The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-02-10
Ran her DOWN.
Romantic Meeting Of George
Focht and His Alleged
Widow.
THE HECLAIMAAT'STESTIMONY
She Tells of Their Peculiar
Marriage Ceremony With
out Witnesses.

Ex-Governor Werts in his office in the
Fuller Building yesterday afternoon took
testimony in the case of Carrie Budding
ton Focht against the estate of George
Focht, who was a wealthy iron manu-
facturer of Hoboken In his will Focht
left the woman an annual income and the
use of an apartment in Hoboken. she
refused to accept this bequest and filed
a claim for one-third of the estate, claim
ing to be the testator's wife by a common
law marriage. The children of Mr.. Focht
contested the claim and the matter was
referred ito Governor Werts to take testi-
mony. Ex-Judge William T. Hoffman
represented the claimant and ex-Judge
Hudspeth appeared for the children.
The claimant was the only witness ex-
amined and her testimony was sensation
al in several respects. She said she met
Mr.. !. ocht in 1882 in rather romantic
manner One beautiful spring afternoon
she was riding horseback on Jerome ave-
nue., and Mr.. Focht was driving a spirit
ed horse. His horse became unmanage-
able and ran into Mrs. Buddington's ami
NAL She was not injured but the incl
dent served to break the social Ice and
they were soon chatting away like two
old acquaintance. Sh e made an en-
gagement to meet Mr.. Focht in Thesis,
on Fourteenth street, not knowing, she
said, but that the place was respect
able restaurant. She kept the appoint
ment and after that at the suggestion
of Mr. Focht she took a fiat at No. 153
East Eighty-sixth street, and he boarded
with her. She was emphatic in her dec
laration that he was only a boarder.
she lived there until 1888, when She NOV
ed to No. 922 Willow avenue again at
Focht's suggestion. She knew all this
time that Fecht had a wife living. In 1893
Mrs. Focht died and then Focht proposed
marriage to her. She agreed and they
were married not by clergyman, how
ever because Mr.. Focht said that minis
ters were as bad as lawyers, and he did
not want any of them. He proposed that
thew go through a ceremony of their own,
which he assured her was perfectly legal.
He had her kneel on the floor and swear
by the Almighty God that she would be
his true wife. Then he put his hand in
hers and swore to be a true husband to
her.
The witness named a number of stores
where he had introduced her as his wife
and had instructed the proprietors to give
her credit. She told of various bills she
had contracted as Mrs. Focht.
The witness declared that in one large
New York department store, Mr.. Focht
had instructed them that his wife could
run abill up as high as$15,O00 if she want
ed to do SO. The witness stated that
Mr. Focht's children called her Mrs. Focht
and that they recognized her as their
fathers wife. She declared the grand
children called her grandmother and
sometimes s'aunt" and mother in fun.
she was introduced to the neighbors as
Mrs. Focht, she said.
The witness identified the signatures of
Mr.. Focht and herself and the subscrib-
ing witness, Justice of the Peace Eldridge,
of Cottage City, Mass, where the Fochts
had their country home, and explained
that the lot decided was in her name The
deed was produced and offered in evidence
and ex-Judge Hudspeth and one Of the
sons of George Focht examined it.
ssThat's not his signature excitedly
said young Focht as The gazed at his
fathers name.
"You are little rapid" exclaimed ex-
Judge Hoffman.
Excuse me-" apologetically said Focht.
Upon cross-examination ex-Judge
Hudspeth probed deeply into the witnesses
past life but could not get her to admit
what he desider. She invariably took
refuge in "I don't remember when hard
nushed for an answer to an apparently
embarrassing question.
The alleged Mrs. Fochl said in reply to
questions that she was born near south
ampton, L. l., in 1854 and was the daugh-
ter of samuel White and wife, both cf
whom are dead.
She married Edwin Buddington and
came to New York City to live Her
brother, John White is a policeman there,
but She has not seen him in many years.
A child. Edith, was born to her and Bud
dington and died in 1885. Before she met
Mr. Focht she said her husband, VINO
was a travelling man, was killed in
railroad accident.
At this point young Mr.. Focht laughed
and ex-Judge Hoffman arose and emphat-
ically said
81 object to your sneers, Mr.. Focht and
won't tolerate them. Your conducet is
indescent.
Mr.. Focht excused himself.
One witness declared that a1ter ner nus
bands death she had supported herself.
She had no employment, she said, but SOLD
some property on Long Island and lived
on the proceeds until she met Mr.. Focht
in 1881 The witnes said she was unable to
,an,arnber the places where she had
boarded before she met Mr.. Focht and
denied knowing number OF men ana
women whose names ex-Judge Hudspetn
mentioned. She admitted that Focht had
told her that he was married when ne
came to board with her.
She positively declared that Mr.. Focht
was simply a boarder and assisted her to
support herself by the board he PAID. Sne
moved to Hoboken at his suggestion. S'ne
denied that she knew man named Bar
more well She said Mr.. Focht had IN
troduced Balmore to her, Dut she dld mol
know much about him.
At this point the hearing was adjourned
as the counsel had other engagements.
NO CASES IN SESSIONS COURT.