The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-04
MRS. CURRY BEATEN
Judge Hudspetn Sets Aside
Her husband Will
in Her Favor.
GROUNDS, UNDUE INFLUENCE
Sad Termination of a Romani 6
Story of the Persecution
Of a Woman.

Former Judge Hudspeth has filed his ee-
cision with Surrogate Lillis in the most
notable will contest ever tried in tne
Orphans Court of this county. The con-
test had been gong on for some months
and was fitiel with sensational develop
ments; in fact, the most vi I'D imassna-
ton of a novelist could scarcely ~e3njure
up better material far a romance.
The story begins at High Falls, n. Y,
where William H. Curry, Jr., and his wife,
Mary A. Curry, lived together in more or
| less pleasant relationship until the fall of
1855. Mrs. Curry was lying on a sick bed
| when. according to her story, her hus-
| band went into her room and babe her
| good bye. she declares that she never
saw him again, although she has been
| confronted three different times with a
man who claimed to be Curry, her law
full husband. The deserted woman
struggled for a time at High Falls to
support herself and an adopted daughter.
but she was unsuccessful. She left High
| Falls in the spring of 1889 and came to
this city. She opened a d-ressmaking
establishments in Coles near Seventh
! street, and succeeded in making a mod
crate livelihood. One of her first GUS
t0fleTS WIS Jd1uSS D.. didlidlh, q WAN
| over, who had attained the age of sixty
five or ~thereabouts. The old man
engaged Mrs. Curry to make a
dress for his granddaughter. Graham
| at that time was living with his son,
| William A. and Williams wife. While
the dress was being mad the old man
fell into the habit of dropping into Mrs.
Curry's rooms and chatting with her.
His visits were usually made in the morn
ing. Mrs. Curry was a comely, intelli-
gent woman, and the old man soon be-
came so much interested in her that his
calls became almost of daily occurrence.
Mrs. Curry says the old man confided his
troubles to her and sought her sympathy.
He told her stories of ill-treatment at the
hands of his son and daughter-in-law.
The stories did arouse Mrs. Curry's SYM
pathy and when Mr.. Graham made his
morning call without having had his
breakfast, as he often did she made coffee
for him and provided him with some
thing to eat. After a time Graham began
to throw out suggestions about getting
married and say that if he could find a
good kind woman who would have him
he would marry her. Finally he asked
Mrs. Curry to marry him. She says that
she told him her whole history and point
ed out to him that she could not marry
him. He persisted, however and she, be-
lieving that her husband was dead, yield
ed to his persuasions. They were mar
ried in the spring of 1890.
Soon afterward word came to Graham's
son that his stepmother had another hus-
band living and he instituted a search for
him, with the aid Of a detective. A man
was found in Middletown, N. Y, living
under the name of Gilbert Craig, who
said that he was the William HI. Curry
who had deserted his wife at High Falls.
A female friend of Mrs. a wrote to
her about the same time that a man in
Middletown named Craig was going about
claiming to be her (Mrs. Graham's) hus-
band. Mrs. Graham went to Middletown
and confronted the man. According to
her story Craig denied that he was her
husband, or that he had ever seen her be-
fore. She declared that she had never
seen him before.
The next heard Of Craig or Curry was
when he came to this city in the winter
of 1894. He came at the solicitation and
expense of the younger Graham. Curry
called at the elder Graham's house one
evening" 1lo OAc AAeAA 81
and Graham received the visitor, who in
troduced himself as Mrs. Graham's hus-
band. Graham entertained the unwel-
come visitor in the dining room until the
woman in the case returned home. When
she came in Graham said:-"Mary, here
is a gentleman who wants to see you.
He claims to be your husband"
The woman was naturally p~erturbed,
but she rallied and looking 1xedly at the
visitor declared hat she had never seen
him before. The following day Mrs. Gra-
ham was arrested on a charge of bigamy
preferred by Curry. She was locked up
for a short time. and Curry was commit
ted to the County Jail as a witness. Gra-
ham gave bonds for me woman and Sc
cured her release, but Curry was allowed
to remain in jail for several days. Then
Graham furnished bonds for him also, and
as soon as he was released he returned to
Middletown.
Graham died in March, 1897. When his
will was read it was found that he had
left his entire estate to his presumed
widow. The estate is valued at from
$751; 600 to $40, 0O0. William a. Graham filed
a caveat against the probate of the will,
alleging undue influence and setting up
the allegation that the woman was not
his father's legal wife. The contest
dragged along for months. Craig, or
Curry, came Town from Middletown and
testified that Mrs. Graham was his lawful
wife. Several witnesses from High Falls
identified Craig as Curry and Mrs.
Graham as Mrs. Curry. When the wom-
an went on the stand she positively de-
MED that she was Craig's wife or that
Craig was Curry. Volumes Of testimony
were taken.
Judge Hudspeth's decision sets aside the
will on the ground of undue influence.
Notice of appeal to the Prerogative Court
has been filed so that the contest is not
ended yet. Flavel MCGEE appeared for
Mrs. Graham and John Griffin for the
contestant.
CITY NEWS NOTES.
IL ---11 x-aA+ 4..:~ Isl