Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-27
PRODUCES TENDER MISSIVE
Answers Suit for the Recovery of
$4,000.
SHOWS ROMANCE
Defendant Denies That She Wrote
Esprit Letters" to Her Benefactor
With Intent to Deceive.

h.
Department employe who now admits
receiving $4,000 from the octogenarian.
Fenton j. Hurd, formerly Of ST. Charles,
Mimi, and now residing near Lake
Champlain. n. Y, with his son, enter
tanned more than a friendly regard for
her aged benefactor. and that she claims
there existed a formal engagement be-
tween them to marry, is the romance
revealed from the reading of the testi-
mony in the case. which was set for this
morning before Justice Gould in Equity
Court No. =.
Undue influence Charged.
DR.. Lee NJ. Hurd Of Greenwich, Conn,
conservator Of the estate OF his grand
father, is suing to recover the money on
a charge Of undue influence. He alleges
that Mrs. Cramer. who is many years his
junior, wrote spirit letters to the old
man, purporting to come from his dead
wife and urging him to give the money
to her and directing him to take good
care OF her.
In her answer Mrs. Cramer told the
court that the money came to her as the
outpouring Of grateful acknowledgement
OF the services rendered by her, as a
daughter would have given them, when
the aged man was at odds with his son
and grandson.
Claims a Betrothal.
In the testimony offered by her, Mrs
Cramer sets up that she was the be-
trothed of her benefactor and that he
delighted in showering presents upon
her. Mrs. Cramer submits a letter re-
ceived by her from the elder Hurd, in
which he signs himself ''Fento.'' The
letter reads:
MY Dear Pet Girl: think you and
are calculated to be happy with each
other. You have ere this received my
long letter making propositions, as 1
thought you seemed so unhappy in your
Office.
II think you will decide you will be as
happy with your boy Fento as to take
chances with some other chap that you
half know.
II am getting anxious to see my pet
girl.
with love from your
Mrs. Cramer also refers to a letter
in which he upbraids the latter as the
cause Of the breaking OFF Of a previous
engagement Of the grandfather with an
other woman. In it the elder Hurd de-
clares his intention of giving away all
his property in order to prevent his son
from sharing in 1t at his death. The elder
Hurd states in the letter that he had
given the other woman $1,000 and Mrs.
Cramer claims that in showing his affec-
ton for her he gave her the money in
vent his son from participating in his
bounty.
Betrotha1 Denied.
The testimony Of the elder Hurd, it is
pointed out by counsel for DR.. Hurd. r.
A. Ford and w. D. Mclean, denies that
any engagement existed with Mrs. Cra-
mer. and sets up the claim that she wrote
fifty or sixty letters in spiritualistic vein.
purporting to be from the deceased wife
Of the witness. None of these letters,
however, has been retained, and none, OF
course, is in evidence. The attorneys for
DIR. Hurd say that Mrs Cramer, on cross
examination, admitted that she wrote
two letters purporttng to be from the
spirit world to the elderly man. but
solicitation and importantly, and in a
spirit Of fun.
The Spirit Letters.
She declared, the court was told, that
Mr.. Hurd inquired why she could not
get letters from his dead wife, as did
some medium named in the conversa-
ton. Mrs. Cramer, it is claimed, an
swered "Oh, / can write letters like
that. if you want
Accordingly. 1T is said. she wrote the
two letters, but without any claim o,
spiritualistic power. and to satisfy the
desires of her benefactor, who was &
strong believer in Spiritualism. while
Mrs Cramer professed the Catholic re
| ligiOn.
The hearing will continue for two o.
three days, as about 1,50O pages o
| typewriting were required to record thu
testimony.
Attorneys W. E Lester and A A. Bir
ney represent Mrs. Cramer.
Objection Made, Hearing Continued
I Before the reading of the voluminous
testimony. was begun counsel for Mrs
Cramer Claimed that the suit was i'm
properly brought and that DR.. Hurt
4 t. afv,t ~