Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-24
STRANGE CASE |NCOURI
Daughter Fighting Mother in
Bitterly Contested Suit
at Algona
HYPNoTIsM OF JEW CLAIMED
Strange Influence Exercised Over the
Daughter by Jew Claiming to Be a
Titled Foreigner Alleged by the
Mother - Daughter Seeking to Dis
possess Her Mother.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Algona, May ga story which riv-
ais in tragic and sensationalism the
contents of a yellow -backed novel has
been revealed in the district court in
this city this week. A mothers love
and grit pitted against the schemes
and hypnotic power Of Russian Jew,
bogus count, fake doctor, and prof
ligate whom she is forced to acknowl-
edge as her son-in-law. has been the
sole topic of conversation during the
progress of the trial and reveals one
Of the most tragic cases ever heard
in district court in the state OF
Iowa. Altho the evidence was in a
large measure confined to the issues
involved yet there was sufficient testi-
proceedings to lay bare a story of
imposition, seldom heard of except
as coming from the fertile and i'm
aginative brain OF morbid novel
writer. The audience altho not
fully able to appreciate the full text
Of the evidence, caught sufficient OF 1t
to interpret what was being enacted
before them and sat appalled, at the
revelation.
Nine years ago the father of Mrs.
Michael Chirurg, then Mabel Ames,
died at his home in Rutland. Ill. He
left will beaueathing three-fourths Of
his estate to his daughter and one
fourth to his widow, Mrs. Abbie S.
Ames. The estate amounted to $4,000
in all and the daughter being of age
at the time allowed a settlement to
be made. Mother and daughter came
soon after to Algona and invested in
farm lands. The daughter purchased
three and the mother one Another
was then purchased in Palo Alto coun
ty in which the mother was given a
life interest.
Mabel had an ambition for q finished
education and the mother after set
Ting up her affairs in Rutland, moved
to Boston and settled In modest quar-
ters, for the purpose of giving her
daughter the education she craved
She was sent to Wellesley for four
years where she graduated.
She then graduated from Radcliff
college and was given degree Of A.
NJ She planned to finish her educa-
ton in Athens. Greece. but being un-
able financially at the time, she began
tutoring scholars for Yale and Har-
ward. This was in 1905.
1t was while tutoring students that
she CHANGED to meet DR.. Michael CHR
urg, who gave 1t out that he was q
practicing physician Of Boston. Their
incidental acquaintance became more
pronounced as time went by and he
made known something of his personal
history to her. He was a Russian
count and boosted of royal blood in
his veins. He was the owner Of vast
estates in his native land left him by
his people, but was practicing in Bos-
ton thru choice and not because Of
circumstances, for while resident Of
his native land his every want was
attended by servants in livery. not
even having to lace his shoes or give
thought to anything but his personal
pleasure. His story of wealth and
position fell upon willing ears and
soon his attention to Miss Mabel be-
came marked, much to the discomfort
of her mother who could not tolerate
his dissipated appearance and repul-
Sive features.
Starts Investigation.
Seeing that her daughter was becom-
ing fond of his company, the mother
became suspicious and wrote to Rus
STA as to his claims Her source of in
formation was reliable and revealed
that he was a profligate Jew and did
not own dollar and was not related to
anyone of consequence. She next
looked up his record in the United
States and learned that he had OBJ
tanned his diploma to practice medicine
from all alleged college of surgery and
midwifery which could not be located.
She further learned that he had been
previously married and his wife had
sued him for separate maintenance,
upon which charge he was convicted.
Notwithstanding he had filed counter
charge of assault and battery which
was dismissed by the court. Further
more, he had no finances since coming
to America, as he had passed thru
bankruptcy. He had also been in
volved in a disgraceful affair with a
poor servant girl, who had given him
$75. which constituted her sole saw
ings, and this debt was wiped out in
bankruptcy. Combining her inquiries to
Boston she learned that his practice
since locating there had been of very
questionable character.
But Notwithstanding all of this and
the fact that he was confronted with
it all, the couple eloped last October
and were married. Up to the time of
the elopement there had existed the
daughter. The elopement was the
turning point. Before they had re-
turned to Boston Mrs. Ames received
a note from them implying demand
that the more pretentious home she
then occupied in the fashionable quar-
ter would be wanted by the couple for
their exclusive use upon their return.
But Mrs. Ames did not choose to heed
the hint and stood pat. Upon their
return an attorney was secured to
draft papers in which the home then
claimed by the daughter was sold to a
Jew friend Of her husband for nomi-
nal sum and a mortgage executed pay
able to the doctor for practically the
full value of the property. The mother
was then served with notice to va
cate.
Suit Begun.
Failing in their attempt to Dust the
mother from her home, the daughter
then alleged that she had not received
a fair settlement of her fathers estate
and demanded an accounting. She then
sought to set aside the equity in the