The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-08-18
SHE CAN USE HER
 OWN MILLIONS NOW
Mrs. Julia Watt Morris Cnrtiss Wins Long Battle and Proves Herself
 Competent. }
BANKS WAS CONSERyATOR

New York, Aug. 1S.-Mrs. Julia Watt Morris Curtiss, who spent s2oo,O0o yearly on dresses and in entertaining her friends, until restrained by her son, who had her declared incompet- ent by the Connecticut courts, now may continue to spend her $10.00o, ,0oO fortune as she sees fit.. The decision of Supreme Court Justice Brady yes terday, in removing John c. Shaw apd Fillmore S. Banks. the committee -ap- pointed to take charge of her estate, gives Mrs. Curtiss absolute control over her vast fortune.
 Mrs. CurtiSS, when seen yesterday, would not say how she intended to use her money, except that she would see that she was provided with the necessities of life, which, she alleged, the conservators have deprived her of for two years. Mrs. Curtiss was edated, but it was evident that she is not yet through with the conservators. She said she had instructed her coun- sel, Lat1in L. Kellogg, to ask for an accounting of the estate from the com mittee. Although possessing millions. Mrs. CArtiss was obliged to borrow on several occasions.
 Mrs. Curtiss inherited one-tflird of the $S0,0 900 estate of the late Mary G. Pinckney. Shortly before the death of Miss Pinckney. about two years ago, Louis H. Morris. son of Mrs Cur tiss, began an action in Connecticut against his mother to have her ad- judged incompetent to manage her estate. The application was granted in July, 1907, and Banks and Shaw were appointed conservators of her estate here. Before that John c. Shaw was Mrs. Curtiss' personal counsel. < Mrs Curtfss claimed that the ap- pointment was illegal and void for the reason that the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure had not been com piled with. and that she had not been tried before a jury in order to ascer- tain her mental condition.
 Laf1in L. Kellogg contended that when the orders appointing the com resident of New York City, and that her domicile was here: that she was deprived vo of her liberty and probably without due process of law.
 Justice Brady held that the order appointing Shaw and Banks must be vacated.
 Three months ago Supreme Justice Guy granted an order permitting the conservatorss to sell property on West Sixty-eighth street. valued at s17s,00o to pay debts owed by Mrs. Curtfss.
 Mrs. Curtiss has been twice divorced. Her first husband was H. Morris, a Fifth avenue real estate dealer. She got divorce from him and married Roland A. Curtiss, who later obtained
 
 ried. He obtained a divorce from Rosette Bailey. Of Bridgeport, and later married Mrs. Nettie Badeau, the divorced wife of a stock broker
 The Pfnckney estate, originally the old Watt farm, in Harlem, was esti- mated at about $17.0O0, 900 and Mrs. Curtiss inherited one-third
 Among other things it was charged that Mrs. Curtiss was in the habit of engaging private boxes at theatres and remaining in them long after the final curtain had been rung down; that she had spent $12,000 fooIishly in one month"; that she had bought a dozen parasoIs ranging in price from $50 to $45o each. that she had an ungovern- able temper and that by reason of old age, loss of memory and other causes specified she was incapable of manag- ing her affairs.
 Last January Judge Davis allowed Mrs Curtiss, on application of her committee, $280, GOO to pay her debts and several thousand dollars to raise an attachment on her steam yacht A month after she was declared incom- potent Mrs. Curtiss went aboard her yacht and was making arrangements for an extended cruise when her con- servators heard of her plans. At their instance two deputies seized her and carried her shrielxing to her home, | where she was virtually a prisoner for some time. She mana ged to get to this city and resisted all attempts to get her back to Connecticut.