The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-11-28
WHOM DID
MULRY MARRY
He Claims It Was One Sis
ter, But Another Sister
Claims Him,
CONFLICTING TESTIMONY
Witnesses Declare They Saw
Him Marry Each
Woman
CONFLICTING TESTIMONY

Did Peter II. Mulry marry Margaret
Corrigan on April 81, 1884, in st. Bonl-
face Church of Jersey City, or is he the
lawfully welded husband of the woman's
sister Catherine. who he says he took as
a wife on September 30, 1886? This
was the yexatious question that jury of
twelve men were given to decide in the
First Criminal Court on "Wednesday af-
ternoon. and upon its decision hinged the
verdict as to whether he was guilty of
abandonment.
The jury left the court room few
minutes before six o'clock and after be-
ing out a half hour reported it
could not agree, but Judge Hoos sent
them back. Over two hours later they
returned and declared they could not
agree, standing eleven for conviction and
one for acquittal
AS there seemed to be no probability
of a verdict, Judge Hoos discharged the
jury, and the case will be retired.
The woman who claims to be Mrs.
Peter n. Mulgy testified at the trial that
she was married to Mulry in st. Boni-
face R. c. Church on April 27, 1884, by
the Rev. Father Kraus, since deceased.
Her testimoaE was eorroborated by her
sister, CafheTiHe. N.hom Mulry insists is
his wife, aiiA 81 Miss Cynthia Smith,
who swore that She was the housekeeper
of Father Kraus at the time of the al
legged marriage and was one OF the wit
rocrae Tho nar+;4icafo af rnarriaoa If
was claimed by the two sisters, is in
Mulry's possession, which he denies.
There is no record of the marriage in the
Board of Health and Vital Statistics of
this city, neither does an examination of
the church records show that the cere-
mony was ever performed.
CLAIMED THE SISTER.
On thesother hand, MuIry claimed that
Catherine, the sister of Margaret Corri-
gan, or Mulry, is his wife, and substan-
tiated his testimony by that of Justice of
the Peace George Newkirk. of No. 40
Ege avenue, this city, who positively
identified Mulry and Catherine as the
couple he married on September 80. 1886,
as John Hart, Jr., and Libbie Post.
Catherine Coirigan, or Mulry, or Kelly
her name by her first marriage, or De
Vancene, the name of her second hus-
band, now dead, declared positively that
she was never married to Mulry. and is
just as positive that he is her brother-in-
law.
Mulry recently sued Catherine De
VaD for hot
she was his. wife. The case was tried
in the Court Of Chancery, and the suit
was dismissed a few days ago
Peter H. Mulry, the defendant was
at one time reputed to be a man of
means in this city. He was released
from State Prison on parole not very
long ago, where he eIwas sentenced for
keeping disorderly house in this city.
Catherine Mulry, the complainant was
a daughter of q we'll known resident in
this city named Corrigan, now dead,
and niece of the late Father Corrigan,
Of Hoboken. Catherine De Vancene,
her sister, is the widow of james l. De
Vancene, at the time of his death the
proprietor of the Pierpont House, Brook
lyn, N Y. James Furey appeared for
Mulry, James D. Manning represented
Mrs. Mulry.
Mrs. Mulry, accompanied by her sew
enteen-year-old son, an epileptfc, her sis
ter, Mrs. De Vancene, and half dozen
women friends. entered the court room
and took seats near the jury box Mulry
sat at a table with his counsel.
Poormaster Hewitt testified that the
complainant in the case had applied to
him-for assistance to compel Mulry to
provide for their son. He had seen
Mulry, who at first denied that the
woman was his wife, and later admitted
that he had been married more than
seventeen years.
THE COMPLAINANT TESTIFIES.
The complainant testified that she
was at present living at No. 207 York
street. She is a woman of evident re-
fnement and intellect, and made good
impression She was we'll dressed in
a black gown and hat, and although her
hair is grey she cannot be much over
farty years. She declared that she was
ei3dAAAtA " III p0t. bou1ldCC .
Church by the Rev. Father Kraus, now
deceased, on Monday, April 27, 1884
II lived in Jersey City, Hoboken and
Z Greenville with my husband for nine
years, she said, sor until August, 1893,
when | was compelled to leave him on
account of his curelty. / took our son.
Peter Martin Mulry, then seven years
old, with me and went to the home of
my sister Catherine. I have supported
my boy and myself ever since by teach
ing music and French. My marriage
certificate I had until shortly before the
t;lae I left my husband. He wanted it
and ] wrote to my sister for it. She
mailed it to me and my husband inter-
cepted it. At first he denied having
even seen the paper, but later told me
fbat he had it in safe keeping with the
Title Guarantee and Trust Company. :
J.E17 Z