Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-27
AGED MANS MONEY
MADE BASIS Of SUIT
Conservat0r of Estate ALLEGES
MEDIUM" Got $4,000
From Him.

Alleging that Laura r. Cramer repre-
sented herself to Fenton ]. Hurd. eighty
nine years old, wealthy resident of
Greenwich. Conn, as q medium. and
through alleged communications from
the spirit OF Fenton's deceased wife. TO
whom he had been much attached. Sc
cured $4,000 from him within the past
nine years, Lee NJ. sHurd of Connecticut
conservator OF the estate, today applied
to the District Supreme Court for an m
junction to prevent Mrs. Cramer from
disposing Of any funds or the contents
Of a safe deposit box
The claim is made that the various
sums OF money were deposited to the
credit of the defendant in a local finan-
cial institution, where she also rented a
safe deposit box
Justice Anderson, to whom the petition
was presented. granted a temporary re-
straining order and set next Friday for
hearing on the application for the per-
manent Injunction.
Came Here to Live.
According to the complaint filed by At.
torneys H. Gordon Pierce. Wallace D.
Mclean and r. A. Ford. Fenton j. Hurd
shortly after the death of his wife, who
had greatly assisted him in the accumula-
ton of his vast wealth, came to this city
and took up his residence at the same
house as the defendant. Laura r. era.
mer.
1t is alleged that the defendant won
his confidence and persuaded him Of her
alleged occult powers, and that she
could communicate with disembodied
spirits. The aged man is said to have
ua1ism. and 1t is charged that when the
defendant furnished him with letters
signed Mary" and purporting to be 'di-
rections from his deceased spouse. he
$4,000. $1,000 or 5000 in favor Of the
supposed medium
The largest drafts thus alleged to
have been obtained was dated May 5
1909. and called for the payment OF
$4,000
In March last Mr.. Hurd left Wash
ington and returned to Greenwich
where application was made to the
court. and he was declared incapable
Of managing his property.
Conservator of Estate.
Lee NJ. Hurd was in April last ap.
pointed conservator Of his estate and
began an investigation of the financial
affairs of the aged man.
He tells the court OF the discovery Of
the various drafts. and claims that the
money was received by the defendant
without any consideration on her part
He also AYERS that the defendant at
tempted to poison the mind of the elderly
man against his children and grandchil-
dren by representing that they aid not
care for him and were only awaiting mis-
demise to share his fortune. To prevent
any inquiry by the relatives, it is alleged.
the defendant represented to them that
the elder Hurd was very bitter and an
tagonistic to them, that he was so penu-
rious and close that he would not spend
money even for suitable clothes
These alleged representations, 1t is
averred, were untrue. The claim is
made that any properties or securities
owned by the defendant or found in the
safe deposit box are the proceeds of
the money alleged to have been secured
from Mr.. Hurd.
State Department Employe.
Mrs. Cramer. who Is employed as q
clerk in the library Of the State Depart
ment and has an apartment at the De
Sofa, 18th street and Massachusetts, ave-
nue.. could not be found today by a
Star representative. It was stated at
the State Department that Mrs. Cramer
had reported at the ONCE this morning,
but had left later and would not return
during the day.
At the De Sofa it was said Mrs. Cramer
had left for the State Department this
morning and had not since returned to