The New York herald., 1878-11-28
DAVID HARRISON'S WILLS.

THE ISLAND FUND PROJECT REJECTED-THE
1.-TWO WHITE FEMALE ORPHANS" NOT PROVIDED
FoR-sUnRoGArE DALEY DECIDES THAT DE-
CEASED WAS OF UNsoUND MIND WHEN HE
MADE THE PROVISIONS
Surrogate Daley. Of Kings county, yesterday rem
dercd decision in the of the contested wills Of
David Harrison. the eccentric lawyer of Brooklyn.
who died in February last at the age of eighty years.
leaving six wills. In five Of these wills Harrison
made provisions for the purchase of Round Island
and Harbor Island, in the upper harbor Of New
Rochelle. and directed that they should be used as
burial ground for his family. He also set aside the
sum Of $4,000. which to be used by his ex.
ecusors in educating .two white female children
born in lawful wedlock." In each Of these 1--WE wills
he makes but very slight provision for his
wife and son. although in one previously made he
bequeaths to them his entire fortune some $T5 O0O
When the latter will was filed in the Surrogate's
Court the others discovered and then ensued a
lively contest. the widow and her pushing their
claims with great energy Twenty-scvcn days were
spent in the taking of testimony and many witnesses
were examined. 1t was proven conclusvely that dur
ing the period in which the five wills referred to
above made the tcstator was wholly irrespons-
bic for his acts: that his mind completely unbal
anccd. and that he often becane so violent ~ to
jcopardize the lives of those about him. The Sur
rogac in his decision sets aside these ve Wills and
admits to probate the previously made by Mr.
Harrison by which his wife and into posses
THE suanoaATE's DECISION.
Following is the Surrogate's decision:-
mss Of t. ' s %
oas making
I
long proposed w the tcsator and 70 provide pSPs
was pet scheme Of his The testater lawyer by
Strong passions great Ilc exct
able and times unconrclabe I. not purpose TO
empiaed charity concerned that after d
S" duration s y ~ ihs held valid: -
sr1 him ~ s
,hs advice and nformA attorney that
he did no, hnoT nSw ssSw T ~ deem the s seM sc
had for boon subject 20 FITS IN which At
Win he decay faculties rssusns .e"s dement's
the possessed of his proper and
had not been for several preceding M death These
evidence the able arrumcn the respective
The for the q y hs ass w has been very
pertinent 70 the case but deem the evidence Of the tcs,a
able doubt.
quite number cf years the faculties were
In such condition that he failed to recognise times his
wldcen, his ilamediate surrcundnes thai he
90 linn % % to or
turned from place. that on occasions whom n.
upon crrand he forgot entirely the of
and when VI explained TO him denied that
hc such purpose He Is shown to have been OF
an irritable temper At least during tho period covered by
the making Wills, aud would not himself 60
be his purposes II s alec shown that various
occasions In u which
no man of his would acted
Very who know Mr. Harrison for
time failed observe somehing peculiar la
his conduct witness after testying hts long
auaintnueo with Mr. Harrison aud that he had
three the tcsatcr assaulted him with
ont eau pursued him with knife Tn occasion
,ed g throw the same witness overheard
into III. and there desperate struggle between
them Ia which however the witness huaii, preyscd on
account Of his superior strength The deceased also
shoot the witness The latter s also shown to
have that the deceased insane and ought 10 have
been ~ u iunatc asylum. -
One OF these Wills dated sSptembcr 1875, appears TO be
in mutilscd condition In this will Annie Connors,
young girl about eighteen of that tne tho
his housck Is named executrx and
trustee The dcccssed IL showed this will ~ his
wife in his During tho latter OF
his life stems taken 60 have committee appointed
eccssed but his approaching dissolution rendered
tnis unnecessary.
The foregoing Of the facts ccitcd which have
intueuc coming present IL
that many fhngs said aud done BY deceased
rational This often the
beet marked cases Ut insanity.
Tho best the Court do 10 carefully consider the