Arizona republican., 1909-06-22
IS BROUGHT INTO QUESTION
Suit Filed on the Part of a Wife Put Away by Him a Generation Ago to Re cover What Is Left of His Estate.

| A hidden chapter in the life Of the
 late Governor Myron H. McCord, hid den at least from those who knew him
 only as an AriZOnian, was opened yes terday in proceedings begun in dis | trict court and also in probate court In the latter an effort is being made
 to set aside his last will in favor of his wife, Mary Emma McCord. and in
 the former it is sought to have set 1 aside certain deeds and conveyances of property executed by her and by Col
 onel McCord previous to his death These actions are based upon the al-
 legged fact that there is another woman living who has been the wife of Col
 Onel McCord since 1861 and who is still living. The plaintiffs are his wife. Anna H. McCord, Charles J. McCord.
 her son, Prudence CriObs and Florence Gilbert, daughters. ana Guy McCord. an adopted son.
 About year ago Charles J. McCord. who had formerly been resident of Phoenix, returned. and it was then given out for the first time that his father had never been divorced from the woman whom he had married forty eight years before. and it was under stood that proceedings were to be be- gun to establish her status as his wife. Nothing more was heard cs the mat ter here, but proceedings were insti- tuted in Wisconsin, where immense property interests were Involved The litigation was begun for the purpose of securing her dover right in a certain property of not great value and judg- ment was obtained by her. the court holding that a certain divorce which Colonel McCOrd had secured about forty years before was invalid.
 The complaint filed in district court yesterday is against Mary Emma Me Cord and Robert Barlow Black. It al leges that Colonel McCord and Anna H. McCord were married at Shawano, Wis, on April 15 1861. and that that relation existed at the time of the death of Colonel McCord. The latter, 1t is stated, came to Arizona on January 1, 1893 and that soon after that there were conveyances to one Sarah Etta McCord by deeds to valuable tracts of land in this valley, among them being what is known as the McCord ranch, northeast of the city. These deeds were executed in 1893 and 1894. The names of the conveyoTs are not given, but it Is alleged that the consideration was furnished by Colonel McCord and that he thereafter exercised the right of ownership over all the property standing in the name of Sarah Etta McCord.
 After the death of Sarah Etta Nc Cord and shortly previous to the death of Colonel McCord on April 27. of last year, he conveyed all this property to Mary Emma McCord for love and affection The plaintiff Anna H. Mc- Cord, declares that she did not join in this conveyance, and that she had never waived her community interest in the property so conveyed. The same declaration is made by the other plaintiffs as to their rights of heir ship.
 After the death of Colonel McCord. Mary Emma McCOrd conveyed to Robert B. Black the McCOrd residence on West Jefferson street, near the cap itol grounds, and it is alleged that both Mary Emma McCard and Black were aware of the status of the prop erty
 It is alleged that at that time that Colonel McCord deeded his property to Mary Emma McCord he was of un sound mind, had been for some time before, and that when his death was imminent. improper Influence was eX- erted over him.
 The complaint closes with a prayer that the court establish the status of Anna H. McCord as the wife of Myron H McCord: that the status of the property involved be established; that all conveyances in which Anna H. Mc Cord has not joined be set aside and that the conveyance of Mary Emma MccCord to Black, of the Jefferson street property, be declared void
 The plaintiffs in this action are the petitioners in the probate court to set aside the will of Colonel McCord, which was executed at Nogales not long be- fore the death of Colonel McCord. It is alleged that the colonel was not of sound mind and that he had been sub jected to improper influences. It is further charged that the document was not signed in the presence of witnesses. though the names of Earl $. Gr1swold and Eben l.. Crowell appear as such.
 The will is brief instrument. It does not specify the property of the testator It leaves it all to his wife and makes her the eXecutriX of his estate An inventory filed in June after his death, shows the estate to consist of s in a bank at Nogales and of sword, fire arms, articles Of adorn- ment and wearing apparel, all of the