Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-12-03
Mrs Scadden Gave Some Spicy
Testimony To-Day.
A sHoRTNEss OF THE BREATH

X X q Y y
The hearing on the estate of the late
Michael McGivney was resumed be-
fore Judge Lowe in the district court
room this morning, the probate court
room being inadequate to accommodate
those interested. 1t was about 10
o'clock when the hearing began, and
Judge Lowe, seeing Judge Cowell pres
ent, asked him if he would hear the
case, remarking that he was certain
the interested parties would not OBJ
ject. Judge Cowell replied that he ap-
preciated the compliment, but had
enough troubles Of his own without in
yiting more.
Mrs Catherine Scadden, in whose
house Mr. McGivney died, was then
sworn and testified as follows:
Railroad Hill street is her residence
and has been for eight years. Mr. Nc
Givney, deceased, was her uncle, and
he was supposed to occupy four of the
eight rooms in the house. He owned
the furniture in these rooms at one
time. The furniture consisted of nine
s.black, old chairs" three bedsteads, a
few sheets, no springs, one table, one
kitchen stove, one bed, one cup and
one saucer one teapot, one kettle, one
pot, about one ton of coal remained of
the two he bought last May, one barrel
Of wood, few clocks, four window
shades, one bureau, feather bed,
which served as q mattress, mirror,
window shades, three trunks, two suits
of black clothes, one old, one new; two
pairs Of shoes. two suits of underwear
RAJ tn 0ts pat 1nIs
pretended to board, himself. Witness
denied he ever bought groceries in any
amount This evidence was to show
what personal goods deceased had at
the time Of his death. was his GUS
tom to retire early, and he always had
his bedroom door kept open, because
frequently he could not sleep and was
lonesome, and the sound of movements
IN the house Kept him company. His
cousin, Mrs Bridget Thompson, used
to visit him five or six times q week
during the last year prior to his DEATH
In witnesses opinion Mr. McGivney's
death was caused by silortness of
breath. Shortly before his death few
efybody" came to see him. The house
in which he lived and died he owned,
but in September last he gave it to her
with the. deed to it. a month before
he gave her another deed to the same
property. She gave him 81 in return.
The first deed was drawn up in '96,
and in it he reserved the life use Of the
property to himself. Attorney Cole
drew up the second deed, and wit
ness's husband accompanied Mr. Nc
Givney to the office on that occasion.
The matter was suggested by deceased.
Ar McGivney asked for the 81 for the
deed. In June he gave witness bank
book which was referred to in 11,o evi-
dence as the first bank book" Wit
ness did not know where he kept his
bank books, nor if he had more than
one. She never saw but one, that was
in September, on the Waterbury Saw
ings bank.
The proceedings at this point were
interrupted by the administrators. Mrs
NJ. A. Lawlor. knocking on the end of
the table where she sat, and accused
Attorney Russell Of prompting the wit
ness
After a brief scene the examination
was resumed. Attorney Guilfoile
asked If deceased had any money in
bank at that time. and after a good
deal of delay witness said Mr. Nc
Givney was in the bank. that he had
two checks with him, and these he had
brought with him from the house.
After further hesitation witness said
deceased's object in the bank was to
! give her the two checks, which were
| for S9113. This sum he deposited in
| her name and gave her the bank book.
The point which created the excitement
at yesterdays hearing was then
reached in the question, 'sWhat did you
do with that money and where is it
noww The question was ruled out.
the court deciding that it was not one
to be determined now, that if there was
fraud feared it was a matter for an
other court
In June of this year witness got an
other bank book worth $4,000. About
that time he distributed about 500. 900
among some Of his relatives. wit
ness knew the two checks for $4,000
were in the house, and several times
deceased spoke to her about giving her
the money. All he had he gave away
and depended solely upon witness for
support.
He kept nothing at all to live on?''
Nothing that knew Of" said wit
ness.
Among his receipts witness found
one for $500 from st Patrick's church
/
after his death. She found no deeds
or papers of much value She denied
she found will. This, she said, he
| often told her he would destroy. She
denied telling Attorney Guilfoi1e that
she had burned it. She was positive
of this. She saw it, however, when it
was drawn up about five years ago by
Attorney Gillette. She did not know
the Wills contents, though she had
heard it read after it was drawn I'D
What became of the will she did not
know. Mrs Bridget Thompson got
nothing. Deceased considered many
of his relatives sufficiently well off to
get along without assistance from him.
But witness gave Mrs Thompson some
of the money she herself received.
/ This was the first inkling of the 1oca-
tion of any part of the money and At
torney Guilfoile asked another question
in that direction. whereupon Attorney
Russell told his client not to speak, and
/ arguments on the point followed. The
dispute was settled by Attorney Gull
/ foile agreeing to examine in another
1 direction; He then asked the witness