The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-07-28
BOTH Want THE GOLD
MiseT Coghi1l's Estate Will
Be Bitterly Contested
for in the Courts.
FRANK CoGHlLL'S TROUBLES
Well Known in Jersey City Where
He Resided Histof Of the
Disappearance Of the
Money.

Money.
Two women, each claiming to be the
| legitimate widow OF Frank Coghill, the
miser who died in squalor in the rooms
above his little toy store at No. ~
Bowery. New York city, while he had
SO. 900 concealed in the apartment with
him, are fighting for his wealth. They
are striving to wrest it from his aged
mother. Mrs. Eliza Coghill, who at the
time of his death was supposed to be his
only heir and who was appointed his adj
ministratrix 1t was only yesterday that
Surrogate Arnold decided that the claim
of Mary Cohen. or Mary Coghill, as she
has styled herself since Coghill's death.
who alleges that she was the common
law wife of the miser, Is void. Lawyer
Abraham Levy, who is her counsel, how
ever is not going to give up the fight.
He has taken the necessary steps this
morning to have the case ~reopened, as he
claims that it was merely on a techni-
cality that the Surrogate rendered an adj
verse decision. He declares that he will
yet win for his client her alleged rights.
The second widow" who only appeared
on the scene yesterday, is liable to cause
further complications in an already much
complicated case.
None of Coghill's relatives ever heard
of her until yesterday when Mrs. Coghill,
mother of the miser, received a letter
from Edna Glass, of Reading, Pa, who
addressed her as Dear Mothe and said
she twas married to Frank ten years
ago!" She asked Mrs. Coghill to send
her none to pay her car fare to New
York and said she has information that
will be of value to the administratrix.
She declared hat she would be on from
Reading to claim her share of the estate
whether her car fare was sent her or
not. On the advice of her lawyer, Michael
Fagen, of Jersey City, Mrs. Coghill will
take no notice of the woman's claim.
Lawyer Fagen, besides being counsel for
Mrs. Coghill, is looking after the inter-
ests of Frank Coghill, her nephew, who
was arrested at his home, No. 224 SUM
nit avenue, Jersey City, a week ago and
was held by Justice Nevin to await ex-
tradition by the New York authorities
on a charge of grand larceny, preferred
against him by Mary Cohen, the alleged
widow, who accused him of no less a
crime than stealing the entire fortune of
the dead rniser.
On her affidavit the Grand Jury found
an Indictment against him.. He was to
have had another hearing before Justice
Nevin in Jersey City this morning, but
the matter SO wore upon him that he
became a nervous wreck and on advice
of counsel he yesterday appeared volun-
tarily before Judge Newburger in Part l.
General Sessions, New York and pleaded
to the indictment.
When Assistant District Attorney Unger
heard all the circumstances in the case
he declared that he would Immediately
nave the indictment quashed. In present.
ing the case to Judge Newburger, MI.
Unger said:-sThere is absolutely nothing
in this case and l am surprised that the
Grand Jury ever found such IN indict-
ment.' At his suggestion Mr.. Coghill,
who is accused of having stolen $4,000,
was placed in 81, 200 bail pending killing of
the indictment.
There have already been a number of
startling and interesting occurrences in
connection with the contest for the
miser's wealth and it promises to develop
many more. The true story of the hoard
ed money and what became of it has
never been told. The general impression
has been that it was in the hands of
Frak Coghill. the nephew. and it was
this belief that caused Mary Cohen to
have him arrested. AS a matter of fact
it has never been in his sole possession.
At the time he was arrested it was in the
possession of an officer of the S~urrogate's
Court. The true story of the money is
now told for the first time.
Frank Coghill kept a small toy store at
No. AZ Bowery. He was always complain
of the hard times and was reputed
his neighbors to be very poor. The
only help h had in the store was Mary
Cohen who acted in the double capacity of
clerk and b~oqk-keeper. She lived on
Bayard street. Coghill lived in a couple
of small rooms above his store with his
mean that he only allowed her 20 cents
a day forIthe household expenses of both
of them. On June 16 last he died, it was
at first supposed, in poverty. Mary Cohen
was in the room when he died. She i'm
assumed charge of affairs as
Mrs. Coghin was overcome with grief.
the first thing she did was to
telegraph to Jersey City for Frank Cog
hill who was the only male relative Cog
hill had in this country. Frank went over
at once and made arrangements for the
With Mary Cohen he then
the rooms. In the bed room,
the bed in which the miser had
died they found an old black. satchel
which on opening they found to be filled
money. They started 70 &C count It.
hill suggested hat they had better walt
and have the amount determined in the
of a lawyer.
A right" said Mary, TIL open the
and we can put it in there where II
will be perfectly secure"
The satchel and its contents were
in the safe and Coghill sent for
Fagen. When he arrived late in
the evening Mary Cohen declared that
she had forgotten the combination of the
safe and could not open it. At Fagen's
they wrapped the safe with
tape and placing strips of paper with the
three names on them over the lock sealed
it with wax. In the morning an expert
safe breaker blew 1t open. The money
was then ounted by Fagen, who found
that there was over $4,000 in the old
A great deal of it was In the
Did State Bank bills. Fagen, accom-
BY Frank, took the money and
placed 1t In a vault in the Park National
getting q receipt for 1t in the name
Of the bereaved mother who was, so far
as was known, the sisters sole heir.
Letters of administration for Mrs. Cog
hill were applied for. n shortly after a
from the S~urrogate'S Office was sent
to ask the usual questions. In the pres
ance of Mary Cohen Mrs. Coghill testified
that she was the only legal heir. Miss
Interposed no. objection. Mrs. Coghill
was appointed administrator and the
American Society Company went on her
In the sum of $28, 600 for the faithful