Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-03
Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary
is Revealed by Chi
cago Court Action
Is SENSIBLE UNTIL IT
Then Proceeds to Sqaunder
$4,000 Left by Husband
Physician Is Sued.

Chicago, Ill, Oct. 3.-Until her
seventy-seventh birthday Mrs. Mary
NJ. Gray was known as an extremely
economical and sensible woman.
However, she was eccentric in her
dress and liked to be mistaken for
Hetty Green.
Then she met the man she called
her "blue-eyed Charley'-Dr.. Charles
Wickham Parker, liquid soap manu-
facturer and physician.
After that, life became one gay pyro-
technical round of pleasure after an
other.
She took her new-found sweetheart
ON a trip to California and Alaska on
Liquid soap business"
She paid the expenses of another
physician ~ years her junior who was
her travelling companion on another
trip to the Golden Gate.
"Did" New York in Auto.
She footed the bills of joy-riding
automobile party consisting of herself.
a young woman companion and three
male friends. who did" New York,
taking in" the theatres and a base
ball game.
She became exceedingly fond of
dancing and thought she was second
Mile. Dazie.
She discarded the Hetty Green role
and once when on a train tried to give
the impression she was a grand opera
singer.
Three years of the gay life passed.
Then the old Iady's romantic bubble
burst. A relative took her in hand and
found she was minus the $4,000 estate
left her by her husband, John V. Gray
OF Chicago.
The relative started on a still hunt
and found the estate had been trans
ferred to "bIue-eyed Charley" He at
once took Mrs. Gray into court. and
the Judge. after hearing the story, de-
cided she was mentally and physically
deficient.
Report Reveals Story.
The story came out yesterday in a
report made by Master in Chancery
c. b. Morrison to the United States dis
trict court He had been appointed to
take evidence in a suit started by
Edgar w. Ross of Homesdale. Pa,
guardian of the aged woman, against
DIR. Parker and his wife, Mary, for the
recovery of the remaining portion of
Mrs. Gray's estate. The master held
that Parker had obtained the property
by using undue influence and fraud
and for a very inadequate considera-
ton"
He found that on Feb 3. 1911, Mrs.
Gray had entered into contract with
Parker by the terms of which she
turned over $4,000 worth of notes and
in consideration of $4,000
cash and the promise of $50 month
for life. She was induced TO tear up
her will, the principal beneficiary of
which was Robert II. Gray of st. Louis,
her nearest relative and the son of her
sister. and her husbands brother, and
leave all her property to DIR. Parker.
When Her Filing" Began.
Until 1906, the master found. she
never had spent more than $1,000 a
year. After that date she spent her
income of S2.5OO and used up $4,000
of the principal.
In 1905 she became intimate with
Parker and his family, the children
knowing her as AUNT Mary"
She attended morning worship with
the family-Dr. Parker was strict
Presbyterian, the report recites-and
spent her holidays with its members.
In June. 1908, she and DR.. Parker
took their trip to California. Most of
the time was spent in the Yosemite
Valley. but later the trip was extended |
to Alaska.
The master found that there was
m douht Mrs GRAY was infatuated 4
with DIR. Parker for years and that,
whether II was senile dementia or
some other form OF dementia, she was
wholly unfit to deal with him at arms !
length and on an equal footing"
Loved Him As Husband"
Evidence further showed. the mas
ter reported. that early in 1905 Mrs.
Gray talked with friends about her af-
fair with DIR. Parker. said he was much |
.aken with her, and declared she loved