Introduction
NICHOLAS J. DONAHOE, sometimes referred to as Nicholas J. Donahue, operated a restaurant in East Camden and was involved in real estate in Camden in after coming to the city in the late 1890s. He was born in Pennsylvania in, according to the 1900 Census, December of 1860.
Nicholas Donahoe operated a restaurant in Townsend’s Inlet, near Ocean City, New Jersey in the 1890s. This business was destroyed by a storm, possibly a hurricane, in the late 1890s. He attempted to procure a liquor license in April of 1897 but was rejected in October of that year. He did hold a license in 1898 in Sea Isle City in 1898. He was fined in October of that year for selling liquor on Sunday.
Nicholas Donahoe and his sister Ellen came to what is now East Camden, then still the Town of Stockton, and opened up an oyster restaurant at 2402 Federal Street shortly before the compilation of the 1898 City Directory. In 1900 he opened up a cigar store at 2404 Federal Street and operated both businesses in these premises into 1902. He then acquired two properties across the street, one being 2407 Federal Street, built in 1897 as a firehouse occupied by Stockton Hose Company No. 2, and the other, 2409 Federal Street, which appears to have been an empty lot until his purchase. A two story building was erected on this site, where Nicholas Donahue operated a restaurant through at least 1913. He conducted his cigar business at 2407 Federal Street through 1917, and also rented out space in the building, which had become to be known as Donahoe’s Hall. Ellen Donahoe passed away in November on 1919 and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Delaware Township (present day Cherry Hill), New Jersey.
Nicholas Donahoe sold his real estate holdings in during the 1925–1926 real estate boom, and lodged for a time at 308 North 27th Street, then, with age taking its toll, moved to Philadelphia to stay with a nephew. John Donahoe, in Philadelphia. This did not go well, and he went to live, on the advice of his lawyer, Raymond Donges, on Chincoteague Island in Virginia, where he passed away on September 12, 1927.
There was controversy surrounding Nicholas Donahue in his last days, as his nephew attempted to, by ruse, kidnap him and take him back to Philadelphia, apparently in an effort to secure his estate.
Tuckahoe Again “Wet”
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Tuckahoe Again "Wet
Tuckahoe Again "Wet"
Hotel-Keepers Who Drew Prizes in the Cape May Court.
Special to The Inquirer.
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N. J., April 30.—The entire session of the County Court to-day was occupied in considering the twenty-one license applications left over from yesterday. One of the surprises was the granting of a license to William M. Cramer, at Tuckahoe. The town has been "dry" for two years past.
At Anglesea George Ent, Charles Mace, and Edward Brobson were all refused under the court's rule to reduce the number of licensed places in all the seaside boroughs. George H. Bates got a license at Cape May Point, but John J. Schmable, of Avalon, was turned down. Elizabeth Carothers failed to secure a renewal at Corson's Inlet, as did also Lombart's Inlet House, and Nicholas Donahue, at Townsend's Inlet. William A. Manahan's, at the latter place, fared better.
At Sea Isle City John Geegan, Samuel Stick, Caroline Cronecker, Busch's Hotel, Robert Short, Jeremiah P. Delaney, and George Rege are the seven lucky ones. These were refused: Charles Peterson, William King, Fred Trefz, and George Speidel.
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N. J., April 30.—The entire session of the County Court to-day was occupied in considering the twenty-one license applications left over from yesterday. One of the surprises was the granting of a license to William M. Cramer, at Tuckahoe. The town has been “dry” for two years past.
At Anglesea George Ent, Charles Mace, and Edward Brobson were all refused under the court’s rule to reduce the number of licensed places in all the seaside boroughs. George H. Bates got a license at Cape May Point, but John J. Schmable, of Avalon, was turned down. Elizabeth Carothers failed to secure a renewal at Corson’s Inlet, as did also Lombart’s Inlet House, and Nicholas Donahue, at Townsend’s Inlet. William A. Manahan’s, at the latter place, fared better.
At Sea Isle City John Geegan, Samuel Stick, Caroline Cronecker, Busch’s Hotel, Robert Short, Jeremiah P. Delaney, and George Rege are the seven lucky ones. These were refused: Charles Peterson, William King, Fred Trefz, and George Speidel.
