The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-26
C0RRIGAN'S WILL
Vexatious Suit Nearing An End
History Of a Famous
Case in the Orphans
Court.

The Corrigan will case was before the
Orphans Cour again yesterday after
noon and there is a probability that the
prolonged litigation over the estate will
be settled in a very short time. The liti-
cation has continued now for nearly four
years, and the executors, John ].
O'Hara, an undertaken in Hoboken, n
the Rev. James j. Sheehan, who was as
sistant rector Of ST. Patrick's Church at
the time of Father Corrigan's death, and
who is now in Newark, have had no end
of worry and trouble.
Father Corrigan was pastor of the
Church Of Our Lady of Grace, in Hobo
ken, and died on January 10, 1894. At that
time he was generally credited with be-
ing the owner of property v~ariously es-
timated to be worth from $50, 900 to 49,
GOO. Some of the property was located in
this city and some in Hoboken. AS a
matter of fact. now that the affairs Of
the estate have been nearly Strengthened
out, it is found to be insolvent. During
all the litigation the executors have had
the able assistance of Lawyer James ].
Minturn of Hoboken, and he has guided
them safely through the vexatious
trouble.
Father Corrigan's will made Mrs. Cath
crime De Vaucene, his cousin. his chief
beneficiary. Mrs. Patrick J. Ryan, of
| Hoboken, another cousin of Father Cor
rigan, contested the will on the ground
of undue influence. Some other relatives
joined in the contest. After a great deal
of sensational testimony had been taken
the will was sustained
In the meantime the executors had
discovered hat the estate was heavily
m~ortgageG. Judge Hudspeth made an or
der for the division of the property. Then
the executors were confronted with an
other difficulty. 1t was found that Father
Corrigan had given notes to satisfy some
of the mortgages. The notes went to
| protest and the holders instituted suits
against the estate. These suits have
been running for three years. The real
estate was sold at auction under an or
der of the Orphans Court. The sale real
lied S62, 061 GA, a sum which fell far short
of the amount necessary to satisfy the
mortgages and other claims, to say moth
ing of the legacies.
An incident connected with the sale is
interesting. Two of the houses which
were located in Mercer street had been
NiilCo ~ -LAo. IL ANNAt L W. =. ~
ry, a young man who is well known in
the lower part of the city, which used to
be known as "-Gammontown,'' set up a
claim that he was Mrs. De Vancene's hus-
| band. He was generally accredited with
being the husband of Mrs. De vaneene's
sister, but he alleged that he had been
married under an assumed name to Cath
crime Corrigan fMrs- De Yancene) by a
Justice of the Peace Mury entered a pro-
test against the proposed sale, and de-
clared that he property could not be trans
ferred without his consent. Mrs. De Van
Gene, who was living happily with her
husband in Brooklyn, Indignantly denied
thai she had ever married Mulry and her
denial was accepted by everybody who
knew her and knew Mulry. In order to
prevent Mulry from making trouble, Mr..
| Minturn persuaded Mrs. De Vancene to
go before Recorder McDonough in Hobo
ken and prefer a charge of perjury
against Mulry. He was arrested on the
day ofthe sale, and locked up until the
sale had been completed. Mrs. De Van
| e did not prosecute the charge.
More litigation followed the sale of the
property. One ct the houses was bought
streets for SIS, 500. The adjoining houses
was bought by Christian DiIlsel for
So 0n. Stewart afterward claimed to
have discovered that the party wall to
which he had no claim. encroached on
his property six inches, and he instituted
suit against the estate for $500. Judge
Hudspeth suggested yesterday when Mr..
Minturn informed him of the suit, that
Mr.. Stewart would not be very likely to
! dtayored to adjust the difficulty by arbi-
tration. but Mr.. Stewart insisted on pc
cuniary compensation
The Hudson County National Bank,
which has q suit against the estate for
s.. 900 on ii prornissory note, objected a
short time ago to passing the account of
the executors. lawyer Hughes. repre-
senting the bank, Withdrew the objection.
The Second National Bank Of Hoboken
had a similar claim for $500. but that has
been compromised
The report submitted yesterday by Mr..
Minturn for the executors showed that
they had collected S62. 061.64 and disbursed
$52. All. SO. The outstanding claims, which
must be paid, amount to S15. so that
the creditors will get about s. cents on the
dollar. Judge Hudspeth approved the ac-
counts OF the