Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1925-11-28
In the Circuit Court for Worcester
County, Maryland. Equity. No.
3474 Chancery.

The object of this suit is to procure
decree of the Circuit Court for Wor-
cester County, Maryland, declaring
null and void a certain supposed or
pretended trust attempted to be i'm
pressed upon certain deposit of mon
ey in The Citizens National Bank of
Pocomoke City, one of the defendants,
in favor of John T. M. Sturgis, now
deceased, and the above named de-
fendant, Katherine Burnett Griffin,
joint owners, subject to the check of
either, the balance at the death of
either to go to the survivor, and to
have said supposed or pretended
ed and set aside so far as the plain
tiff's interest in or claim upon said
property is concerned; and to secure
such other relief as the plaintiffs s
case may require.
The bill alleges that said John T. M.
Sturgis died on or about September 8,
1925; that the plaintiff is his widow;
that he left no child or other descen-
dant; that his next of kin are 2 grand
nieces, Montrue Burnett Foulke and
Katherine Burnett Griffin, one of
whom is the same person who is made
defendant in this suit; that the said
John T. M. Sturgis left a will which
was admitted to probate in the Or
phans' Court for Worcester County;
that The Citizens National Bank of
Pocomoke City, one of the defendants,
is his executor; and that the plaintiff
has duly renounced the provisions
made for her in said will and has cleo
ted to take in lieu thereof her legal
share of both the real and personal
property of the testator Certified cop
les of said will, letters testamentary
and remuneration are exhibited with
the bill.
The bill further alleges that the
said John T. M. Sturgis, for twenty
years prior to his death, was eager to
defeat the plaintiffs full legal rights
in his property after his death, but he
was more eager to hold on to his
property so long as he might live, and
during said time (besides the wrongs
in the bill complained of) by various
schemes and devices, fraudulent as to
the plaintiff, but mainly by creating
pretended and secret trusts in his
property, fraudulent as to the plain
tiff he attempted to defeat the plain
'tiff's said rights in his property, but
he ever held fast to the possession and
enjoyment thereof, and meanwhile
keeping the plaintiff in ignorance as
to the nature, extent and value of his
personal estate, he converted the ma
jor part of his property into bank de-
posits as the most facile property for
the accomplishment of his fraudulent
purpose.
The bill further alleges, on informa-
tion alleged to have been received by
the plaintiff after the death of her
said husband, that at or about the day
of the execution of his said will, said
John r. M. Sturgis had on deposit in
The Citizens National Bank of POGO
moke City upwards of forty thousand
dollars, and that ten thousand dollars
thereof was at or about that time
withdrawn by said John T. M. Sturgis
and was re-deposited in said bank in
the names of said John T. M. Sturgis
and the defendant, Katherine Burnett
Griffin, in an attempt to create pre-
tended trust in them, the said John 7.
M. Sturgis and Katherine Burnett
Griffin, under the terms of which the
said deposits should be subject to the
check of either of them as beneficiar-
les of said pretended trust, they being
the sole bneficiaries hereunder, and
that upon the death of either as such
beneficiary, then the residue to belong
to the survivor; that the said John T
M. Sturgis was the sole owner, OF all
the money so withdrawn and rede,,
posted; and that the said money OF
said deposit still remains in said bank
at Pocomoke City, Worcester County
Maryland, and has increased by ac-
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