Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-01-29
GREELEY.
Progress OF the Contest Between the
Executors Of the Two Wills.
Examination Of Mitnesses-TestimOny
as 70 the Mental Alterations Of
Mr. Greeley.

NEW YORK, January 2S.-At White
Plains, yesterday, the Greeiy Will case
was again before the Surrogate, no COM
promise having been made between pro-
pOnents and contestants. Neither OF
the Misses Greeley We're present, and
the only Interested party in court was
Storrs, the executor of the will Of 1871.
Jas. H. Choate, appearing as counsel for
the Misses Greeley, said if two weeks
postponement were granted he was sat-
isfied q compromise would be effected (;
besides, he desired to give the case fur
ther consideration. The case had now
different phase, as all the legatees un-
der the dispended will of 1871 had
signed a remuneration, and no others
had right 10 press their claims sgainst
the State. The Surrogate decided that
the executors of the will of 1871 could
appear.
Oliver johnson, formerly of the
Tribune, was then called as the first wit
ness. He said that Mr.. Greeley spoke
TO him at the time of his wife's death as
a ruined man. He reprOached himself
with having destroyed the Tribune, and
seemed to have a wildness in his ap-
pearance. He remarked that he wished
be was dead instead of his wife. The
witness became then impressed that
Mr.. Greeley was not rational. Such
conversations were frequent at that
time. About November 18th, at a
meeting Of the Tribune stockholders,
MT. Greeley said he had deceived US all.
He was somewhat incoherent. He was
not fierce, but somewhat melancholy.
The witness had conviction that Mr..
Greeley was deranged. Again, on No
vember 18th, the witness had a conver-
sation with him, in which he spoke of
the affairs of the Tribune. The witness
is satisfied he was insane. Mr.. Greeley
was benevolent with his means. The
witness did not know why he should
have left bis youngest daughter
under the guardianship of his eldest.
On cross-eXaminatiOn the witness said
the first time he noticed any strange
ness in Mr.. Greeley was on October
twenty-seventh, at the meeting of the
Tribune Trustees; witness replied TO Mr.
Greeley that he was not ruined; many
also replied to him that the Tribune was
not ruined.
Mr.. Crunkle, one of the Trus-
tees of the Tribune, also testified
that at the above meeting of the TrUs-
tees Mr.. Greeley seemed distressed, and
used very strange language. He re-
garded Mr.. Greeley as being out of his
mind. Witness knew of only one claim
of five thousand dollars on one note,
and another of nine hundred dollars of
Sinclair's, due then to Mr. Greeley.
Alvin ]. johnson was next called. He
felt embarrassed at being catechised on
matters about one whom
he loved. On November ID Mr.. Gree
ley manifested stTangeness at witnessis
house, where he was staying. He found
him trying to pack his things to 90, and
he told witness that when he brought
his things from DR.. Bayard's he did net
wish TO 90 away until he was carried to
Greenwood. Witness was then i'm
pressed that he was not right in his
mind. As early as September, Mr.
Greeley seemed to be labOring under
some trouble. Some time before Mrs.
Greeley's death Mr.. Greeley showed
signs of a disordered mind. Apart
ments had been rented for him in New
York, but he was continually using ex-
pressions to witness that he was wholly
ruined, and had no money. He
appeared to be entirely occupied with
imagined bankruptcy. On November
9th he said he wanted forty thousand
dollars to get himself out OF this trouble;
that he would be sent to the penitentia-
ry for breaking open Mrs. Greeley's will.
He then said that he wanted one thou
sand dollars for ten minutes, which
witness let him have. He wanted to
assign his Tribune stock, but as he
seemed not in a fit state the matter
here rested.
The court then adjourned to Febru-
ary Sd.