The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-01-24
A MILL1ONAIRE's MISERY
TIMOTHY KIRBY,s INFATUAT1oN


STRANGE BEHEsrS-THB WOMAN LADf
MARY FRANCIs-HER STRANGE INFLUENCES
OVER THE oLDMA
The Cincinnati Commercial, editori ally
and In its local department, has the TO low
ing upon the will of the late Timothy Iirby:
The community will be shocked this MORN
Ing by the intelligence that the late 7 timothy
Kirby's will is q document that is scan
dalous. 1t has. however, been for a copsid-
cradle time within the knowledi 20 of many
persons that he was possessed b = an infatu-
alton that amounted TO lunac for dis
reputable woman named Franc g. PECULIARLY
known as "the terror Il Cammins-
VILE" She ia horror In carnate, has
been repeatedly In the. workhouse,
and in her drunken violence sbe has more
than once inflicted upon Mr.. Kirby serious
physical injuries. His chill iren would long
/ ago have been justified in hielding his ven
cradle hairs in the lunstic asylum from the
shame and danger OF contact with the
frightful woman who, IL ! his extreme age
and weakness, tyranniz ID over him, robbed
| him, scorned him, and attacked him like
| wild beast; but they dreaded publicity.
The skeleton in the clG set was so hideous
they felt they could u OF bear to have it put
In the light. But tn . will, in which the
woman appears like a nightmare, leaves no
alternative. We do not know a more mel
aDcholy illustration than the last few years
Of the life of Mr.. K irby of senile infirmity
He was but the VIZ eek and the shadow OF
himself, and all W no knew him as he was in
his better days, " hen he was hospitable and
gentle and kIDGl =, the head of a most in
teresting family can not help feeling that
he has been IRE sponsible during the closing
years of his life ), and that it will be but JUS
tice to him an6 20 his children TO blot from
} memory the. record of that period.
Gen. Bannin z was asked yesterday by q
reporter OF q ie Commercial for the points of
the will of { ne late Mr.. Kirby. He stated
that the oul of the producing portion OF
the estate " fas left to the two sons and two
daughters. The two sons and the two sons
in-law do Pistt and himselD are made the
executors OF the will, and they are in
structed, In a wild, rambling way, to pro-
vide tor five young chlldren-three OF q
. Mrs. TuI :ney, one OF q Mrs. Potts, and one of
the motto rious LADY" Mary Francis. The
will spt Jaks of these children as adopted, tut
) makes no admission of the responsibility OF
, the te tator for their paternity. The mo
hawk property" is set aside for their sup
port. Mr.. Kirby was close upon eighty
years., and these children are all young, I'M
der ten years, and ons OF them colored.
Gen. Banning says the will is evidently that
, OF a crazy man. He adds that Mr.. Kirby 3
q ins Anity was notorious, and that the will
sb ows that. 1t provides, among other
r tn iDgs, that none of the heirs shall ever
81 Jend any of their money in travel abroad.
All
u THESE FIVE CHILDREN
u were born of women in wedlock, and yet II
q would appear that Mr.. Kirby has been in
J, fluenced to think that there was claim upon
him on their account. Perhaps his vanity
l. was fattered to that point. There is also in
~ the will bequest of some kind to the city
We can't say in what shape, not having seen
G it. The estate is variously estimated at from
., 81, 100000 to 81, 500, 900. The Times, OF yes
terday, having published the rumor that
W Lady Mary Francis and Mr.. Kirby had beer
married by the Rev. Emery, reporter o
&c the Commercial last evening sought Mr.
ell Emery, and obtained from him an unqusli
- fed denial of the statement. He says ht
~ never sew her but once, and that was in the
&c work house. He certainly never united hel
us in marriage to Mr. Kirby. Another point al
So to Mr.. BIrby's insanity: Six years ago an ef
fort was made by some of the heirs to hav'
III a guardian appointed over him, IL
mo- view of the fact that he was squanderini
mentioned. This would have been don
- bad it not been for the resistance of Genera
As Banning to the movement. DIR. Thoma
W. Wood, one of the subscribing witnesses t,
the will of Timothy Kirby, was examined
10. yesterday before Judge Matson, who con
ad stated that his impression was that MI
Kirby brought the will ready signed to hi
'ss Office, but that he acknowledged the sigma
90 ture In the presence of the witness.
ne timer A-As far as could discover from
anything that occurred at the time saw
is the will. did not observe anything irregu
M larry in his mind.
"A Q-Do you know whether anybody per
III suaded him to make the will? A-Eot t.
OF my knowledge. When he came to my offic
I'D L think he was entirely alone. He calle
as on me to witness it as his will, and my sig
cd nature Ia attached to II.
Judge Matthews, on the part of the heirs
cd IN Mt To tha witt
ira who stated that he Is a physician and SUI
geon of about thirty-tour years experience
ST. that he attended Mr.. Kirby q physician.
ng Q-Wben, and how long? Al thin
OF about 1865 or 1889 was first called to sc
ho him, and had occasional calls from him 70
or advice and assistance mp to the time of hi
death.
Q-Where was 1t that you were called o
by him to witness the execution of this will
A-At my house, on Sixth street.
Odd he, at that time, inform you OF th
contents of his will, or any part of it3 A
Net at all. He simply said il was his will
and he wished me TO witness it.
Q-Hsd you, at that time. any reason froI
RI form an opinion In respect to
an BIS MENTAL soUNDNEss?
or Al had no reason from any acts or cor
pe rersation on general subjects, but on par
u t;eular subject / arrived at the conclusion
az he was a monomsniac.
be sQ-What was that subject? Alt was hi
+ being infatuated with woman, and submit
It's ting to such intolerable abuse from her q
he had received at different times. / though
lv norman of rational mind would submit I
% the abuse he received from this woman.
gathered the facts from what he told noe q
ur well as from other sources.
On Q-Who was the woman? A-She wen
mr. by the name of Mrs. Francis. 81 -.
"a Q-What did he tell you about herr A
1u The frst knew Of the matter was after b
- came to my office with broken arm,
~ think in 1870 The arm had been iDjure,
No some days previously, and he at first said b
y. had fallen from ladder. found the arm