The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-12-03
M tXM&A
MRS. GRAHAM'S SP0OSES
Alleged One Who Deserted
Her Strives to Wreck
Her Life a Second
Time.
STEPSONS FIGHT FOR CASH
Strange Romance Of Real Life Aired
in the Orphans Court
A Sad Story.
STEPsoNs FIGHT FOR CASH


lam Curry, abandoned her and her little
daughter at High Falls. N. Y. until the
present time. The story was told as part
of the testimony in the contest OF James
G.. Graham's will, which has been before
the Court for some time, and which has
been one of the most remarkable contests
in the Courts records. The story has
been told in ''The News" before, but will
bear repetition.
About eleven years ago William Curry,
who kept a little store in High Falls, N.
Y. disappeared, leaving his wife and
child in straitened circumstances. Mrs.
Curry. after vainly struggling to support
herself and her child in High Falls, came
to this city about 1890, and engaged in the
dressmaking business. She became ac-
ouainted with James G.. Graham, an ell
DERBY widower, and married him, believ-
ing that her first husband was dead.
When Graham died he made his widow
the sole legatee of his estate, which was
estimated to be worth from $4,000 to $2O,-
600, cutting off his son William, who is
now contssting the will.
Some startling events had occurred be-
tween the time of the elder Graham's
marriage and his death. William had re-
ceived information that his step-mother
had another husband living in Middle
town, N. Y. He made an investigation
and found, as he claims, Curry living
there under the name of Gilbert Craig.
He hired Curry to come to this city and
confront his wife. The meeting between
the two will be told later on in the WON
49,. o-1 10 nr,,o0a The rASuf of the
meeting was that Mrs. Graham was ar
rested on a charge of bigamy, and Curry
was locked up as a witness. Granam
bailed his wife out n took ner co., PACE \
short time and then Graham furnished
bail for him also. The charge OF Dig
amy was never prosecuted.
Mrs. Graham was dressed IN widoW 8
terday. She has pleasant features and a
sad look IN her face, calculated to create
sympathy. She told her story clearly and
distinctly in q slow way, creating the
impression thai she wanted to be par
tieular. Her lawyer, Fiavel MCGEE, put
questions to her at occasional intervals.
cayeator, listened intently to the woman's
After telling about her marriage. to
Curry in High Falls and the birth OF her
daughter, she told ABOUT her husband S
sudden disappearaEce.
NJ husband" she said, came up to
my room one morning when L was SICK
in bed and asked me how felt. He Went
away III Il few minutes and that was the
last ! ever saw OF him. He never came
back. / never got any message from him.
The little store we kept down stairs was
for a time 10 support myself and my
child but did not succeed very well.
Danie W%arnhart, Who a a chattel
mortgage on. the stock and hxtures OF the
store. foreclosed it and l was left without
any means. r
II zane to Jersey City about 1890, and
went to live at No. 311i Seventh street. l
was earning q living at dressmaking."
How did you become acquainted with
Mr.. Graham?" asked Mr.. MCGEE.
He came to my place TO have some
work lone fer hls niece After nat ne
talk for a few minutes. He visited me at
intervals for about a year perhaps"
Did he eyer say anything to you about
his life at homer"
Yes, he said that his life with his son
was very unpleasant, and that he hardly
had a place TO sit down to make himself
comfortable.
Zone very cold morning he came In and
said, It's rather a cold morning to be
without ones breakfast. isn't III. l asked
him how it was that he didn't have his
breakfast. and he said that the breakfast
table was cleared away when he came
down stairs and he didn't care to ask
for any. ] asked him il he would have a
cup CT coffee IL l made 1t for him, and
LC E4tu lN u NH a -
of coffee.
Some time after that he told me that
things were going from bad to worse at
home and tina he must do something.
If l could find some nice woman who
would be good to me- he said, I'd get
married. I had no idea that he had any
thoughts OF me at the time. When he
came In the next day he said, Mary, ~
beer thinking a great deal of you, will
you be nay wife? / had never dreamed
Of such q thing and was taken by sur
prise. He said he must have somebody
60 take care Of him as all they cared for
at hons was his money. I told him /
couldn't think OF it.
"He came back that evening and told
me that he wanted me for his wife. I
said he would have to hear my history
first. Then I teld him all about myself.
! told him how I had gone to Middle
town and confronted q man there who
was said TO be my husband. The man
said he had never met me before and I
couldn't recognize him. I really believed
that my husband was dead.
Graham called upon me every day af-
ter that, and kept asking me to marry
He impOrtuned you did he?" asked Mr..
McGes.
ly consented to mary him. We were mar
ried In May, 1891"
About two months. We went to live in
moved to No. 2s1 seventh street.
did you live pleasantly ~together?'
yes, sir; my husband was very kim
to me. ana ] did gil I could for him pleas
antly and willingly"
I'm the winter OF 1895" replied the wit
ness, bursting into tears.
Never mind, Mrs. Graham" said Mr..
McGee, soothingly, lust tell us about
it."
THE nvt I knew about it." the witness
resumed, 1T had been to the drug store
one evening and when 1 returned there
was q man sitting in the dining room
with my husband. / didn't knew him.
Mr.. Graham said to me: Mary. do you
had never met him. The man said;
Madam, 1 think I know you. You lave
the advantage of me, SIR 1 replied, i
never saw you before
II felt that / never had n / think SO
still. l remained in the room three or
four minutes. After the man went away,
Mr.. Graham said to me. Mary, that man
claims to be your former husband
said, That an be; / never saw the
may before MI. Graham told me that
his sons wife met him In the street and
asked him IL he knew that / had another
husband living. He said no, and she took
him around to John Dunn's house, in
Grove street, and told him the story. /
told Mr.. Graham that If my former hus-
band was living l was willing to hunt
him up. Ar. Graham said to me:-Nary,
even though you have q husband living
mine and MINI alone: wanted to find
out for myself, not thatsI doubted you.
What did you say?" ~enquired MI. Nc
Gee. =
Il told him I was willi9g, to go away il
shalY never 90 way from me; you're mine
and no one shall take you way.