The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-13
MARRIED ID B 2NEFIr heirs.
How a Dying Widow Saved Half In
tersst in an Estate.
From the Indianapolis Journal

CerSSJ IN an II state.
From the indianapolis Journal
Many quaint and curious romance is
tied up in the yellowing papers that lie in
the pigeon holes Of the county clerks. life
dramas of every kind, tragedies as dismal
as Macbeth, farces as full of absurdities as
any ever put upon the stage, but never
farcical to the mortals who appear
as litigantG, for law is 20 joke, whatever
may be said of it. Among these life
sketches from common paths Journal re-
porter came across one yesterday, which,
few years ago, attracted great attention,
and in which several of the most prominent
members OF the Indianapolis bar appeared
upon one side or the other. Several years
ago well-known citizen died leaving a
widow and an estate valued at $40, 900, now
worth great deal more. He had been a
captain in the union army, and toward the
close of the war had been succeeded in that
position by the brother of his wife who had
served as his first lieutenant. Tho cap
tain left a will deyising his property to his
wife, all his estate, real aud personal, for
life, provided she should not remarrV, in
which case she should have but one-halt in
fee simple, the remainder to go to his kin.
One year after the death of her husband the
wife lay at the point of death with con-
sumption. She was told by her physician
that she had but short time TO live, and
that if she had any business affairs to ar
range she had better make no delay.
She had the privilege OF the life estate
practically during her life, but feeling that
she ought to have the power of disposal IL
favor of her kindred, there being no chill
dren, she set about to do so. She deter
mined to create the condition by which her
life estate would be forfeited and secure the
fee simple OK Oue-half of the prop
erty, SO that she might devise it to
her own kindred. Her brother
arranged to secure a husband, for
this dying woman. He found a saloonKeeper
who had teen been a member of his COM
pany, and brother and sister agreed that
this person should be paid $500 to marry
her The saloonkeeper and the widow were
married, the groom leaving the house i'm
mediatelY after the ceremony, which was
performed by minister who, it appears,
was familiar with most Of the facts in the
case. Four days later the woman died.
1t was quite natural that the heirs Of the
captain should not be entirely satisfied with
this extraordilary state of affnirs and suit
was brought, which disclosed some singular
facts regard the marriage. 1t was alleged
that the brother of the woman had entire
control of her in the last months Of her
life, and also over the man who had
married her who had been a private
IN MS company. The affidavit of
this husband Of an hour, taken by
the late Squire Charles Fisher, is very
remarkable document. The questions, evil
IDENTIFY carefully prepared beforehand, are,
OF course, written out, while the answers
also written out. are in tho hand writing of
the husband. he testifies that for several
days preceding the marriage he was on
heavy spree, that he was drunk
when the ceremony was per.
formed, and knew little or nothing about
1t when he was being married, but that
he believed that he was moderately sober a
few hours later when he went to the funeral
as the grlef-striken husband. He testified
that tho captain, the brother Of his wife,
had kept him drunk all this time, aud, read
ing between the lines, 1t would appear that
wnen the captain was not engaged in fud-
ding the bridegroom be had some one else
to attend to it and see that he did not get
sober.
The bridegroom further testified that a
few days after the funeral he went with the
captain to lawyers Office, signed a paper,
and the captain thereupon handed him $500,
which h9 evidently thought very good paw
for marital engagement of less than a
week. The husband was 80 years old, the
wife 43. II didn't feel after her death. !"
said this witness, THAT had any rights az
a wldower. At the time l was said to be
married | didn't know much about it. |
was on protracted spree and didn't recol-
lect ab 'ut any agreement until afterward.n
The suit failed and partition of the property
was made according to the terms Of thu
wOnian's will