March 7, 1908
PRIEST LOSES THE BEQUEST.
Katie McGinty Was Very Ill When
She Made Her Will.
It was decided by a jury in Judge H. Slover's division of the circuit court yesterday that Katie McGinty was too ill to know what she was doing when she made her will bequeathing all of her property to the Rev. A. G. Clohessy, pastor of St. Joseph's church, Nineteenth and Harrison streets, and that the will should be set aside and the property given to her blood relations.
Miss McGinty served as housekeeper for Father Clohessy for fourteen consecutive years prior to the illness, which, on January 26, 1907, caused her death. She was paid $2.50 a week, and out of this she saved, in the fourteen years,, $1,128. The money was kept in the Fidelity Trust Company. A few days before her death in St. Margaret's hospital, she called Father Cloheesy in and asked him to accept the money. He refused to accept it. Then she made a will, in his presence, leaving everything to him, after he should expend $25 for her funeral and gravestone and $200 for masses to be said for her soul. The funeral was held, the headstone erected and the masses were said. Then when Father Clohessy probated the will, James McGinty, a brother of the dead woman, brought the action in the circuit court.
Miss McGinty left no property other than the $1,128, excepting her clothing and personal effects. The residue of the estate will be divided among James, Patrick and Dennis McGinty, three brothers in Kansas City, and seven nephews and nieces in St. Louis.
Labels: circuit court, Harrison street, hospitals, ministers, Nineteenth street, probate
