The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-08-12
Death Showed Lawyer White
Iegge TO Be a Much Married Man
PRUDENCE WILL SHARE ESTATE
She Was Welded 10 tho Departed Atisray
In 184S-- Two Later Wives and Thslr
Children Barred From Participation

New York, Aug. 12-After several years
Of litigation the well-nigh hopeless task
OF determining how many wives Lawyer
James II. Whitelegge had and to which
should be given the 10000 he left behind
has been accomplished.
Old Lawer whitelegge was a familiar
figure about the County Court House
July %, 1896.
He was one of the patriarchs of the
bar, and was of singular appearance,
his costume usually a quarter of a
century behind the times.
When he died no less than three
women donned widows weeds. Each
had children. Lawer Whitelegge's OFF,
spring. and each wanted a share in his
estate.
Whitelegge, three years prior to his
death, appealed TO the courts TO have
annuled his marriage with Marietta
Lozier in 1856 BY her he had three
children-Albert T. f. whiteleggs, Edith
M. whitelegge and Mrs. Henrietta DUFFY.
He declared that at the time he mar
ried Mrs Lozier she had not been d.
voroed from Abraham A. Lozier. Mrs.
whiteleegee contended that their mar
riage took place after she had procured
her divorce.
Whitelegge had been her legal adviser
during the proceedings, ana they mus
became well acquainted.
Mrs whitelsgge ignored the suit Tor
annulment of marriage and retaiiated
by bringing suit for absolute divorce
on the ground OF Whitelegge's partiality
for his pretty typewriter. She declared
that her husband had made three trips
TO Europe with the girl. Before either
of the suits could be tried the old lawyer
died.
After the lawyers death IL was found
that ne owned in addition to house In
Fordham real estate at No. III East
One Hundred and Fourth street, NO 4SS
East One Hundred and Twenty-third
street and No. 5i2 East One Hundred
and Twenty-first street. Then the
First of all was Mrs. Whitelegge,
formerly Mrs Lozier. Then came Pru-
dence Whitelegge, who said she was the
lawyers widow and the mother of his two
children. She was living in England and
she had been represented by Evarts,
Choate a Bean1an.
Prudence Whitelesge svears that she
married the lawyer in England on Nov.
s ls4s and that their children are
Margaretta f. f. Shumay wife Of Henry
C. Shumay, of Jersey City. and Thomas
Edward whitelesgs, who lives In Eng
land.
The third Mrs. Whitelegae, was Lulu
D. whitelegge. who said that her son,
William Henry Whitelegge. was the
lawyers only child. She gave the Date
of her marriage to Whitelesge as June
26. 1895 Lulu Whitelegge said that the
ceremony was performed at Niagara
Falls on the Canadian side.
The case came TO trial before Justice
O'Gorman last January and an agree
ment was made that the whole matter
should be sent TO a referee. Edward j.
Mcclure was appointed and has Just
submitted his report. in which he nnds
that whitelegge married Prudence
Whitelesge on Nov. s, 1s4s. and that this
marriage has never been dissolved. The
referee finds that she Is entitled TO
dover in the four parcels of realty. and
that the ownership will devolve upon
her two children. Mrs. Margaretta 4. f.
Shumay and Thomas Edward White
leggs The other two Mrs. Whiteleage's 9
and their children are consequently shut
out.