Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-12
RELATIVES NOT
TOFIGHT WILL
OF DEAD PRIEST
Mrs. McDermit Upholds Testa-
ment of Brother Who Left
$4,000 to Housekeeper.

Mrs. Elizabeth McDermit, OF g.
Stirling street, today denied reports
that she and other relatives intended
to contest the will of Rev. P. j.
Farreliy, of Brooklyn, who died last
week. His will provided that the
sum OF $4,000. the principal or lire
insurance policy. should go TO Miss
Catherine Maggie, of Brooklyn. She
IL an elderly woman, and was house
keeper for Father Farrelly for the
last eighteen years.
The will of Father Farrelly has
been offered for probate in the once
of the surrogate of Kings county. IL
il said that the document disposes
of an estate in the neighborhood OF
100000. most of which was repre-
scented in a fortune bequeathed TO
rather Farrelly by a friend. who ac-
cunulated wealth during the early
days of the gold period in South
Africa.
Mrs. McDermit is the mother OF
Frank NJ. McDermit and James X.
McDermit, lawyers, and Deputy Fire
Chief Matthew P. A. MeDermitt. She
has two other sisters living in New
ark. They are Mrs. Frances Katz,
Of 63 Ferguson street, and Mrs. Bird
get connell, of 141 Newark street.
Neither were at home today. MIS-.
NcDefmit said that her sisters would
not oppose the filing of the Will OF
Father Farrelly. 1t was explained
that the priests relatives were aware
If his intentions in providing Tor
Miss Maggie and that. though they ala
not have any personal liking Tor ner
they believed the priests wishes
should be respected.
Mrs. McDermit declares that she
will not benefit by the will or rather
Farrelly She and her sisters are IN
comfortable circumstances. She went
~ her brother before he was taken
mi and told him she did not want one
penny of his money, as she DID not
need it.
From the information obtained from
Mrs. McDermit II appears that taLnsr
Farrelly promised to care for WIN.
lam. Elizabeth and John SuliiVah' OF
so Stirling street, grandchildren OF
Mrs McDernit. However, even IL they
are not cared for in the will OF the
priest there will be no contest, she
Father Farrelly offered his first
mass in this country in st. Bridgets
Church. this city. He was rector or
ST. Bridget's Church, Brooklyn, Tor
the past number of years
Mrs McDerrnit acknowledged that
Miss Nagle and the immediate rela-
lives of the dead priest were on I'M
friendly terms 1t was stated that
when the McDermit family went to
Brooklyn to see the priest they would |
not remain for dinner. To avoid the |
the housekeeper, Father Farreily and |
guests would go TO New York for |
their meals.
Father Farrelly was born IN County |
Cavan, Ireland, sixty-nine years ago, |
He was ordained priest at the un-
usual age of twenty-five, so that he |
might go to South Africa as chaplain |
OF q British army regiment. While |
there, in the early '70s, dying sol
der, one Thomas Reilly, left him a
fortune. Bishop Moran, of South |
Africa. refused to allow Father Far |
reilly to accept all of the Reilly es-
tate. With half of the soldiers for
tune Father Farrelly built and en-
dowed a home for the aged and an
orphan asylum.
In 1890 Father F'arrelIy came to
this country. He became rector of
a church in Flatbush. Then, eighteen
years ago. he took charge of st.
Agnes's, at Greenport, Long Island.
There he hired Miss Maggie. who
Mrs. McDermit had heard-formerly |
was housekeeper for Cardinal New
man and other dignitaries of the
church In Europe.