George Mougios Reports
Common Sense
January 19
If you find that I tend to repeat certain subjects, it is because we get new readers all the time, and I repeat certain subjects for their information.
In continuing my story about the Greek Church in Bridgeport, Holy Trinity, I have to mention the story about how the late Mary James left in her will that her valuable property in Southport, CT center be used, that is the income from the property be used to support five elderly ladies of Greek and Albanian descent. The court later ruled, due to my insitence, that the funds go to the Greek and Albanian churches.
Back in the 60's and 70's, I was a regular visitor to Southport, CTas I had an office in Fairfield, CT and a post office box in Southport, CT. There was a man by the name of Jimmy Soter who ran a local grocery store in the center and was a trustee of the James estate as were other tenants in the building. The head trustee was the late Nick Fingelly, a Realtor, whose daughters now operate the firm.
Fingelly wanted to inherit the property as he was the only living relative of Mrs. James. Mrs. James' real name was Checkinas. Her late husband, back in 1937 when Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church was built on Myrtle Avenue in Bridgeport, CT, Mr. James or Checkinas donated $1,000 for the privilege of opening the doors to the new church edifice. Now back in those depression era years, $1,000 was equal to a small fortune in today's money.
Mrs. James lived in a two family house behind the stores she owned. She was a friend of my grandmother. She had to be hospitalized because of illness, and when she got out of the hospital, she spoke with my grandmother and related her complaint that all who came to see her and wish her well, including Nick Fingelly and even the then Greek priest, came with documents for her to sign, granting them the rights to her properties. The Greek priest sought the properties be donated to the church.
The money never went to the purposes that Mrs. James intended. I sat in all annual sessions of the probate court under four or five judges over the years. Then came Judge Caruso. That's a long story and I feel a fine example of how the Probate Courts in CT have to be revised as many of the judges are crooked. I once told Caruso to his face that he is a crook. He didn't even blash an eyelash.
The other previous judges all agreed with me totally and ordered the trustees to give annual amounts to the Greek Church and to the Albanian Church to disperse confidentially to needy elderly Greek ladies. Thousands of dollars were dispersed over the years.
Then one day, while I was a member of the Holy Trinity Greek O. Church's parish council, a call came into the parish council meeting headed then by one Bill Pappas. There are never any calls during such meetings but Pappas stated that the now late Nick Demas, of the now defunct Mary Journey's Inn, was on the phone with a message. The message was" if George Mougios continues to attend hearings in the Probate Court regarding the Mary James estate, the trustees will stop sending moneys to the churches and instead donate it to the two local hospitals, St. Vincent's and Bridgeport Hospital. President Pappas tried to turn this against me and make me look like a culprit, when Perry Kokinos, owner of the Bridgeport Flyer Diners, stated: " what is this? The money from the James estate doesn't go to our church but to needy elderly ladies. We don't even see the money nor know to whom it goes as this is done by the Philopochos Society. If it wasn't for George, there would not be any money going to the churches at all."
Perry added, "What is this call from Demas during our meeting all about?" Bill Pappas, rebuffed, immediately changed the subject and dropped the matter.
To make a long story shorter, Caruso allowed the Trust to break away from the court and allowed it to sell the properties. The late Harris Russell, owner of the Russell Agency, supported everything I stated herein. Russell ended up buying the building that housed his firm but he supported my position all the way.
My main catalyst was the late JAMES SOTER, a wonderful man loved by everybody in Southport. A plaque to his memory has been erected in Southport center. He urged me to bring the truth to light.
Where the money is now or the Fund, no one seems to know but Bill Pappas and Nick Phakias, two Greeks were made trustees of the James estate. Members of the Albanian Church are also officers. But where is the trust?
The one thing I always stated was that as long as the Trust owns property in Southport, the trust will always have a huge net worth. Now that property has been sold, thanks to Judge Caruso, the Trust is worth only a portion of what it was worth. The Southport property is now worth many times what it was sold for. Again, over my objections.
But where is the Trust now? Attorney General Bluementhal was directly involved and the Trust had to account to him but Bluementhal says he doesn't know where the fund is now. I was told it was still under his jurisdiction, but he denies it.
So where is the Trust handled by trustees that can't be trusted. Now that Nick Phakias, the photographer, who is a member of the trust, is moving to Florida, someone has to be appointed to take his place. I wonder who?
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