The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-12-09
MRS. BWALD'S MIND
John Conway Tells Odd
Tales of His Neice's
Goings and Comings.
USED TO CRY FOR MONEY
Marriage of the Woman and Her
Alleged Death Bed Isolation
Told in Court. .
USED TO CRY FOR MONEY


Orphans Court nearly the entire day,
yesterday. and the principal part of the
time was taken up with legal Tits be-
tween ex-Judge Garrick and Lawyer
Flavel MsGee as to the ACCESSIBILITY of
testimony offered by the caveator. The
recently discovered queer will of Michael
Conway, Mrs. Ewald's father, which was
printed exclusively in THE News" last
Friday, has not been offered in evidence,
but it probably will be before the case
closes. 1t was offered for probate in the
Surrogate's office yesterday. The will be-
queaths Michaers estate, which is now
being fought for, to his daughter, and in
case of her death to his brother John.
Lawyer Charles ]. Peshall, who is inter-
ested in the case m behalf OF Ewald,
and who drew Mrs. Ewalds will, says
that Michael Conway's signature to the
alleged will does not resemble his sigma
ture to contracts which are on file and
viii be produced at the proper time. Mr..
Peshall is assisting Mr.. MCGEE in the
management of the contest.
All the testimony adduced yesterday
was intended to show that Mrs. Ewaid
was weak-minded, giddy. easily influence
ed and consequently incapable of max
ing a. will. Her reputation has not
been spared; on the contrary, it has been
shown that she was given to flirting and
that she made the acquaintance of men
in a free and easy, careless manner, not
in accordance with strict propriety.
John Conway. of No. 800 Garfield ave-
nue.. followed his wife on the witness
stand. He is employed as a night watch
- - 4L- C1,<,al Pai1rnod C0mnanV.
He is Mrs. Ewald's uncle, guardian and
administrator of her fathers estate. Mr..
Conway testified that Mamie lived VITA
him after her fathers death until her
marriage, on December 20, 1886. When
she was a baby her head was fiat and
her forehead low. He always considered
her weak-minded.
.sWhile she was living with me- he
said, ..she used to stay away for a day
or two at a time, and l would nays 70
90 and look for her. Sometimes she re-
maine away all night. once she was
away three or four nights. Wnen sue
wanted anything, and L refused 10 give
1t to her, she would nave a hySterlcdi III
until I gave it to her
What did she usually want?" asked
Judge Garrick.
Money, and if 1 refused to give it to
give it TO her she would begin to cry,
and then laugh. Then she would dance
around the room and go into mysteries.
one time told her to buy her clothes
and send the bills to me- she went 70
Newark and bought $40 worth of clothing.
The same day she bought $40 worth more
in this city, n after that she borrowed
$40 from her aunt, Mrs. Murtha- some
times Mamie was nice and sociable. AT
other times she would sing and then cry,
and waltz around the room and go INTO
mysteries without any cause at all. she
went into Mysteries very often. l knew
49, IL e-1 frsa fn 1010nGnA nor m
same as l would a child. She was very
easily led. She would tell you one thlng
now n contradict herself bye ana pye
She would promise not to stay OUT late
and then forget all about it and stay
out"
Die h tell you when she was going
to get married."
No. 1 heard it outside. I spoke to her
about it, but she made nc reply. One
Sunday morning she went out and came
back. I heard afterward that she was
married that day.
Ibid she visit you after she was mar
ried?'
Yes, I never had any quarrel with her.
She was taken sick in July and l Went
to see her. She told me then to send her
Tunt Ami to ser her. That's my wife.
/ went there again a few days afterwafd,
but the door was locked. 1t was about 10
o'clock in the morning. My wife and L
went there the first week in Angus
Ewald was there. The next time | went
/ knocked at the door several times, but
could not get in. | heard somebody say
that Mamie's uncle, don't let him in
asked MI. MCGEE on cross-examination.
mo, sir"
why not?"
because I didn't feel we'll"
The witness said he knew Mr.. PeshalL
Mr.. Peshall spoke to him about making
a will. The witness thought that Mr..
Peshall was trying to pump hlm ana re
fused to have anything to do with MN.
~ +o1frn1 + n Mr. DnchnI1 dnlU nnn6 Con-
way said that he visited his niece after
her marriage. He called on her When
she was sick and Ewald ordered him out.
Under Mr.. McGee'S close questioning
Conway admitted that he was not
actually ordered out. Ewald said that his
wife was sick and he didn't care to haye
her excited.
The witness said that he filed his account
as Mamie's guardian, before her twenty
first birthday. He didn't settle with her
because the matter was still in the sur
~rosate's office.
asked Mr.. MCGEE.
II was going to wait until it was time
to give it to her."
you thought it was time when you
got a letter from her lawyers?'
Judge Garrick said that Conway acted
in the matter under the advice of lis
counsel.
Mrs. Mary sheehan testified that she
Iivsd in the same house as the Ewalds.
She remembered the time when John
Conway called and somebody said:s"Don't
let him; it's NAMES uncle 1t was
Ewald's sister Lottie who said it.
Hrs. Mary Murtha, of Jackson avenue,
another unit of Mrs. Ewald, testified that
her niece was nervous, sensitive and very
easily Influenced. She often laughed and
cried alternately and could give no reason
for it. Her MIND was very weak. Mr..
Peshall came to Ewald's house one night
between nine and ten O'Clock and spoke
to the witness.
Peshan was there?" asked Mr.. Niece.
mo, but I said it would be advisable
to get a prfeegt."
street, an uncle of Mr.. Ewald, testified
that she was queer and acted strangely.
Miss Maria Moioney of No. IA York
street, was an interesting witness. "One
evening"" she said, Miss Maggie Mad
den, a lady friend of mine, brought Mamie
came there and stayed four days without
an invitation. / DIDN'T like the way Mamie
behaved with gentlemen and told her to
go home. She went away. but came
back"
On cross-exam nation the witness said
that Mamie alwa US wanted to be in mems
company. Edward Hiiidan was very in
innate with her.
Charles Cooper, OF No. 81 Front street,
who described MIN self as a provision
dealer, testified that he became acquaint-
ed with Miss Conway at the house of a
young lacy friend, at No "a Chestnut
venue. Il escorted her home" he said,
four times a week I used to call on
her when I was around delivering orders.
I considered her very Weak-minded."
WHY do you think so?p
Because sometimes she would make
appointments with me and not keep