Lawbreakers Quake
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Seashore Hotel Keepers Indicted for Selling Liquor Unlawfully
SHAKE-UP IN CAPE MAY
Record Breaking Work of the Grand Jury—Little Girl’s Assailant Convicted
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, Sept. 30.—Consternation prevails among the seashore hotelkeepers in Cape May county owing to Prosecutor Cole’s evident determination to punish all who are guilty of the illegal sale of liquor. The grand jury which adjourned to-day after being in session for four days returned indictments against the following hotelkeepers: Ernest Schlichtine, Holly Beach, Sunday selling and disorderly house; Lewis Wheaton and his bartender, Alonzo Willets, of this place, selling without a license; Charles Mace, Anglesea, selling on Sunday and without a license; John J. Sturmer, Anglesea, Sunday selling and disorderly house; Taylor Henry, Grassy Sound Drawbridge, selling without a license; Andrew Weeks, Anglesea, Sunday selling; Nicholas Donahue, Sea Isle, Sunday selling; George Pfeiffer, of Sea Isle, pleaded guilty and was fined $150 for selling on Sunday.
Altogether forty-one indictments were found, a record-breaking number. Logan M. Bullitt, of Philadelphia, entered $1000 bail on indictments for breaking and entering. An employe of Mr. Bullitt, named Camp, was indicted on a charge of helping in connection with the Bullitt affair. Lewis Hildreth, charged with malicious mischief, at Cape May, was held in $1000 bail.
John Hayelow, of Ocean View, was convicted of felonious assault, his victim, a girl of 14, having since died. David Hill, a waiter at the Sea Breeze Hotel, Cape May, who last summer shot another colored man, was convicted of assault with intent to kill.
They Wrecked the Restaurant
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Michael Lynch, of 629 Birch street, Camden, and William Conroy, of Fellowship, Burlington county, started a row in the restaurant of Nicholas Donahue, 2402 Federal Street, East Side, Camden, yesterday afternoon. A free fight followed in which several outsiders became involved. The interior of the saloon was wrecked, and Donahue was badly beaten. Conroy was arrested at the scene by Constable De Haven. Lynch tried to escape, but was captured a half mile away by Police Captain Albert. Both men will be given a hearing this morning by Recorder Nowrey.
2405, 2407 & 2409 Federal Street
2405, 2407 & 2409 Federal Street, 1918
Left: 2407 Federal Street. Photo taken before 1903. Right: 2409 Federal Street. Photo circa 1918, when building was being used as a movie theater.
Ellen Donahoe
Philadelphia Inquirer —
DONAHOE.—Nov. 19. ELLEN, daughter of late John and Mary Donahoe, aged 65. Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral, Sat., 8 A. M., from parlors of John Crawford, 2637 Westfield ave., Camden, N. J. Solemn requiem mass at St. Joseph’s Church, 9 A. M. Int. Calvary Cem. Remains may be viewed Fri. eve.
Aged Man’s Sanity Debated as Nephew Contests His Will
Camden Courier-Post —
‘Kidnap’ Case Recalled as Islanders Declare E. Camden Cafe Owner Normal
LEFT $40,000 ESTATE
Attempts to prove that Nicholas Joseph Donahue, former East Camden restaurant proprietor, who died Sept. 12, 1927, was of unsound mind and was unduly influenced when he made his last will are expected to be made at a continuance of the hearing in which a nephew is contesting the will.
The hearing was scheduled to be resumed at 1:30 p. m. today in Camden County Orphans Court, with Judge Samuel M. Shay presiding. Testimony presented all day yesterday by Raymond Donges, prominent Camden attorney, also was to be continued. Because Donahue was declared mentally deficient in a lunacy commission hearing before his death, the burden of proof fell upon Donges as administrator to show that the former restaurateur was of sound mind when he wrote the will. The later disposed of an estate valued between $40,000 and $50,000.
Donges had a few more witnesses to present today. Among them: Mrs. Elizabeth S. Fernan, under whose care Donahue lived on Chincoteague Island, off the coast of Virginia. Mrs. Fernan is a former Camden woman. The nephew, John Donahue, of 201 East Boston avenue, Philadelphia, is represented by Carlton H. Webb, of Haddonfield, while Donges is represented by Wilbert V. Pike, Jr.
Owned Shore Hotel
Donahue, who had no immediate family, originally owned a hotel at Townsend’s Inlet, but about 1896 or early 1900s sold his hotel and other property and ruined the building. He then opened an oyster house on Federal street and later bought an old fire hall and opened a restaurant on Federal street about 1904 or 1905.
