The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-21
.CLOUDED GOOD TITLE
BYLEAVING HOME,
Now Pater Wurns' Heirs Ask State 70
Make His Property in the
Bronx Marketable

How badly tangled UP real estate
ownership can become when property Is
not wisely managed IL pretty well known.
in trying to straighten out n crooked
title by means OF the Torrens system
Gilbert Ray Halves has run across another
case OF the disappeared owner who. by
leaving without making proper dispos Il
of his interest made title to his property
unmarketable for many years The story
Is rather interesting.
About seventy-five years ago two young
German lads left the little town OF their
birth In Westphalla and came as emil
grants to America They landed In New
York city at the Battery. and started out
to make their fortunes. one OF these
boys was Peter Wurms and Che other was
Peter Blocker.
After various vicissltudes they sue
cecded In certain business ventures In
which they were Jointly Interested. and
being OF frugal and saving habits slowly
accumulated a few hundred dollars
Looking around for some safe place In
which to invest their surplus cash their
attention was directed to what was then
q rural farming district In Westchester
county, beyond the confines OF the city,
consisting of woods, pastures and Guilt
waited fields. through which ran stream
known as Mil Brook. There they pur-
chased a piece OF ground and built
modest house on what Is now Third
avenue between 1920 and 1880 streets.
extending to Bergen avenue. In what was
afterward known an the annexed district
and now the county Of The Bronx
Both we're enamored OF the same
damsel, but Peter Blocker proved TO be
the more ardent wooer and he won. while
Peter Wurms remained bachelor to
the day of his death. These two Peters
were like David and Jonathan of old and
had the utmost confidence In each other.
So Il came TO pass that when this
property was bought. although Peter
Blocker paid the greater part or the
purchase price and subsequent taxes and
cost OF improvements, he insisted that the
deed should be made out In the name of
his old friend. Peter wurms. as sort
OF consolation prize. in view OF his matri-
mouial disappointment The married
Peter then moved into the new house
with his growing family and entertained
therein the bachelor Peter as an horoned
guest.
Thus life flowed along smoothly and
happily for all until the year 1882. Then
the bachelor Peter anxious to see more
Of the world and overcome by wanderlust.
decided to travel in distant lands. All
the arguments and entTcaties OF the mar
ricd Peter and his good frau failed TO
dissuade him from his set purpose He
announced that he intended TO go first
to New orleans ana then 10 Mexico and
d
hc draft Il a long letter or document
written In quaint old German, expressing
his deep gratitude for all favors received
and stating that I'm case OF his death or
failure to return within ten years this
land with the house on II should become
, the property OF his lifelong and devoted
friend Peter Blocker. whom he nominated
as his sole hoir-at-law.
From that day in 1852 down to the
present time nothing has been heard Of
! or from Peter Wurms. although per-
sisteut inquiries were made AT New
orleans and other places where u was
( supposed that he might be found. In
/ the meantime Peter Blocker and his wife
: both died. leaving as sole surviving heir
4 their daughter Catherine, now widow
/ with two children.
Mrs. Catherine Meighan, the present
owner and occupant. had numerous oppor-
tunlties to sell the property for many
! thousands Of dollars. but Oh each occa-
sion the prospective purchaser learned
/ that the title was bad and unma rketablc
7 and that the defect could never be cured,
b, cause Of the uncertainty OF whether or
not Peter Wurms was dead. and Y dead,
/ whether he had left any Issue or heirs-at-
/ law surviving him.
! Finally as "a last resort Mrs. Meighan
] placed the matter In the hands OF Mr..
HAYES, an attorney, who succeeded In
/ securing from Justice Brady OF the
I supreme Court Bronx county. under the
/ TOrreus land title registration law tn1l
I judgment AMI decree VI registration
whereby an absolutely indefsasibe title
I In fee simple has been vested by the
State. removing all clouds,