The sun., 1919-05-17
mrs. HOADLEY DIED
ON EVE OF EVICTION
Victim Of Gas Poisoning Knew
City Marshal Had Dispossess
Writ Waiting.

When Mrs. Fannie Curtis Hoadley was
found dead OF gas poisoning in the bath
room of the servants quarters Of her
home in IS East Eighty-second street
about a month ago, the medical ex
aminer thought the circumstances of her
death were peculiar. but in common with
members OF Mrs. Hoadley's family he
abandoned the suicide theory because no
motive could be found. She was the wife
OF Joseph II. Hoadley, president OF the
Hoadley- Knight Coal Mining Machinery
Company.
Through an action begun by him yes
terday in the Supreme Court II was
learned that at the time of her death
Mrs. Hoadley was threatened with dis
possession OF her home, and that n war
rant had been placed in the hands of
city marshal authorizing him to eject
Mrs. Hoadley This fact was unknown
to any OF the members OF Mrs. Hoadley's
family. She had carefully guarded the
secret and had made efforts to have the
warrant withdrawn, but without success.
Neither Mr.. Hoadley nor his daughter.
Mrs. Grace Hoadley Wade, knew Of the
matter until after Mrs. Hoadley's death.
Arthur r. Westeryelt, Pliny Fisk and
Peter j. Gaffney, the latter a marshal
| attached to the Ninth District Municipal
Court, are the defendants in the action
begun yesterday. A court order is asked
| restraining Gaffney from serving dis
possess papers now in his possession
upon Mrs. Wade. the present occupant
| Of the premises, and asks also that the
court direct deed be made out TO the
property and given to Mrs. Wade.
The papers in the action show that
Mrs. Hoadleys residence had been the
subject of expensive litigation for many
years, but she had chung to the prop
erty in the face OF many and heavy
| financial reverses. In November. 1918.
| the action states. the New York Life
Insurance Company began foreclosure
| proceedings against the house. and
! Hoadley went to Pliny Fisk of 80 Mas
! sau street and asked him to buy in the
property when 1t was offered for sale.
| This, Mr.. Hoadley says, Fisk agreed TO
, do. He also agreed to transfer the prop
| erty to Westervet. who was to hold It
until Mrs. Hoadley could reimburse them
for the money they had put into tho
| deal. The house was bought in and
| transferred according to the agreement.
ard Mrs. Hoadley signed n lease by
which she was to pay $500 a month, rent.
1t is further alleged that Mrs. Hoad-
! ley made the payments as she had
| agreed, and wholly reimbursed Fisk,
/ paying no rent after all the money due
had been paid. In spite OF this, 1t is
| alleged. the defendants soon Instituted
proceedings to GUST Mrs. Hoadley from
the premises. In his complaint Hoedley
| alleges that since the death OF his wife
10 has learned of the di3possess warrant
which had been given TO Marshal CAT
roy.
| The house I'm Elghty-second street has
| ffgul ed In a number OF court cases in the
past. When several suits involving large
| amounts were pending against Mr.. Hoad-
ley he is alleged TO have lodged process
servers by escaping from the house
through secret tunnel Two years ago
John r. DreXel began an action to de-
termine the ownership OF the property,
and previous to that Mrs. HoadIey had
| purchased II four times within year
when 1t was put up at auction in fore
closure proceedings. Each time she paid
| 10 per cent. of the sale price and de-
faulted on the remainder.