Donges sold the restaurant and other properties during the World War for a good sum and amassed his small fortune. He roamed in East Camden for a short time and then went to live with his nephew, John.
The latter told Nicholas that Raymond Fernan telephoned Raymond Donges of the alleged kidnaping attempt, and the two nephews were arrested at Dover, Del., on their way back to Philadelphia February, 1927. They were later released, while Nicholas Donahue was taken back to the island.
In September, 1927, John Donahue started habeas corpus proceedings in Virginia courts, and secured temporary custody of his uncle. After a lunacy commission quizzed Nicholas Donahue and declared him unsound of mind, the Orphans Court named the Haddonfield Safe Deposit and Trust Company guardian. After Donahue died and the will was filed here for probate, John Donahue filed a caveat against the will. The present hearing is a result of the caveat.
Will Made on Island
The will, a typewritten document, was executed on the island on May 19, 1927. Provision is made that if any legatee or beneficiary “attempt to have me declared of unsound mind or incompetent to manage my own affairs, to have guardian appointed to care for my estate, the legacy or bequest shall lapse and be void and shall revert to the estate.” Raymond Donges was named executor to serve without bond, and was given full power to sell or dispose of the estate, which according to the will, must be converted into cash.
The will provides for:
Setting aside of $1000 for masses on the souls of relatives of the deceased; replacing of an old monument in Calvary Cemetery with a new one and $2000 provided.
An original “typewritten” bequest of $1000 to a niece, Mrs. Katherine Cavanaugh, 295 Cedar street, Philadelphia, later was changed in ink to $3000.
Various sums of from $500 to $2000 are left to relatives. John Donahue, the nephew, is bequeathed $2000. Dr. Clarence Donges is left $1000. An amount of $5000 is to be divided equally between John W. Donges, Katherine M. Donges, and Raymond R. Donges, Jr., children of, and Marry Hanna, ward of Raymond R. Donges.
To the woman who cared for him on Chincoteague Island, Mrs. Elizabeth S. Ferman, is left $2000.
Educational Fund
One-half of the entire estate is set aside and to be held in trust by Dr. Donges, Walter T. Pratt and Katherine Donges, and they are allowed to advance such moneys from the fund as they see fit to young men and women under 25 years of age to be used in obtaining an education. The three are not held responsible for any losses incurred by failure of students to repay loans.
The residue of the estate is to be divided among the legatees in proportion to the amount already willed them.
At yesterday’s hearing testimony indicated that Donahue was unsound of mind only during occasional periods, when excitement or commotion would upset him. Dr. Clarence B. Donges, his physician and adviser, testified he had been a close friend of Donahue for 35 years and had prevailed on the former hotel proprietor to come to Camden and start again in business. The prominent physician further stated that he frequently advised Donahue in real estate deals, and all of them were profitable to Donahue.
The physician further said that Donahue did not suffer from any ailment which would incapacitate him mentally, although physically he was ill during the latter days of his life. A number of witnesses from Chincoteague Island testified that they thought him entirely normal.
Clarence Derrickson and his wife, Lottie, witnesses to the will, testified, through depositions, that when they saw Donahue sign the will he was entirely aware of what he was doing.
Called Easily Persuaded
In cross-interrogatories the Derricksons concluded that Donahue was a self-willed man and could not be easily persuaded. Both Dr. Donges and Raymond Donges stated that following the sale of his restaurant he lived in a room, and they told him he should have a more healthy environment. They arranged with his nephew, John, for the latter to take care of the elderly man, it was alleged.
Finally, Raymond Donges said, John Donahue said that he did not wish to take care of Nicholas any longer, and the Donges then told Donahue about the island where Mrs. Fernan lived. The attorney said that Donahue had known Mrs. Fernan’s husband when the latter was alive and resided in Camden and agreed to the change. So did the nephew agree, said Donges. There was no ruse or secrecy about taking the semi-invalid to the island, where he could get the proper food and surroundings, the Donges said.
Donges also introduced a letter purported to have been written by Donahue on the island and addressed to Raymond Donges a short time before the will was made. In the letter Donahue urged his attorney to complete the will. Donges said that for nearly a year before May of 1927 the former restauranteur discussed various terms of the will.
In the present will a bequest of $1000 to a niece was changed by pen to $3,000. Donges said that in a former will Donahue gave the woman $3000, then wrote to Donges asking him to change it to $1000. However, when the drafted testament was ready to be signed Donahue himself increased the bequest to its original figure, it was stated.