New-York tribune., 1875-11-03
IHE WARD WILL CASE:
ALL THE TESTIMONY TAKEN.

ALL lie l1CNI lAhEN.
THE DECEASED NOT ALWAYS GUIDED BY MEDIUMS
CHARACTER or THE sONs-AEGUMENT OF THE
COUNSEL
fFRoa oCCAsIosAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRiBUNEl
DETROIT, Oct. 27.-At last, after six weeks
Of legal contest, the testimony the Ward will has
received and the trial enters upon It's final
stage. The arguments OF counsel will consume the re-
mainder OF the present week, and perhaps q
part OF next week, so that verdict Ia
not looked Tor much before November A. The
proponents have had their hearing for nearly fort
night beginning oct 8, aud closing Oct. 10. From
that day until this afternoon the contestants have occu-
pied the time in sur-rcbuttal.
Tho proponents OF the VIII called between forty
and fifty witnesses to the stand. Most OF them
were leading business and professional men of this
city, and tho burden OF their testimony was that
Capt. Ward was OF perfectly sound mind, and that he
exhibited the remarSabs activity aud clearness Of
Intellect which had made him successful business
man for months after the viii made aud up to the
day OF his death. Among tiese witnesses were James f.
JOY President Of the Michigan Central Railroad; Frank
lin Moore, Christian H. Buhl, and Allen Shell
don. prominent wholesale merchants; Robert j.
IIackett and Robert L. Montgomery, leading
vessel owners; ex-Cougressman Mosrs W. Field.
william G.. Thompson, the Republican candidate for
Mayor at the pending election william L. Webster OF
East Saginaw. prominent lawyer and railroad man. and
c. NJ. DAWSON, leading banker Some of these gentle
men also testified the fact that although Capt Ward
believed In the possibility and reality communications
between the dead and the living he was not disposed to
follow implicitly advice supposed 10 come from the spirit
Land hat that the contrary, he frequently remarked
that spirits would lie readily yipc men, anl that
he would rather have the advice Of one practical busi-
ness man In the flesh than of twenty spirits Tne Rev
Calvin Stbbns Of the Unitarian Church here. Giles b.
Stebbins, a well known spritualist and an old Aboli-
tionist and Others also called TO testify on this
o,tr nl tn hnvt
mad for tying his property 50 that bis
children by his first wife Oud have only patof the in
from it. This testimony tended To show Thai of these
children. one, Henry. insane. aud another, Eliza
BETH weak minded almost 10 imbecili@. An attack was
also made upon the character OF the two Milton d.
ward and Charles Ward who the active contestants
Of the will. Testimony introduced TO show that
these young men have been dsspated that their father
made repeated but unsuccessful efforts to tram them
business placing them In charge OF important
business Interests which they had neglected or msinai-
aged that Capt Ward lad serious fears tha the younger
OF Them Charles would become insane. nd that he had
DECLARED confidential friend, that as far as the trauiDs
of his sons concerned his life had been failure.
The most interesting part of the testimony for the
proponents that Of Miss Emily Ward upward OF
20 years % age. She elder sister of Capt Ward
She has lived for the last eight nine years in ne
bos nearly opposite her brothers residence. This house
was given 10 her by Cap Ward and 1t has been sort Of
city refuge" Tor al! the members ~ this unhappy
.lm,ly-for the imbcce fist we. aftrr she lad been
Yoced; for the chieu "i that vie wien nty were ID
Disgrace with their fa;her and for tie fatnrr himself
when Ia seek 3ivice nn comic from his sister
tcBtiiici Ia having seen hilt0u Ward under tue IN
fue,e of uor fregu ny, AMI t0 his hn1lnE once NJ
,mnertdbe, ATTACKED mis- insane bruthi Henry Ward
with "a oaryn.hn e. Sle said fnat both % tho boys
proved poor business mcn aud were very trouble
sOuo TO turir Eu her.
ants which has occupied 81 the la-t week, has been
mainly confined 10 proving that the business usiotnnea
of tb, contestants Wc nos tho result uf shor misdan
lceueut The Testimony of the brothers lid much to
U te proponents MD urcatca iu regard 10 their ciTaC
Ter and habits They eXpiaupd some of tnc most dam
,n testimony against thun. that 1t loofed quite u
irrently. Milton Ward testified that he EcrOr drank
liquor, and claimed that when he chased MS crazy
brother Henry with tho oIryingknl.e. the latter had
drawn "a pistol upon hrn. Ciarcs's testimony was
manly an explanation of his business failure. with this
testimony the contestants closed their cdse and alter
little comparatively unimpOrtaht teslinOny irOm the
other side. Lbo arguments or counsel were begun Both
.ics have submitted requests to and
these viii 10 argued before the argument 10 the jury
lp0