The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-05
MRS. DEVAUCBBE'S CLAIM
She Says Father Corrigan Mort
gagged Her Property and
Made No Accounting.

The complicated affairs of the late Rev.
Patrick C~orrigan, who was rector of the
Church of Our Lady Of Grace in Hobo
ken up to the time Of his death in Janu-
airy, 1898. were the subject of litigation in
the Circuit Court yesterday afternoon.
Mrs Catherine Devaneene, Fathe rCor-
rigan's cousin and one Of the chief bene-
ficiaries of his viii. brought suit some
time ago against Father James j. Shee-
han and John r. O'Hara. executors of the
estate, to recover ss.9l6.74, which, she
claims. Father Corrigan owed her at the
time Of his death. Mrs. Deyaucene's first
husband, Matthew Kelly, left some pro-
perty to her and her two children. A
part of the estate consisted of five houses
IN Dudley street. After her husbands
death she gave Father Corrigan a trust
deed for the Dudley street property, the
trust to continue until her children be-
came of age. On August 20, 1889. Father
C~orrigan. with Mrs. Deyaucene's consent
mortgaged the property for 5000 to the
Provident Institution for Savings. On the
same day he returned 5000 of the $40, 900
to the bank.
After Father Corrigan died the mort
gage was foreclosed, and Mrs. Devaucene
now seeks to recover from the priests
state the amount she claims ne owed her.
This is one Of the suits which has pre-
vented the executors from settling up the
estate.
Mrs. Devaucene, in answer to questions
put by her lawyer. James d. Manning.
said that she lives al No. 31S Prince street.
Brooklyn. and that Father Corrigan was
her first cousin The trust deed was put
in evidence. she testified to the facts as
given above and stated that after Fathe
Corrigan's death she sent her claim to the
executors.
Lawyer James f. Minturn, for the ex-
e~eutors, raised an objection that the
claim was not presented within the
Lawyer Manning said he didn't know
anything about thar, but would look it
up. The claim was presented in Decem-
On cross-examination Mrs Devaucene
said that she is thirty-eight years old.
DO you know asked Mr.. Minturn.
IF the taxes and water rents on that
property had been paid?s'
No, SIR answered the witness.
Do you know why Father Corrigan
mortgaged the property
mo, sir. l never asked him."
9Dd you consent TO have the property
Yes, sir; 1 trusted Father Corrigan
implicitly"
tDo you know if any Of the mortgage
money was used for repairing the
houses?'
NO, sir. Some repairs were made. but
Father C~orrigan never gave me any state
ment. | received some rentals from the
property; about SIS a month, / think"
You saw Father Corrigan nearly every
day, you sang m his choir and yet you
never asked him what he was doing with
that property2'
mo. Sir; had full confidence in him.
Mrs. DeYaucene testified that she moved
to Brooklyn in 1852. Father Corrigan
orally $50. The largest amount he ever
gave her was 800. He always got her
to sign her name to papers in blank,
and she never knew what they were
and never inquired.
Mr.. Minturn objected to the testimony
as Incompetent. He said the
were not present and he did not know
Nevius allowed the testimony to stand.
f.. NJ. Kingsiand, president of the Prov
ident Institution for Savings, testified
that Father CaJrigan secured $4,000 on
a mortgage n on the same day re-
turned 5000. The mortgage was fore
Margaret Mullery, Mrs. D~evaucene's
sister. told of conversations she had heard
tvs her sister and Father Corrigan.
Father Corrigan said to Mrs. D~evaueene
she allowed him to do what he pleased
ssath the pIop~rty, anu ne gave her SAeg.
Father Corrigan's will was introduced
and objected to as imnaterial. The hear
ing was adjourned until next Friday
morning.