The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-10
SON SUES mrs. JULIA CURTISS
ALLEGING SHE'S WASTING IN
COVE FROM WATT ESTATE.
she WIN right the Application for . Csassr-
,ator Of Her Property. AssertiuE Her
Right to IlVe In Luxury After BaNtng
Allowed Her son About 5000 q Msath.

,ator Of Her Property. Asserting Her
Right to 1.-Two In Luxury After HAVING
Allowed Her son About 5000 q Meath.
Of Thomas L. Watt, tbs banked and yachts
man, and a niece Of Miss Mary q. Pinokney,
who Nv M more real estate than any woman
VI New York. IL preparing TO resist an ap-
phcation made % the Connecticut courts
Nv her son, Louis Morris. that a conservator
~ appointed to take care of her property.
He alleged that she 10 wasting her estate
m extra va CANT living and that she IL spend
ing large sums foolishly.
Mrs. Watt is a member OF an old New
York family which owns a great deal OF
real estate between i7sth street and Ma
combs Dam Bridge. and she herself has
bad a turbulent career. She is a grand
daughter Of the original Archibald Watt,
who. with his brother James, owned two
farms. one Of 800 acres, in Harlem. He
married the widow Of Col. John N. Pinck-
nsy Of an old Maryland family. The Watt
brothers disagreed in business matters
and / IL became necessary for them TO raise
a good sized amount in hard cash. To
keep their land safe q large part OF II was
transferred In is4s to Miss Mary q. Pinck-
ney. the daughter Of Archibald Waite
wife, in return for about so. 900 which she
had inherited from her father.
Misc Pinckney has retained to this day
he major part of the old Watt farms and
The land a grown extremely valuable.
From time to time she made her nephews
and nieces presents Of real estate or houses
and the descendants Of tho irst Archibald
Watt have become wealthy also. Com
modore Archibald Watt Of the American
Yacht Club. who died in June. 1909. was a
nephew Of Miss Pinokney. Her surviving
relatives are Mrs. Julia Watt Morris Cur
,iss. Thomas L. Watt. director Of the Noun
Norris Bank, and Miss Grace Watt. II is
said that for years they have received from
Nss Pinokney, who acted as trustee Of
their properties, an income Of more than
$50, 100 q year each.
The real estate holdings Of Miss Pinckney
and the Watt family are said 10 he worth
IN the neighborhood Of $50, 900, 900. and no
New York property has kept the Bureau
for the Collection Of Assessments and
Arrears so busy. Miss Pinckney has made
IL a custom to decline to pay taxes and as
sessments until driven to that step by
every resource At the command OF the city.
Many times her real eftate has been ad-
v~ertised for sale 10 pay ayes. hut at the
last moment her attorneys always appeared
with check. Almost all OF her holdings.
personal and in trust. are in Harlem, and
much Of the property lies between 14oth
street and the Harlem River. She Ia now
20 years old and ives in the summer months
u the White mouse, an old house which
occupies q large space between Lenox and
seventh avenues and l37th and issth streets.
In the winter she lives at the Hotel Buckins-
ham in Fifth avenue.
Mrs. Julia Watt Morris Curtiss is now
about 10 years Did. Her first husband
was Peter Morris Of this city. from whsm
she got a divorce in 1873. He is now living
here and is a real estate dealer. She had
three children by him. one Of whom. Louis
Norris, has instituted the present pro-
ceedings against her. The others are
Charlotte Morris. who is 10 years old. and
Keith. who is IL.
Soon after she got the divorce from
Norris she was married to DR.. Rolin A.
Curtiss Of Bridgeport. Conn. wNo acted
az her private physician. In 1904 DR..
Curtiss got a divorce from her. alleging
that she had been extremely intemperate.
Since then Mrs. Curtiss has lived for the
most part in this city at her home. lt2 West
Eighty-sixth street.
Mrs. Curtiss is living temporarily at
the Hotel Savoy. A week from to-day
she will go TO Fairfield with her counsel.
John C. Shsw Of this city and l.. q. Nicker-
son Of West Cornwall. Conn. TO fight the
action instituted by her son. Years ago,
when her portrait was painted by Chartrsn.
she was regarded "a a perfect type Of
brunette beauty. and she retains in a large
measure her comeiy appearance.
The allegation hat I have spent money
e~rtravsgsntly 10 untrue" said Mrs. Curtiss
Yesterday. Il have lived merely az a
Of nv means finds it necessary TO
i've. To say that | spend $3.50 900 a year
"a absurd. My income does not amount
to that bv a great deal"
A q. Bransgrove NJ Bridgeport. Conn,
Who has been a friend Of the Watt family
for years and who will appear az a wit
ness for Mrs, Curtiss. had this to say;
louis Morris, who is about "a years old. |
lives entirely upon an income granted him
nv his mother. about 5000 a month. Be-
s'des that she gave him the country estate
r. Fairfield. where he lives. Mrs. Curtiss
as ALWAYS been liberal toward him and
finds IL hard 70 understand why he Is taking
this course against her. She has the con-
fdence If Mas Mary q. p~inckney and Of
her brother. Thomas l.. Watt, who assists
Miss Pinckney in the management Of the
estate. II has been three years since
Mrs. Curtiss INDUCED in alcoholic stimu-
snts, and in my judgment she Ia perfectly
ntle TO take care ~ her own property.
J have never observed that abe was ex-
travagant, although she lives luxuriously. 4"
Mrs. Curtiss said that she had been
served with papers in her sons application
and that she had not tn evsde