American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-11-20
Naltturore Gllpper,
l0oresnondence of the BaIIImore ClIpperl
WAsHINeroN, Nov. 10,


WAsHINcroN, Nov. 10, 1916.
The Ytn Ness Case. This morning, on the
assembling of the Court Mrs. Mary Ann Van
Ness came within the bar for the first time dur
ing the trial.
Ex-Governor Van Ness was also present, and
sat by hls counsel.
Witnesses were examined, on the part OF the
plaintiff, Mrs. Van Ness
Stanslaus Murray, testified that he should
take the signature ola letter handed to him toI
be that Of Gen. Van Ness.
Mr. May, one of the counsel for the lady,
read the letter. 1t bears date December IA,
ls42, requesting the lady to meet him at the
corner OF 18th and ID streets, between and 3
O'Clock, and at ono Of the houses which he de-
signated.
MIS- Drew was placed under oath, and stat
ed that she resided in Baltimore, in Eden ST.,
one door from Pitt, No. So. She knew Gene
raj Van Ness perfectly well. The lady who
sits there, (polnting to Mrs. Van Ness,) was
acknow lodged, in her presence and that OF
Mrs Durkee, her daughter, to be his wife,
The lady, however, was introduced to her as
Mrs Wallace Witness is n midwife. The
LADY was delivered of child in her pre-
sence, and the Genera subsequently said, 'my
wife has produced me lovely daughter -
Mrs Durkco took the child to nurse, at a slip
uated sum, and thirty dollars were advanced
in consideration of the service. The child lived
about one year. The deceased acknowledged
himself to be Gen. Van Ness.
On the cross examination, among other
things, the witness said that the deceased ac-
knewledged the lady to be his wife.
Mr.. William Ogden Niles testified as 20 the
responsibility of Mrs. Drew.
nurEaa tho daunhtnF nf MTa Draw
was examined, and testified that she took the
child to nurse-it was christened Gertrude
Van Ness by the Rev. ID, Reese, Of the Meth
odist Protestant church.
MIR. Harrington, on the stand, gave it as his
opinion that the handwriting of letter shown
to him was that of the deceased.
THE letters purPorted 10 be signed by evil
liam Wallace"
Col. Gardner, the city postmaster, gave his
opinion that the word philadelphia, )" at the
head of a letter was General Van Ness's hand
writing.
MIR. Ragsdae testified as to the writng-he
could not say positively; but if he were COM
PEELED to respond eyes" or "no," he should
say eyes"
After discussion, the Court required the
counsel on both sides to furnish list Of their
witnesses. MIR. Brent made out one for his
client.
The letters from the files of the Orphan s
Court were brought in.
Col. Gardner, who was recalled, said that
letters /, ., 8, 4, and 5, looked like limitations
of Gen. Van Nesss handwriting; 6, and 8,
looked like the handwriting.
Mr.. Ragsdale, recalled, said he believed the
signature to be that of Gen. Van Ness, but in
connection with the body of the letters he did
not. Six or seven lines shown to him he pro-
nounced to be, in their general appearance,
like the handwriting of the deceased.
Mr.. Harrington was recalled. He said he
believed the handwriting of a letter shown 10
him to be genuine, from the information con-
Veyed 10 him by Gen. Van Ness of a matter
done in secret. General Van Ness wrote a
note to him in 1914, asking to see him on bust
ness. He went to the Generals house, where
the General informed him that he was the faith
er of a child by her-Said that she was pretty,
&c and had sent her away from the city.
Mr.. May read one Of the letters, which Mr.
Harrington had pronounced genuine. After
which, at 20 minutes past O'Clock, the court
adjourned till tomorrow at 10 O'Clock.
Ie enormously stated yesterday, that II.
D. Gilpin was one of the counsel for the plain
tiff. He is one of the counsel for defendant,
Mr. c. P. Van Ness. c.