Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-02-13
MARY FALEN'S LAST WILL.
THE cARMoDY CLAIMS AGAINST The
ESTATE CONTESTED.


presented by Both sides-A Fish story
The Judges Decision Not Yet Rende fed'
Last week Tuesday the Grant eoun-
ty court was occupied in taking testi-
mony in the Mary Fallen will case ana
this week Tuesday Judge Carter was
"a have heard the arguments of counsel
for both sides; but up to the hour OF
going to press Wednesday night the
case had proceeded no further than
the taking of testimony on account OF
the heirs attorney, John D. wilson,
falling to show up in court
Mrs. Mary Fallen died in the town
of Mt. Hope, on Irish Ridge, April l.
1895. leaving real estate valued at
$500 and personal property appraised
at $671 making total of $l,ltl.
She left will giving her entire prop
erty to two persons-one lady
adopted by her number OF years ago.
and the other girl about IA years OF
age who is daughter OF the adopted
lady. The will named Mr.. John Scan
Ian Of Fennimore as administrators
The deceased lady's sister is Mrs.
Thomas Carmody. and the Carmody
family resided neighbor to Mary falen
IN her lifetime Acts of courtesy and
friendship were numerous and heartily
interchanged between the two families.
Considering the blood-relation, Mrs.
Fallen and Mrs. Carmody being sisters,
this was natural also it was no sur
prise that the Carmody family should
take exceptions to the will OF Mary
Fallen leaving her property to the
adopted woman and her daughter
However, Thomas, Kate and Johanna
Carmody did not attempt to break the
will, but they presented to Admins
traitor John Scanlan bill against the
estate amounting TO $4,000. This
bill was for milk sold to Mary Fallen,
for carving the deceased lady to the
depot at Werley station and back again
a number OF times, for Jag OF oats
sold her. and the like The two lady
heirs of Mary Fallen contested the
claims of the three Carmodys, hence
the squabble.
On the stand Nj. Thos. Carmody
made an exceptionally interesting
witness. His shrewd Irish wit at
avoiding embarrassing questions on
ross-examination. intermingled with
flashes of humor that illuminated home
affairs aud aired the eccentricities OF
the deceased. engaged the closest at
tention Of the large crowd that filled
the room. One passage of his testi
mony as nearly as we can recollect it,
not having taken notes on the spot, is
as follows:
Sure | would be pleased to tell the
story about the fish ii your Honor
would permit it. Sure it is good.
Judge, if the boys wish to hear it.
All of the attorneys expressing a
willingness to hear what he had to
say, the witness continued;
Sure Mary Fallen was whimsical
creature. Some time before her death
she was partially deaf and partially
blind. They used to read the Bible
to her One passage that seemed to
occupy her mind great deal was that
about the fish. Saint Tobias had a
sister or aunt who was blind and deaf.
He took little fish, anointed her eyes
and ears with it. and her hearing and
evesight were restored unto her. At
last Mary Fallen got hold OF little
fish. stuffed both ears with rolls of it,
rot down to pray, whin wan roll came
out and the fther roll whit into her
ear. The neighbors came in and
prodded at the roll that was in with
hairpins and knitting needles. but
could not make raise of it, and finally
she came down to Lancaster and wint
to Doc Godfrey who whit afther it
with his Instruments. not knowing
what was in her ear as she was ashamed
to tell him. Divil bit could he get
it wild using first wan tool and thin
another and swearin' a good deal.
Finally he wint and borrowed from
anither doctor long. steely sprig of
grabber that brought out from
Marv's ear the obstruction. Holding
it up on the ind of the prod before his
face he smelt of it and looked at it in
bumfuzzled sort of way for while
and finally said: III be domned if
that don't look like fish,