his own responsibility advanced
| him small pitance for his daily needs and
| support. 1t is further averred that hut Tor the
| executors humane torbearance Mr.. Moore
| would have been turned out Ot his own house.
Referring to the struggle of the charitable go
| cietes, the brief continues: 1t should ho a
| matter OF public shame and regret that this
grntlemans humane conduct should contrast
societies. who. like the harpies described by the
| Roman poet. are literally attempting To snatch
| the food from the mouth Of this poor old man.
| RcJscting the most literal overtures Of compro-
| mise unless accompanied 10y allowances out Of
| the small estate they have forced the executor
| for his own protection to begin this action.
| They have finally succeeded in dragging the
| husband before this court in n combined at
| tempt TO strip him OF what little remains to him
| in this world, prosttuting TO their service tho
| sacred name Of charity. In this court James
| Moore Go- stands IL q struggle against charity
| for his vory existence. n poor, nfrm, weak and
despised old mana Lear whose Cordelid did
| not live TO comfort his nfil iction-nsking simply
| the property. which he wholly earned and paid
| for. IA the law entities him to. He asks for no
| charity The has seen enough OF that: no ask
for no sympathy. Everything hs has in the
world is bound up in this case and depends
| upon its d9c.slOn.