Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-06
John McCafery's Widow and Her
Matrimonial Ventures.
STORY TOLD IN PENSION RECORDS
Dramatic Passages in the Careers
of Several People.
vi o y + y r Z c. 0 Y f r E d

There is an interesting sequel to the story
of the suddenly developed wealth that came
TO the widow of John McCaffery. the &c
centric Chicago millionaire. which was
given in The Star last Saturday. This Sc
quel relates TO the pension that was drawn
by McCaffery's widow the widow of the
husband she married after the disappear
snce of her first better half. whom, 1t was
said. she believed to have died
After McCafery's clothing had been found
floating in the canal between Georgetown
and Cumberland 1t was generally believed
that he had been drowned during the storm
that had just occurred. and after time
the supposed widow was married TO VIM.
O'DanieIs. en- ex-Union soldier. Upon the
death of O'Daniels, who was private in
Company X. 18TH N Y Volunteer Infantry.
Mrs. ODaniels applied for pension and
drew this pension up to 1898, when her at
tOrney went to the pension office and in
formed the commissioner of pensions that
Mary O'DanieIs was not the widow of VIII
liam . Daniels. but Was, in fact. the widow
OF one John McCaffery. He further said
that Mary O'Daniels. before she was mar
ried to o Daniels. had married John McCaf-
fiery in England, and that at the time she
married O'Daniels she Thought McCanery
was dead She surrendered her pension
certificate. her attorney claiming for her
that she had drawn this pension in ignor-
ance. and that she did not intend to defraud
told of desertion of this woman by John
McCaTery and 1t was made to appear
that she was poor and ignorant.
Claim to the Chicago Estate.
subsequently 1t was ascertained by the
pension bureau that Mary O'Daniels had
made claim TO portion of the estate of
one John McCafery, the wealthy cOntrac-
tor. who had died in the city OF Chicago.
Ill. and who had left an estate valued at
something in the neighborhood of Ss0o.OOo.
In her claim as widow of John McCanery
she alleged that she married John Mccall
fiery at Carlisle. England: that she had
formerly married at Gretna Green, Scot
land: that her mother had objected to the
first marriage and that. therefore, second
marriage occurred at Carlisle, England. She
said she eInigrated to the United States
with her husband, landing at New York
city. and that McCaffery became the cap
tain and owner OF a canal boat running on
the Erie canal She lived with him that
boat on which one William O'Daniels was
one Of the crew. After some years Of canal
boat life. she alleged. -SfcCaffery became
tired Of her and pushed her off the canal boat
and went away. She said she took up with
William O'Daniels and lived with him as
his wife. and that after McCaffery deserted
her he went west and became contractor
and died in 1899.
Mary O'Daniels entered suit in the Chi
Cago courts. contrasting the rights of certain
people relative to the estate of John Nc
Mary McCaffery, or Mary ODaniels. died.
Government Gets Money Back.
When the government learned that this
woman was the claimant to a large share
of the McCafTery estate. and that she had.
with full knowledge of all the facts. sworn
that she was the wife of William O'Daniels,
private Of Company X, 10Th New York In
fantry. an investigation was had and the
facts in the case were laid before the
United States district attorney for the
northern district of the state of New York.
Mary o Daniels indicted before the
grand jury of the northern district of the
state of New York for filing false and
claimed to be the widow of William O'Dan-
iels of Company K. 10Th New York Volun-
teer Infantry, when. in fact, she the
widow Of John McCaHeTy.
A civil suit was also instituted In the
United States circuit court for the north
ern district Of the state of New York to
recover S,3Z.2T, the amount of pension
paid to Mary O'Daniels, with interest
the different payments. amounting to 49,
:sd112 Judgment was had upon the trial
OF this cause In favor Of the United States
and entered in the sum mentioned. This
Judgment has Just been settled. and the
following amount turned into the treasury
OF the United States:
Amount claimed. 1892 %; interest 81
SG126; Judgment. sc, 6s3.53: costs, S1In3; in
terest on Judgment from June "a. 1898 to
July g. 1890. SslI-i8i total. S.51S02-
II is also said that another highly in
terestfns feature of the story of the pen
sion that had To be refunded was that the
attorney representing the Mrs. O'Daniels
estate agreed with his clients TO settle the
claim Of the pension office for a certain
sum largely In excess Of the amount of the
pension money that had been received by
Mrs. ODanieIs
1t Is said he deposited check with the
proper officials Of the Treasury Department
for s.. 322-21. the aggregate Of the pension
payments. but II was not accepted as IL
Was determined to have interest on the
money paid TO the government 1t is I'M
derstood that the attorney, in having to
pay the full amount under his agreement
with the representatives Of the estate, lost
about something like SIS out of his own
pocket instead OF realizing d handsome fee
Of several thousand dollars.