Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-04-10
Spirit Deeds voided Id Glen Echo
Suit.

LIT. Julian b. Hubbell, Of Glen Echo, who
was secretary to the late Miss Clara Bar
ton. founder of the American Red Cross,
reeains possession Of the Barton home in
Glen Echo by decision rendered in the
circuit court here. Chief Judge Hammond
urner decided that DR.. Hubbell, an aged
physician, had been induced through al
legged messages from the spirit world to
deed to Mrs. Mabelle Rawson Hirons. of
Glen Echo, real estate at Glen Echo and
vicinity valued at $50. 900. and to turn over
to her personal property valued at more
than $4,000. He held that such con-
veyances were obtained by fraud and
were void. The opinion was rendered in
suit instituted by DR.. Hubbell five years
ago.
The testimony was that the aged ply
stefan parted with the property in the
belief that it was step which would
eventually lead to the realization of his
fondest hope. namely the establishment
in Glen Echo Of memorial to Miss Barton.
DR.. Hubbell, it was testified, sought to
create the memorial by the appropriation
Of her former home at Glen Echo and the
erection of buildings on the adjacent land
for uses representing the service and in
terests to which her life had been devoted.
In 1914. it was claimed. DR.. Hubbell was
induced by Mrs. Hirons to transfer his
property by assurance that she would
devote it to the purposes of a memorial.
1t was charged further that the defendant
pretended to communicate messages to
him from Miss Barton's departed spirit,
urging the conveyance of the property to
the defendant as means of insuring the
success of the memorial project.
DR.. Hubbell testified that Mrs. Hirons
made no move from the time she acquired
title to the property to put the memorial
plans into execution, but constantly as
sured him of her purpose to push the
project. A few months before he filed the
bill in 1920, he said. he learned that she
had no intention of using the property for
the purposes Of a memorial. but was de-
termined to hold it for her own benefit.
According to DR.. Hubbell. Mrs. Hirons
represented that she had large property
interests in Philadelphia. Mexico and the
West, and had wealthy friends who would
put unlimited money into the project
Judge Urner states that the evidence
established that DR.. Hubbell, Miss Barton
and Mrs. Hirons all believed in spiritual
ism, although Mrs. Hirons denied in her
testimony that she was believer. DR..
Hubbell represented that Mrs. Hirons pre-
tended to be a medium. simulated frances
and afterward persuaded him to believe
that during the pretended frances Miss
Barton had urged that he convey all his
property to Mrs. Hirons for the purposes
of the memorial. Under these and other
influences. he swore, he finally made the
conveyances.
Mrs. Hirons denied that she had been
guilty of anything improper and insisted
that she had paid $40 900 for the property
conveyed by DR.. Hubbell
However. Judge Urner said "a am con-
WINGED by the evidence 10 this case that
the transfers of the property challenged
by the bill of complaint resulted from the
exertion of undue influence by the de-
PENDANT"
Between the time she acquired title to
the property and the date of the filing of
the bill. Mrs. Hirons. 1t is understood, sold
some of the real estate. These purchasers,
so Judge Urner's opinion indicates. will be
protected.
The property turned over by DR.. Hubbell
included 1873 building lots and IL dwell
ines, including the former home of Miss
Barton, and the town hall building at
Glen Echo, and 70 lots in Glen Echo
Heights. in addition to the personal prop
erty referred to.