Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-10-22
Tnr WARD WILL CASE. AT DErRoIr.-'

THr WARD WILL CASE, AT DETRoIr.-The
contestants Of Capt. Wards will closed
their evidence on Thursday last, the Judge
excluding considerable testimony which they
desired to introduce. This exclusion cover
ed the alleged fraud in Capt Wards di-
vorce from his first wife. the charges that
the present widow was cognizaut of such
fraud, and abou; all the testimony to show
that she was prejudiced against her step
children. Some further testimony was in-
trodrced to show Capt. Wards implicit be-
lief in spiritualism. Henry Waller, prom
inent capitalist, and for many years editor
Of the Detroit Free Press, swore that, in
1856, the testator tried to persuade him and
the late y 7. Stewart to contribute money
to hunt down a gang of counterfeiters, of
whose existence in the Pennsylvania Noun
tains he had learned from mediums Gleason
+. Lewis, Of Cleveland, first cousin of
Capt. Ward, and himself man of yery &C.
centric bearing, also testified that, in 1867,
Capt. Ward, wanted him (Lewis) to 90 into
the mining business with him, and said he
had a medium that could locate mines
through the spirits. And there was other
similar testimony. The opening address for
the will was then made BY f. W. Med
daugh. lie admitted that Capt. Ward was
Spiritualist. lie denied absolutely, how
ever, that Capt. Ward allowed the spirits to
exercise any undue influence over him. He
was for years 4 careful investigator of spirit
ualistic phenomena, and applied all kinds of
tests, including questions relating to busi-
ness matters, but he proved many mediums
TO be frauds, and he did not follow the ad-
vice Of spirits unless sustained by his judg-
ment, when informed from other and human
sources. Mr.. Meddaugh further denied that
Mrs. Ward had dictated the present will,
and branded the only testimony in the case
which connected her with it that of SER
want girl, Kate Coyle-as piece OF perjury.
He then charged that the evidence OF the
leading mediums who testified for the con-
testants was an elaborate and adroit con-
spiracy by manipulated witnesses He
sketched Capt. Wards business career, fol-
lowing it with the business experience of
his two adult sane sons, who are left but
500 per month each, and are the main
contestants. They made utter failures as
managers of large interests and convinced
Capt. Ward that they would sauander his
property, and hence he made stated provi-
sions for them instead of leaving at their
control large fortunes to waste. As to that
son whom Capt. Ward believed to be illegit-
innate, they would be compelled to show
that be had grounds for this belief dating
hasl- 70 I'll -, .,.f tba l. ,.,l
to the insane child in Ohio, whom witness
had declared TO be Capt. Wards. they
would prove that its father was Capt. Wards
eldest boy, a confirmed lunatic ln conclu
sion, Mr. Meddaugh defended the terms of
the will as just in themselves.
Quite number of prominent business
men OF Detroit were then placed on the
stand, who testified to believing Capt.
Wards mind was unimpaired in vigor up to
the day Of his death. Rev. Calvin Stebbins.
pastor of the Unitarian church. testified TO a
long discussion on Spiritualism with Capt.
Ward shortly before his death, in which the
latter said he had had the reputation Of do
ing business upon advice received from spir-
Its, and that he was in that respect the best
abused man in the city. He then under
stood Capt. Ward to declare plainly that he
did not do business in that way, his words
being I" Minds in the body know more
about matters in this world than spirits out
of the body" Mr.. T. c. Owen, Capt.
Wards brother-in-law and confidential ad-
wiser, testified To having drawn up two wills
for him, one ia 1873, leaving large bequests
to his sane children by his first marriage,
and the present one, in 1874, leaving to
them only the monthly allowance of 5000.
For this course Capt. Ward gave as reasons
not spiritnalistic advice, but the utter fail
ure OF his sons TO manifest any business
capacity or moral soundness.