Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-03-26
Declares She Gave Property TO
Daughter of Her Own Free Will
and is Not Weak Mentally.
WAS LAST WISH OF HER HUSBAND
Will FIGHT Action of Her Son William
Whom She Calls Worthless
Explains His Motive:

It's lie! | have perfect recol-
lection of the voluntary transfer and
/ am not weakened mentally" en-
phaticaly declared Mrs. Charlotte
Hallahan in an interview today with
a NEWS reporter regarding the ac-
ton started Saturday by Counsellor
Thomas Brown in the Court of Chan
Gerry, in behalf of William M.
Hallahan, son. to set aside recent
conveyance of property at 173 Smith
street from Mrs. Hallahan to her
/ daughter, Charlotte A. Hallahan. 1t
Is charged by the complainant, who
was appointed as his mothers next
FRIEND by Chancellor Walker only a
few minutes before suit was started,
that Mrs. Hallahan is infirm, enfee-
BILE, stricken mentally and. has no
recollection of the transfer mention
ed in the foregoing.
Gives Interview to Reporter.
Mrs. Hallahan, who Is about
eighty-one years old, was visited this
morning by NEWS reporter at her
residence, 173 Smith street, which
was conveyed on January 81, 1912,
to her daughter, Miss Charlotte. The
venerable lady walked downstairs
/ this morning unassisted, preceded by
her daughter, and became visibly ex-
cited when discussing the case in the
first few minutes of the interview.
She impressed upon her interviewer
the fact that she is in perfect good
health and has never been confined
/ to her bed for more than a month at
a time during her entire life, she
stated, despite the charge in the bill
in the court that she "has been for
three years a paralytic and has been
confined to her bed during all of said
/ time.
Concerning other charges of tsun-
due influence, exerted in the trans
fer OF her $4,000 property ~ta ta her
daughter, Mrs. Iallahan denied the
allegations and forcibiy stated that
she had made the transfer to comply
with the last wishes of her deceased
husband and to provide for the only
| child who had worked and cared for
her during recent years. Mrs. Halla-
han scornfully laughed at the charge
that she has no clear recollection of
the transfer, and quickly replied to
the reporters questions, giving the
correct date, the consideration and
the attorney involved in the matter
Mrs. Hallahan stated that Lawyer
James S. Wight had prepared the
deed at her solicitation, although it
Is charged in the suit that the daugh-
ter engineered the deal.''
Calls Her Son worthless
In speaking of the consideration,
which was 81 and "other valuable
consideration" Mrs. Hallahan aptly
replied to all questions that she
decided her property to her daughter
to prevent its passing to that worth
less son of mine,'' as Mrs. Hallahan
terms William M. Hallahan, and to
fulfill the last wishes of her husband.
Mr.. Hallahan, Sr., had declared that,
inasmuch as "Lottie," as the daugh-
ter was affectionately called by her
parents, was the only child born in
the homestead at 173 Smith street,
she should inherit the property. Mrs
Hallahan said today that she always
| had been Of like opinion and two
| months ago decided to take formal
action.
Denies "Undue Influence"
1t was not only her intention to
provide for the future financial well
| fare of Miss Charlotte but also to
make positive her declaration that
| the so-termed worthless SON. would
never receive an income from the
estate after she has passed away.
Mrs. Hallahan stated the conditions
as follows: 81 have paid his debts;
| got him out of lots of scraps, and do
not propose to give him an opportu-
nifty to put his clutches upon any
part Of the homestead" She denied
undue influence" end repeatedly
asserted that the deed was signed
and executed of her own volition.
Her Memory Excellent.
Mrs. Hallahan quickly disproved
the charge In the suit that she is