http://www.cooganresearchgroup.com/crg/index.htm

25 January 2020

COOGAN story appearing in "Lincoln Evening State Journal"
(31 JUL 1923, PAGE 1):


MOTHER OF SEVEN MUST RETURN $5000 GIFT OF ECCENTRIC NEIGHBOR

FREMONT, Neb., July 31 - Mrs. Catherine Cairns, mother of seven 
children must put it back.  Judge F. W. Button of the district court
told her she had no legal right to keep the $5,000 given her by James
Coogan, an elderly eccentric friend and neighbor.  The decision of
the court is that she must restore the money without interest or the
court will order the property bought by her with the money presented
by Coogan conveyed to him by legal process.

Mrs. James Coogan, who was brought from Ireland by Coogan ten years
ago as a bride of sixteen was responsible for the suit to obtain
restitution.  The case has attracted wide attention because of the
unusual feature.  It was alleged that Coogan sold liberty bonds and
war savings stamps to the sum of $8,000 [not sure if it is an 8] and
with two sacks containing the money from the sale left them with
Mrs. Cairns.  Mrs. Cairns is alleged to have bought two properties
at a cost of $5,000 and returned the balance of the money to Coogan.
The Cairns family occupied one of the homes purchased with the gift
money.