ROMANCE OF A FORTUNE.

Mataura Ensign, 26 January 1912, Page 7

ROMANCE OF A FORTUNE.

STRUGGLE FOR £IOO,OOO. A struggle to obtain a fortune of £IOO,OOO left by an Irish emigrant in property in the United States was related before the Master of the Rolls in Dublin yesterday in a partly-heard action (said the 'Daily Mail' of December 15). The plaintiffs are three sisters, the Misses Mary and Kate Reardon and Mrs Margaret McGratee, living in County Cork. The defendant is Edward Corcoran, described in the writ as a saddler, of Merchants' Quay, Dublin.

By their action the- plaintiffs claim specific performance of an alleged agreement between them and the defendant, whereby the sisters were to supply the information necessary to enable him to establish his claim as next of kin of John Sullivan, deceased, and the defendant, in consideration of that, was to pay them the amount of the- share of the Sullivan estate to which the plaintiffs' mother, if living, would be entitled as one of the next of kin.

Money Made in America. John Sullivan left Ireland when young for the United States, and at a small place called Seattle, in Washington, which developed largely, amassed by investment in building sites a fortune which at his death was estimated at £IOO,OOO. He died a bachelor and intestate.

There was a long and costly quest for his heirs, which lias been described in a previous lunacy investigation in the Chancery Court. The United States courts declared the next of kin to be Edward Corcoran, senr. (the defendant), and his cousin, Hannah Callaghan, and when she died her share went to Corcoran. The plaintiffs' mother, who was also a cousin, pre-deceased Sullivan, so her children had no claim apart from the present action.

The defendant denies that he entered into the agreement alleged with the three women.

It appeared that so much of the £IOO,OOO has heen used by litigation' and alleged agreements with solicitors in the United States and Ireland that counsel for the plaintiffs was unable to state the amount of property remaining. A Dublin solicitor (the Master of the Rolls observed) said he established his claim to a quarter of the property. "Where had the other three-quarters gone to?'' asked counsel.

At this stage the hearing was adjourned.