The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-22

A REMARKABLE CASE.
Mrs. Edwards Says Her
Dislnheritance Is Caused
BY a Delusion.
MRS. GUTHRIgs WILL ATTACKED
The Testatrix swears that Mrs.
Edwards Is a Founding and
Not Her Child.
MRS. GUFHRlss WILL ATTACKED

Mrs. Marcella Edwards, who formerly re-
sided on Jersey Avenue and Mercer street, Is
caveatrix in a most extraordinary will case
which came up before Chancellor McGil
this morning, who sat as Ordinary III Cham
Gerry Chambers. Not many months ago the
will of Mrs. James Guthrie of South Orange
was admitted TO probate in the Essex
County Orphans Court. Mrs Edwards
entered a eavear on the ground of the tesla
trix's delusion, and this appeal to the Pre-
rogative Court was begun before Chancellor
McGiIl. Tho will bequeathed legacies to
certain parties, all of whom declare that
Mrs. Marcella Edwards, who claims to be
Mrs. Guthrie's daughter, was denied by that
lady. They say that Mrs. Guthrie
told them that she had taken Mrs.
Edwards as founding from BelieTille Hos
pital in New York City and-her name then
was Lizzie OiNeiH. The curious fact about
the case is that these same witnesses say
that for many years prior to this admission
of Mrs. Guthrie she mad always spoken OF
Mrs. Edwards as my daughter Marcetla:
Testimony was also offered by responsible
parties that the late James Guthrie always
spoke Of his daughter Marcella.
A -CHECxERED MARRIED LIFE.
Mrs. Edwards in her testimony says she
was born forty-nine years ago and when
only sixteen married o Mr. Henry Smith OF
New York. Her mother opposed this mar
rage and when Mr.. Smith died two years
afterwards she visited her daughter, tore the
clothes off her back and struck her.
Mrs. Edwards then married Mr.. Maddicks
from whom she was divorced. AS she was
estranged from her mother, wnom she swears
hated her with an intense hatred because her
father loved her, she, Mrs. Edwards, then
Mrs. Maddicks, went to work for herself as
a saieswoman In Stewards dry goods store,
New York.
Not long after she met Mr.. Henry Ed
warks and they were married quaker
fashion, They resided on Jersey avenue,
Jersey City, for some time and then removed
to New York where be died.
For fifteen years she has not seen her
mother, and last saw her in her coffin.
NO LOVE LOS BETWEEN THEM.
Did you never" asked Counsellor Nor
row for the proponents, Ego to Orange,
where your mother resided, and inquire
NO. sir,s was the reply. sMy mother
hated me, and l did not ask about her.
tsYet you loved her estatesn asked the
lawyer.
Only because it was not her property,
nat property left my father, and she was
L ~ ~ wa ~ 4 dA@ OAAg
after what rightfully belongs to me.
a mass of testimony was then read by
Mrs. Edwards counsel, ex-senator Stunr, to
the effect that the beneiciaries of the will,
aIfs. Blanchard, Mrs. Kramer and Miss
Jessie Woodrow. had circulated the rumor
that Mrs. Guthrie was denying her daugh-
ter. One of them swore that Mrs. Guthrie
was angry at her daughter, and had often
said she was living an immoral life in New
York. uasor
DOMESTIC AMENITIES.
Another witness for Mrs. Edwards stated
that the late Mrs. Guthrie had a peculiar
temper.
kick over the table at which her d~aughter,s
self and husband were dining, and on sew
eral occasions she would strike her husband
and drive him out of the house"
On the other hand, the opponents of Mrs.
Edwards said that Mrs. Guthrie was a sweet
tempered woman, who was enraged at her
daughters undutiful conduct.
Mr.. Louis P, Taylor, a real estate agent,
in Orange, swore that he knew the Guthrie
family well. Marcella, Mrs. Edwards, was
always known about the neighborhood as
Mr.. and Mrs. Guthrie's daughter. and he
had heard Mr.. Guthrie say my daughter
and Mrs. G. don't getSon well together
Mr.. Taylor was asked about Mrs. Gnthrie's
temper, but all he would say about it was
bhAb oEC WdS A1Cb al lnANOty &ApOAOo NOAA$A
by any means.
Mr.. David Tichenor of Rondout, N. Y,
a nephew of Mrs. Guthrie, said he kne his
cousin Marcella well. Of course she was
Miss Guthrie's daughter. He couldn't posi-
bly, be mistaken about that.
The testimony of others was read establish
ing the statement that Mrs. edwards was
daughter of the testatrix. :
SAID SHE is A FOUNDING.
Then counsel read the evidence of Jessie
Woodrow Of Lakewood, the domestic ser
want who came in for a large slice of the es-
tate. Miss Woodrow said that she had fire.
quently heard Mrs. Guthrie say, 81 won't
have Marcella in my house. She is not my
daughter. took her as a founding from
Bellevue Hospital
Counsellor Stuhr, handing the Chancellor
the papers, said that his client, Mrs. Ed
wards, entered the caveat because her
mother, for some time before her death,
iabored under the delusion hat she had no
daughter, and this delusion was caused by
her jealousy of the fathers love for his
child. Counsel insisted that undue influence
had been brought to bear to d~lsinherit a
daughter.
Counsellor Morrow replied for the pro
p~onents, and the Ordinary reserved his de-
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