Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-07-28

wife upon whom he had lavished so
much wealth. Scandal followed the
result of their love for each other, and
1t ended in Stettheimer securing di-
vorce, he settling upon his divorced
wife rich alimony. In New York, on
November 30, 1891 she was married to
Hoyt. His wedding gift was the title
in fee simple to large part of his land
ed estate of millions.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hoyt lived together for
eight years, but a blight came upon
their happiness, and disgrace to him,
whep his wife's love for intoxicating
liquors and drugs became so strong that
it made her a slave to them. He then
left her and sued for divorce, alleging
infidelity. In the parting he settled on
her mansion home in New York and
stocks, bonds and money, her posses
sions at that time, it is said, being over
$200,000.
In the fall of 1901, abandoned by her
husband, Mrs. Hoyt came to Tiffin and
purchased the Naples, worth $4,000,
for her home, in the most aristocratio
suburban part of the city On it she
placed many improvements and gath
cred around her many servants. Her
stables contained a $4,000 team of
horses. One of her manias was her love
for cats and dogs. She had many of
them, one of the witnesses in the con-
tested will case saying: There was a
cat up every tree on the premises" Her
dogs were allowed to eat at the table
with her, and If any Of them got sick,
regularly licensed physician was sum-
moned to attend it. In one instance she
summoned specialist from New York
to attend to favorite poodle. The dog
died and the doctor got $500 fee and
his expenses. 1t was buried in the burial
lot at The Naples and the grave was
ever kept green.
In her girlhood days, as Catherine
Guss, she had a slight acquaintance
with Judge Bum, then young lawyer,
now so years of age and a widower. This
acquaintance led her to employ him as
her legal adviser in the management
of her affairs and the divorce proceed
ings with her husband, yet pending in
the courts. Their renewed acquaintance
engaged to be married as soon as the
divorce from her husband, Reuben NJ.
Hoyt, was granted in the courts. They
were constantly together, and, with her,
he took several trips from Tiffln to New
York to attend to her property affairs,
and, as her affianced husband, she
turned over to him much of her personal
property, consisting of stocks, bonds,
ETC., and also made will bequeathing
him almost her entire estate, only small
legacies being left to her sister, Mrs.
Hill, and her stepbrothers, Frank and
Rufus Guss.
During the winter of 1903 Mrs. Hoyt
was taken seriously i'll with pm eumonia
and her death soon followed. Imme-
diately after Judge Bum had the will
probated, the sister and the stcpbroth-
ers brought proceedings to have it set
| aside, alleging undue influence and the
mental inability of the testatrix to make
will. Many important dispositions
were to be taken in different parts Of
| the country, and for this and other rea-
sons the trial of the case did not take
place until last June. The verdict of
| the jury was rendered about the middle
of July.
The reasons of Mrs. Hoyt, as shown
in the evidence, for practically disir-
heriting her sister and stepbrothers and
other relatives were that until she came
into possession of her wealth they had
not been on friendly terms. In girl
hood, the sister, Mrs. Hill, and the
brothers had opposed her in a love
match. This led to bitter estrange-
ment, and the angered girl left home
When wealth came to her, however, Mrs
Hoyt's bitterness of the years before
them with expensive gifts and largesum
of money, but blood relationship with
her was not stronger than the love fol
her lover, and she left him almost heI
entire estate.
Since the death of Mrs. Hoyt Judge
Bum has made The Naples" his home
1t is but one of the handsome pieces Of
property of which he becomes the pos
SCISSOR. AS legatee he also owns brown
stone mansion on Eighty-eighth street
New York, worth $4,000, a residence al
Yonkers, N. Y. valued at 100000 ant
property elsewhere. He is of the mould
to care for and enjoy his added wealth
He has been great traveller and is cul
tured. He has been twice through Eu
rope. All of his life since boyhood has
been spent at Tiffln. He is good law
yer with good practice, and, while no
wealthy before, has always been "wel
fixed" His title as Judge" came to hin
by reason of having served four year,
as probate judge of this county. He II
prominent in politics, and, because o
his pleasant social ways has alwayI
been popular.
FRANK DILDINE
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