The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-01
THE B0NAp~

Argum~
lat Of Counsel Tor the Proponent-
Interesting Review OF the Case.
The final argument in the Bonsrd win case was
continued In the surrogates Court yesterday morn
ing before Surrogate Hutchings by Mr. Gerry, c0un-
sci FOR the Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty to
Animals in whose favor the old recluse il held by
him to have made his last will and testament.
Mr.. Gerry commenced his address by speaking
OF the illness from which Louis BOnard suffered,
an Illness, he said, almost peculiar to this climate;
and in this connection he pronounced very high
eulogy on the services extended by the Sis
tiers Of Charity to their patient. Bonard's
win was the epitOme and embodiment OF
the life ne lived and the faith in which he died. He
died In the rites OF the Church In which he was nur
tured and in the services Of which In his youth he
had been servitor Louis BOnard was born IN
Rcssp, In Normandy, in the present republic OF
France He never knew his father, as he had died
when he was but two years old During life he
spoke only Of his mother who had been 80 good to
him-who took such care that he should have
good educatlon-which he received from q priest.
He was baptized In the Roman CatiioAc Church.
When he grew mp he worked IN o carpenters
shop In 1s4S he appears TO have been pos
| sesscd of money and during the revolution he
lost It 10 said, TO- 600 francs money left to him by
his mother who Accumulated 1t by specnating In as
| appear. He was reticent about family analrs,
| either because when he lost his money his friends
was the offspring Of marriage which they would
not recognize. He left country probably on this
account, or It might have been through getting
| into trouble with the government. He was forty
years OF age when he left ROuen II was just after
the coup detat In ls40 Then he went into trade IN
South America, peddlingknick knacks, real and false
jewelry, with the Indians, remaining there until
1852. He was subsequently, In California, Mexico,
g ~ sa lima To New i ess
his fortune by specuiatng In real estate. lie was
not man without means when he lived IN
France, for 1t il in evidence that he furnished
his god-chld with apparel appropriate to the occa.
sion on which she made her first communion and
costly as his means would allow Louis Bonard
| died In February, 1871, at the age or sxtytw0
priest furnished dress TO his god-chid for partci-
| patton in religious ceremony Of that Church; ne
frequently used the expression 1--WE Catholics"
| and he died fortified by the rites OF the Church.
| lie was man OF intelligence was familiar with
politics and conversed on subjects OF history. lie
| was man OF no mean intelligence of no ordinary
| education, for he invented hat machine and q
brick machine, and was well acquainted with the
| working OF the microscope. He had certain
amount Of affection; he had lasting affection for
/ animals, which Is the Keynote OF his whole lfe. He
dislked contact with the glare and glitter OF the
world he knew too well the difference between the
hollowness of AL human professions; he could dis
tnguish between the Brummagem jewel and the
real gem, between the false and the real iewery he
used to dispose of to the Indian tribes. Mr.. Gerry
then glanced briefly at the subject OF teStamentary
| capacity. The testimony OF the three subscribing
| witnesses to the will shows that every requirement.
of the statute was complied with. They show that
the will was read over to the testatOr before he
signed it, and In proof OF his correct mind, his clear
intellect, at his suggestion correction was made
in one place.
Counsel then, in BRIEF reviewed the evident in
tention OF Louis BOnard In his WILL and spoke as to
the supposed deluson. He was over sixty years of
age, without any family. No man can live such a
length of time without loving something, without
cherishing love for something He too, was diff
ferent from most men. He had no immoral attach
ments so to speak, He loved the tribes in the forest
with whom he did business; he had often spoken
kindly OF them He loved animals, which Oft-times
in his j0urneyings were the only reminder he had
OF life. 1t shows the desperation TO which my
learned adversaYies are driven when they charge
the man with the love Of animals with crime
that love which God has desired al to cultivate
The Court then adjourned, and at its next hear
ing Mr.. Coudcrt and Judge Porter will reply to Mr.
Gerry