A Charge Of Undue Influence

A CHARGE OF UNDUE INFLUENCE

Exerted Upon an Eighty-Two Year Old Man

TO DISINHERIT DAUGHTER

She Asks That a Deed be Reformed So That the Property Will be in the Father's Name

A case involving some sensational charges was commenced in the circuit court Tuesday by Attorney Arthur Brown. The complainant is Mrs. Mina Henderson and the defendant Andrew N. Rogers.

The bill of complaint sets up that Ephraim Eddy, father of the complainant, died in Ann Arbor April 18, of this year, leaving a widow, Jane H. Eddy, and the complainant as his sole heirs. He was over 82 years old and his widow, who is a stepmother of the daughter, is also over 82. He lived in York township until recently and owned a quantity of land there worth about $3,000.

The bill charges that Eddy was in poor health and on account of the pain used opiates and stimulants, which incapacitated him from doing business. It charges that last January, white Eddy was incompetent to do business. The defendant, Rogers, induced him to sell his York property to Clarence and Emma Head for $3,100 and to turn this money over to Rogers, and the bill charges that Rogers never gave any consideration or security for this money.

With this money, the bill charges, that Rogers on January 14 bought two lots in this city from Joseph T. Shaw and had the deed made out in his own name, making Eddy believe that the deed was made to convey the property to him. Then Rogers made a deed conveying a life estate in these two lots to Ephraim and Jane Eddy, deceitfully representing, it is claimed, that the deed was a conveyance in fee simple. It is also claimed that Eddy had never seen this land.

The bill also charges that Rogers induced Eddy to turn over a certificate of deposit on a Milan bank for $600 and that Rogers deposited this money in his own name in an Ann Arbor bank. The bill charges that Rogers also received other personal property.

The complainant also charges that Rogers withheld from her all knowledge of the death of her father and that after his death he took possession of personal property of the value of $600 and upwards.

The bill asks that the deed from Shaw be reformed so that the grantee shall be Ephraim Eddy instead of Andrew N. Rogers and that Rogers be restrained from selling or mortgaging the property in dispute.