New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-22
ACCUSED BY his DEAD UIFE'S RELA7IFES.
FRAUD. DECEIT AND BIGAMY CHARGED IN
WILL CONTEST IN NEW JERSEY.

FRAUD. DECEIT AND BIGAMY CHARGED IN "
WILL CONTEST IN NEWJERsEY.
Ocean Grove. y. j.. May 81 SpcciaD-Eight years
ago Mrs. James Murphy. a widow was the h'du %
fashionable dressmakng establishment IN NOW
York City from which she managed TO acquire De-
tween $4,000 and $4,000. She stricken down
by overwork. Paralysis attacked her right SIDE, rem
derng her helpless. In TINS condition she louhu
herself unable longer 10 manage her business 20 sue
sold out and came Ocean Grove Here she oouen'
a cottage and entered heartily into all the religious
work of that active body OF Christians. known rs
the "Occin Grove Camp Meeting Association h''
iniirm,es OF such character as made necessary
her being wheeled around in an lnvad's chair ac-
companicd by Il faithful friend ana nurse. Danny
I'm fair weather II her custom to be rundIed gov"
TO the beach, where She would SIT for hours III I"
lime watching the bathers fishermen. and the passing
sailing craft ON OF these occasions she Gisceincd
in the distance upturned hshinssm vain Two
mon struggling In the water and clinging Tor He
10 the capsizci boat. Shc gave the alarm, hclp "a9
summoned and the drowning men rescued
ont Of sheer compassion Mrs. Murphy upon dis
covering that ole of the Rescued men had lost his all
advanced linn sufficient capital whcrcwith TO start
life anew. The fisherman, whose name was DaNl"
sncnccr hecan paving court 10 the widow. On
October H. 1855 they married by the Rev f.
T. Alba OF ocean Grove. From lone fisherman eMhs
ont a miserable existence spencer Launched out Il
full Hedged man OF means, ana win MS hc"-maue
ifn'S a
anthrop,st and rcformer. Mrs. Spencer as Christ
mas gift decided TO spencer her handsome cottage.
once in possession of this property ana the ihp"o'
confidence of hi, wife the road was easy. III was
arranged that certain sales of New ork ana Nc""h
proprriy should effected, ana the money ihserFc'
TO Ocean Grove, where Ii would De readily aV"IEoic
for investment and general uS" lie city property
WAS sold and pretty thereafter spencer became
a lender of money on bond and mortgage Ihch
IN hear
spcnccr had given to her husband to be deposited In
hank In her name had been placed TO his credit anu
that In ten mortgages spencer had locked up her
entire fortune aegregating some 93oooo
Theicupon a lawyer, for Mrs. spencer H'h'u''o
nrocccdnrs in chancery before vceC Chancellor Green
for the recovery of the property; pending 'ic an
indication of the case she was induced TO make
settlement receiving back one-half Of the money In
IN. summer of 1902 Mrs. Spencer was taken III, ana
her death occurred in the following autumn. Her VIII
disclosed the fact that she had maze h"'ho'r Vi
liberal requests to charitable ana reheiouS "N''u
tions in different parts OF the country anu t'ch
Sc 90 TO her husband. Upon the discovery OF the
dspostion that had been made OF her money
relatives began 10 appear upon 'ie scc"e' """''e "
sorts OF claims upon the estate.
yiceChanceor Green. al Newark, on May Il
signed an order show caiise WIN an shPn
not issue against David spencer h m' m"r,ra, i'm in
his name the proceeds therSo'; np't: r..n ~
ouired Il before \1c'' hhhceii"I '''"'
Snwark next Tuesday six different affidavit, sup
porting the bill Of complaint aiisgins Hmnn o,n;
INSTRUMENTATION of money and bleamy. were potent
factors in determining The Vice Chanccllors action
Among these one from stephen y. bersani ,' "'
Allentown y. j.. the former home Of spencer arg
ing tina, about forty years ago spencer was marro
10 Letiiia steward who died In August. l-ro, aDo
one wear after the marriage Of David spencer 10 IN"
widow Murphy This affidavit Is backed up by IA p
AFFIDAVIT OF spenccrs brother in-aw. John D. liar
Good NJ Trenton who married sister Of the alleged
bicamisi's first wife. Miss steward. faco'n ~ M
nil1uvit sly- that spencer HHS married 10 L'tui
steward IN Allentown I'm 1874, and that They nal w.
children horn to them while living there. and that
sp"ncer was never divorced or legally separated from
his first wife. ~, ..,.
Four months after the death of the woman "ho,e
money l. now In litigation spencer contracted mar
riace with a highly respected woman OF Wes' A,bnrY
park with whom he Is living In the widow
Mnrphv's cottage. For the past five years spencer
has done much i,inerlnt preaching US II Baptist ca
horter up and down the coast.