The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-16
TO FILE SUIT FOR DIVORCE.
MRS. M'MURRAY's ALLEGATIONS
AGAINST HER HUSBAND.

The Petition Will Be Put in To-day.
She VIII Say He Treated Her
Cruelty, FOrcibIy Confined Her
Here and in New York, and Mad e
Her Sign Papers Against Her Will.
A Suit Against Mrs. McMurray For
Property For Which She Is Trus-
tee-BrOught Under Deed to Sc
cure Debt.
The suit of Mrs. Mary Ann McMurray
for an absolute divorce from her husband,
Patrick McMurray, will be filed in the SUI
perior court to-day by her attorney, Mr..
A. c. Wright. 1t has been known for
some time that she would institute pro-
ceedings for divorce on account of Nc
Murrays actions and treatment of her,
though there have been many peculiar
phases Of the case.
Mrs. McMurray will allege in her petit
ton the main ground of cruel treatment.
According to the statements made she
seems to have been In his power in some
way or other. She says on DIFF
ferent occasions he abused her,
struck her and beat her. She alleges that
he had her forcibly confined in Savan-
nah from July until November, 1896. after
which he carried her to New York and
had her confined in an asylum there.
These actions on the part of McMurray
are believed to have been a part of his
design upon the property Of Mrs. Gather
inc Prenty, a good deal of which he made
away with. While Mrs. McMurray was
L ant In ATarx Vnrlr H1vh hY1Jh Mrg
Prenty brought suit against her as trustee
for the property held for her by her
daughter. An answer to this suit was
filed by Mrs. McMurray, being sent to Sa-
Yannah from New York. In that answer
Mrs. McMurray absolutely denied that
she had ever been i'll treated or abused by
her husband, and denied that he had ever
at any time confined her against her will,
either in Savannah or New York. This
answer was one of the strangest features
of the case in view of subsequent Develop
ments. Mrs. McMurray states in her pc
tHion for divorce that she was forced to
sign this answer by her husband, and that
she did it against her will. 1t was be-
lieved on this account McMurray's design
in keeping her confined in New York was
to get her to sign papers by which he
would be enabled to get hold of the trust
property which his wife held as trustee
for herself and her mother.
Her petition for divorce will come up
at the December term of the superior
court. 1t is hardly probable that Nc
Murray will put in an appearance, as
there are too many warrants against him
here to make it healthy for him to come.
1t is likely, therefore, that a verdict Will
be rendered upon the evidence presented
for the plaintiff McMurray was last
heard from somewhere in New York city,
but is said to have left there.
Another suit involving the McMurray VS.
was filed in the superior court yesterday,
that of the Oglethorpe Savings and Trus t
Company against Mary Ann McMurray,
formerly Prenty, substituted trustee,
Mary Ann PrentY and Catherine Prenty.
This suit alleges that the defendants are
in possession of certain property to which
the plaintiff claims title This property
is known as lots Nos. SO and a. Crawford
ward, and is on the small block bounded
by McDonough, East Broad, Perry and
Houston streets.
The Oglethorpe Savings and Trust Com
pany has deed to this property given to
secure an Indebtedness upon it. The deed
is dated May q, 1889, and was recorded
May % the same year. The yearly rental
value of the property Is said to be 81 500,
and the defendants refuse to give up the
property or the income to the plaintiff.
The petition asks the court to compel the
defendants to turn over the property.
There Is a dispute, however as to the
amount due under this deed to secure debt.
Mrs. McMurray admits an Indebtedness of
about $4,700 and some interest, while the
plaintiff claims more than $500. The de
PENDANTS will answer admitting the indebt-
edness on the property and tender pay
ment of the amount which they admit
to be due. Then the suit will no doubt be
fought as to the liability for the other
81 500 MpMnrraV iS said 70 haUa haof1 N
volved also in this transaction, and il Is
ON this account that the dispute arises
over the $1,000. 1t is likely that stIll other
suits will grow out of the McMurray af-
fair, among them no doubt one looking to
the recovery of Mrs. Prenty's property,
which McMurray Is said to have sold with
out authority.