The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-11-14
MRS. CRUGER
WINS CONTEST
.---
Wit Of William Jauncsy Crugsr
Sustained by Surrogate.
LETTERS SHOW HIS INTENT.
Il Is Held Thst Tho Wife Had No 0ppaiu.
HIiy 10 fnt Undue Influences Tender
Affection Evident.

Nep, York. Nov. --Notwitfstandins
ATTACKS made upon her by the relatives
uf her husband. Airs May Fambrougf
trugor the widow OF William Jauncey
tfuScr unaer decision made Yesterday
hF Surrogate Thomas. becomes entitled
40 his fortune I'D accordance with the
provisions OF his viii.
The surrogate says the accusations OF
undue Influence against her have not
been sustained--iu fact there was no op-
porirnlty for undue iuiuouce--while the
letters written by Mr., Crueer 60 his wife
when she Was ia this city ana ne in Eng
land show tender ahectiOn tor her and
ere entirely consistent with his VIII
William Jauncey Ciurer was one of
1hrco brothers. the two Others being Fu-
gone Guido Cruger and James Pcndleton
'Tuger. They an Inherited considerable lC
fortunes. being rcputed 90 be millionaire
81 one time. and held an interest In vaIi-
able real estate in this city William j.
a. ID Eugene G.Cruger had strange carCers
especially IN their domestic relations. and
pil three brothers travelled cNtcnHiVeiy.
Eugene q. Cruger died on April 4 1895.
~ his chateau NJ Fontaiuehleau. France.
snd loft his fortune go olga SalOmea
1ieitz. whom he had met on the boule-
Nards OF Paris aud who befriended him
81 the last years OF his life She says she
IS his widow. having been known az the
villa az Madame Crugcr. Re had been
married twice. aud - ofteu divorced. and
his first wife is nov the wife OF j. Frcd-
cfick Tams.
BLOOD RELATIVES CONTESTED.
william Jauncsy Crugcr died on April
2 1900 lie left n will. giving ton dollars
earh to his blood relatives and bequoath-
ing the remainder OF his fortune 90 his
widow. His brother james PendletOn
an1 F,fa
children of Mrs. Frederick Tams, con-
tested
These brothers were nepheNs ~ the
Jaic Colonel s. Van Rensselaer, Crugcr
hut the fortunes left hv the two Wills
have been contested. had been to great
oxtcg, dissipated. and when they died. ia
addition 10 an interest IN real estate in
This city, each did not aggregate more
Than S200.OO
William J. Cruger had executed several
Mills but in each of them he gave a life
snterert in his fortune 10 his wire, wtttT
the single exception OF one made under
circumstances OF estrnngement and
which was only In force a few weeks.
When a young man he went TO Aus
iralia. and was there taken very nl \
1lnrse was called in and she attended him
Through long illness and nursed him
back 10 health. They were married l6
years ago. and she is the widow who now
inherits his fortune. They came 20 this
.itv. but lived most OF the years ia Eng
land and Frace.
M1LLEXECUTEDT THREE YEARS AGO
The wifi In question was executed at
1.a stbourne, England. on July g. 1898 and
Was rearfrmrd by ffift. during Xisit to
1his city in October or that year
A great deal OF evidence produced on
shc part of the contestants showed that
4 H. a.. 90 .xfA -.
Unpleasant al times. This testimony de-
.lared that he had said he was sorry that
he had married her. and that he did not
want her 20 get any of his money aud
hat he had led a eat and dog life with
her.
Their Domestic qusrreis wer frequent
pnd culminated in their separation IN
1897, vllne they were living in France.
Negotia tions were pending then for a
divorce, and ne was TO settle on her one
hird of hir fortune. but She refused to
sign the agreement after II was drawn
up. The action VAS never brought to
trial and they subsequently became rec
rncilcd and lived together urtil hc died
The evidence also stated that Mrs CRU
ger had violent temper. was in the habit
of drinking champagne. and smoking Gig
arettes, abused bin, and was extremely
jealous OF him.
OPINION OF THE SURROGATE
Surrogate Thomas writes lengthy
opinion IN which he says.
1T ~ not within the prOvinc, OF a
court OF probate 10 adiudicate that she
was unworthy Of his bcuefaction.
y great deal OF testimony concerning the
wife tended 10 show her to be a woman
given Go violent outbreaks of temper and
disposed 20 asser, her rights and To- pur.
"A -ane-h hsr Interests with great vigor and
IenacitS of purpose.
The decedeut. Ou the other hand. was
shown 10 be Of in easy and compliant II
lot essentially weak character as the
disease or diseases which fastened upon
Inn rendered him exceedingly helpless
~ WAS while the wife was iu complete
Charge of her husband that the viii now
offercd was made
While he says all this gave ample op-
porutlnity for the exercise OF undue I'M
rpeIlce it does not prove hc says. that
he influence exercised WAS OF "a kind on
degreo that would instuy any court IN de-.
m rins their tcstameutary paper riill and
Void. He says a wife IL not prccludod by
law from requesting her husband 10 MAX,
srevision FOR her in his VIII
n am led 10 believe" hc writes that
this last viii wof the natural and logical
oppression OF the dcccdcnts sentiments
~ affection toward his wife
NO decision has as set been reached III
tlg contest over tho probate or the will
of'Tucclc ~. CruVor, made ia the interest
ofthe three children by his first wife.