Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-03
CLAIMS WIDOW
INFLUENCED HER
AGED EMPLOYER
Son of w. H. Drake, Wealthy
Manufacturer, Tries TO
Break Contract.

That Mrs. Lillian X. Mann, the
widowed bo~ok-keeper and stenographer
for William II. Drake. a wealthy manu-
facturer of steam-heating apparatus at
SO Clinton street, exercised undue in
fiuence upon him so as to induce him
to make an agreement conveying to
her the $4,000 piece of property at 81
Camp street, was testified to in detail
by his son, John A. Drake, before Vice
Chancellor Howell in Chancery cham
bers today.
It was O continuance of the hearing
Of the action whose object on the part
Of the Drake family is to break the
contract which the complainant long
ago repented having made. He Is q
paralytic and lives in Hackettstowr,
while Mrs. Mann, who after he became
helpless. also acted as his nurse, lives
at SO Hollywood avenue, East Orange.
She puts in a strenuous denial through
Frank E. Bradner, her counsel. that
any undue Influence was exercised, but
says that the agreement was made !n
voluntary recognition OF her services,
as she acted in the capacity of general
manager of his business.
signed In Mrs. Mnnn's House.
Phileson Woodruff, lawyer. drew the
agreement, which was signed Novem-
her IA, 1908. Mr.. Drake became help
Jess October 6 OF that year and it was
in Mrs. Mann's home that the trouble
some document received its signatures.
What can you say about Mrs.
Mann's influence over your father?"
,-l..ll TA-apba AZ pAoahnrru nF Ralut-
dere, counsel for the Drake family, OF
the son..
II think she had great influence
over him. was the answer.
In what way?"
Il think he would do anything she
told him to do"
Comparing your influence with
hers asked the lawyer, which was
the greater"
why" came from the son. with
emphasis, hers"
He added that they habitually took
dinner together and that they went
70 New York and Boston.
did o U mother go along with
thern?"
mo. sir"
The son went on to say that his
father went with Mrs. Mann to places
in New York where he wouldn't go
alone, and cited a jaunt Or two.
Mrs. Mann's salary was s1S a week
and Witness Drake swore that on the
first day after his father became sick
and while he was unconscious Mrs.
Mann's salary got d raise on the books
Of So a week. This. he said, and he
produced the books to prove 1t, she
received until she quit her job, March
z, 1910.
MIR. Drake denied that Mrs. Mann
was the general manager of the con-
cern, said that the business in New
ark ran itself and added that Mrs.
Mann often entertained gentlemen in
her employers office to while away the
time.
Boarded with Mrs. Mann's Mother.
After Alonzo Hoover and Jacob Sic
ben, employees of Mr.. Drake, who
is too sick to appear in court himself,
had told about his mental and physical
condition, Mrs. Stella Warren, Mrs.
Mann's mother, testified for the defense.
She said that Mr.. Drake had boarded
with her for sixteen or seventeen years,
and denied that she knew of Any undue
influence exercised by her daughter.
One Of the points emphasized by the
latter in her defense is that she was
entitled TO more remuneration than h
received, because she acted In the ca
paciry Of general manager in Mr..
brakes business. This, she says, was
worth $4,000 a year when she first
worked there. and when she left 1t was
worth s12l,00 a year. Mrs. Mann
swore that Ill health, resulting from too
strict attention to the Drake interests,
was the reason for quitting the Job. All
attempts at undue influence were fatty
denied.