Evening journal., 1894-09-11
HENRY CRAIGG'S WIDOW
The Chancellor Will Decide
Which is the Legal One.
A DESERTED WIFE PUTS IN A CLAIM

A DESERTED WIFE PUTS IN A CLAIM
A Colored sran who Wed Not wisely But
Too welI-Left an Estate worth Three
Thousand Dollars and It is Now the Sub
ject OF LitIgatIon-Bn of IpjunotIon TO
BE Filed.
TX Mayor Austin Harrington has In
course of preparation and will file In the
Court Of Uhancery ia a few days q bill
restraining Henry G Conrad, trustee
under the will Of Henry Craigg,
deceased, from making disposition Of
certain portions OF the estate The case
is one In which the legality of three
widows Is involved and II consequently
matter OF interest, notwithstanding
the fact that the parties are negroes.
When an EVENING JOURNAL reporter
called upon Trustee Conrad this morning
and asked for the particulars of the case
he cheerfully acquiesced, saying:
Henry Oraigg was a brickmaker and
worked here years ago for John S. Hilles,
father of William s. Hilles. He was
reokoned among the best of the colored
people here, and very reputable man.
He married, about 1874, a woman named
Mary Trusty He lived with her about
thirteen years as his wife. From the
marriage eight children were born
About 1858 he deserted her aud, In com
psny with a woman, whose name was
Sharper, went TO Philadelphia, aud ever
after made his home there. He was
afterwards married TO the Sharper
woman and she subsequently died
About fifteen years ago he married
another woman and lived with her.
Craigg died on the 4th day Of last
March. He had been thrifty man and
for years had been employed in the
Morse restaurant. He loft an estate
worth about S., 600, consisting Of money
in the Artisans Savings Bank, this city,
and a small house on East Eleventh
street, his former residence in this city
He left a will IN which he devised
everything to his last wife.
whose first name was Elizabeth The
will, according to the Pennsylvania
law, would BE- good as far as the personal
property Is concerned, but, having no
witnesses atteating it would not control
the disposition of real estate in Delaware.
Assuming that Henry Craigg died
intestate as far as the real
estate In Delaware is concerned.
there has been filed ia the Orphans
Court Of this county petition In which
Mary T. Craigg, his FIRST and deserted
wife, together with a niece, Frances
Brown, join in asking for a partition OF
the real estate, aud claiming that the
real estate at his death descended to his
FIRST wife and to his heirs at-law, who
are nephews and neices. The matter in
dispute will hinge on who is the legal
widow"
H. H Ward and Mr. Conrad appear for
the FIRST wife aud heirs at-law. and Mr.
Harrington for the last wife.
On August 6 an order was made ap
pointing Mr. Conrad trustee to sell the
property for the benefit Of the first wife
ana heirs atlaw The property was ed
vertised to be sold on September /. but
Was withdrawn IN order that the contest
as between the wives might be decided.
At the Orphans Court yesterday after
noon the trustee was granted a renewed
order of sale returnable the irst Monday
in November In response to an obiec-
tion on the part Of ar. Harrington the
court said 1t would not touch the ques-
tioa Of legality OF tho widow. but that
Mr. Harrington would have to go into
chancery and establish his claim II ht
had any.
Henry B Craigg, colored man, died
in Philadelphia six or eight weeks ago,
said the genial x-mayor when seen ct
his Office Ia the Equitable Building this
morning He left a will in which hs
devised everything he owne1-a house
here and So 600 in bank, to bis widow
/ Elizabeth, and made her executrix ShC
learned that proceedings in partition hac
been taken here ON the part Of 3
woman claiming TO be Mary Craigg anC
the widow of this man. She claims that
she was married to him forty years age
and by him had eight children, all oI
whom are dead. On the ground thai
she is his widow she brings her proceed
ings here TO sell the real estate for bel
dover, the residue TO 20 to hl
heirs-st law. For that purpose Mr.
Conrad was named to make tn.
sale The proceedings coming to th,
knowledge of the real widow sh,
consulted me and | shall file bill re-
straining Mr. Conrad from making am
such ssle and enjoining ybody from
interfering with the property. Crgiggi
/ will was prob1ted in Philadelphia
ana copy filed here He was
never approached by this woman
and she made no demands upon him. Thl
present widow, Elz lbath. lived will
him for eighteen years and up 10 thu
tine of his death, and she married hi a
shortly after the death Of another wifi
who had been legitimately married Il
him and lived with him for twenty fiv
years This woman was never heard o
till now. The contest now will be to Sc
up who will he the real widow