Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-12

successful. In 1891 Mary Almarolia petit
toned Congress to release tie title of the
United States to her, but nothing was done
on that petition. A. this time John &.
an absolute deed from her, also an agree
ment with her that in ease he succeeded in
getting the United States to release title he
would convey back to her one-half interest
in the property. a.
Later Mr.. Slater expressed his anxiety to
get out of the matter, If Mary Almarolia
would return to him between $500 and $1.0OO
he claimed to have advanced her on the
claim on her faith of getting title to the
lot The woman got Mr.. William F. Holtz-
man to agree to take Siaters place, winch
he did Mr.. Holtzman had charge of the
property until 1896, when he paid ME-
Slater the money Mary Almarolia owed him
and took an assignment of Slater's claim.
Interest Conveyed.
On April 49, 1885, 1t is stated, Mary Al
marolia conveyed to William F. HoitZhah
half interest in this lot for $l,I'o. On
November 49, 1896, she conveyed one-hai1
of the remaining interest TO MS pro'hei' "a
T. Hoffman. for $3.50, the purchase money
being advanced by William F. Holtznan-
A bill was introduced in Congress De-
cember 8. 1897, to release the title of the
above LOT to Mary Almarolia, William r.
Hoffman and A. r. HcltZman, ACCORDING
to their interest appearing by the deed IN
support of the bill u petition sleheo anu
sworn to by Mary Aimaroila. was nieo
March 10. 1895 before the House commit
tee on the District OF Columbia, wherein
complainant stated SIC was the only helr
at law of Michael Sinner. and prayed Con
gress to enact the bill mentioned, NO. 44S9.
Several other persons who claimed to own
tax titles to the property appeared and
asked Congress to release 1t to them. Moth
ing was done by Congress with the Mary
Almarolia bill or the other bills introduced
-: 80 tbn
March 3, 1889, passed general law refer
ring the matter of lots in this city standing
In the name of the United States to the War
department and authorizing the Secretary
of War on the petition OF any claimant to
these lots, setting out certain facts and
proving the same TO his satisfaction, to
correct the records of the War Depart
ment SO as to show title to such lots to
such claimants.
Files Affidavit
Thereupon, Mary Almarolia. on March 30,
1901 filed with the Secretary of War her
sworn affidavit setting forth briefly her
claim to the lot and that she had on April
IS, 1896, conveyed one .nalf interest to Will
lam F. Hoffman, and on November Is,
1896 one-half of her remaining interest to
A r. Hoffman, and praying that the rec
ords of the War Department as to said lot
be corrected so as to show title in the lot to
in the deeds referred 20.
The Secretary of War acted April IA, 1902,
on the petition and issued his certificate
showing that the records OF the war De-
partment had been corrected as prayed
by Mary Almarolia, and about ten days
later the certificate Of the Secretary of
War was duly recorded In the Office of the
recorder of deeds. Soon after this recording
Mary AImarolia contcnded that her two
deeds of April 10 and November ID, 1896,
were not absolute, Dnt were intended as
security for moneys loaned her by William
F. Hoffman, and she emFioyed counsel and
demanded accounting
After considerable negotiation between
May s and November l. 1902, Mary Alma
rolia and William F. Hoffman agreed on
terms of compromise on the basis that she
should have twenty-five sixtieths of the lot
and Holtzman should have thirty-eight
sixtieths. This compromise was reduced to
writing and executed by the parties De-
| cember 16. 1902, befo-e'a notary public,
Mary Almarolia at the same time executing
and delivering a deed Of trust on her inter-
est in the lot as shqEn by the compromise
agreement to secure $50, the aggregate
she admitted to be avg. William F. Heltz-
man.
Mary Almaroia ia-April 1903 filed her
! bill of complaint against William F. Holtz-
| man and others to vaeate her two deeds of
| April IS and November H. 1885, and also
| the action of the Secretary of War in 1902
and for an accounting. Subsequently this
| bill was amended by alleging that the COM
promise agreement was obtained by duress
| and fraud, and asking that it also be set
| aside.
| The defendants denied, every material al
| legation for relief and Insisted that the two
| deeds of April IS and November Il, 1895
| were absolute and nDtvintended as securi-
| ties for advances. and that the compro-
| mise agreement of December 10, 1902 pre-
| pared by counsel for Mary Almaroia. was
| fair and equitable in its terms and was
| signed by her under proper conditions
1
] The Proceedings Outlined.
| This is given as the outline of the sui
which will figure in the settlement of the
| Almarolla will case, and from which it is
said to appear that the reputed wealth OF
! the deceased is largely myth. Testimony
| of Mary Almarolia and witnesses on behalf
| of the defendant, William f. Hoffman
/ has been taken.
| 1t is also stated that the so-called mys,
! terry surrounding the birth of the young
| white men, Joseph and Lewis Alexander
| will be cleared when the matter comes into
| court Whether the daughter of Mary Al.
/ narolia (Lottie) will be induced to take 8
| hand in the proceedings is not known
/ There is no secret connected with the name
"Aiexander," as has been stated. It is SAID
| to he the Italian word tAlmarolia, MI,