The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-12
DIR. FREDERICK HALLS WIFE
MISS MARY BfKERS MIhRTIGE, HER
FORTUNE. AND HER WILL
The First Colored Medical Expert In n Court
Looking m In Astonishment while IA Pnra.
lyzed Woman was Writing her signature.

The first Coiored Medical Expert In a Court
Looking m In Astonishment white "a Pnra-
Iyzed Womnn was writing her signature.
G. Van Rensselaer, Crcod, VI. D.. the first
colorcd physician who ever testified in amy
court in the United States and probably in tho
world. as n medical expert was the principal
witness in the Surrogate Court yesterday. He
was called to give evidence concerning tho will
Of Mrs. Mary g. Hail. wife Of DR.. Frederick
Hall. Tho will purports to have boon made by
Mrs. Hall. leaving the bulk 10 hcr property to
her husband. Frederick Hall who offers tho
will for probate Mrs. Hall was formerly Miss
Mary @. Baker. ono Of the children Of Mr..
James Baker n retired merchant Of this city,
who loft a fortune OF million dollars
Mt his death. to be diyldvi among his
family. The share that fell to Mary was about
slj0.000. but as she was not considered mental
ly capable Of managing her own affairs the
property was placed In tho charge OF trustees
for her benefit In July. 1877. however. she be-
came sufficiently fond u DR.. Frederick Hall to
marry him. Her friends say that tho marriage
was the result OF undue influence exercised by
him to secure her fortune. and that he was
heard to say that she could not live i've years.
and then ho would got tho money. They also
say that he was engaged to a young woman in
securing Miss Mary Bakers fortune DR.. Hall
denies this. and says that it was a
love match, melted IN pnrt by his compassion
for Miss Baker He had been practising medi-
cine in Stanford and Derby, Conn. and on July
Is. 1877, took his wifc To drive from Derby to
visit ut the residence OF Henry 4. Glagmnn in
New Haven. The day was exceedingly suliry.
and Mrs, Hall was mucn fatigued and over
heated. She incautiously pNrtook OF four or
five gpblcts 81 lee water. DIR. Hall went away
from the house on some GRAND and on his re-
turn iound ms WHO unconscious. her lower Jaw
dropped. her eyes Fixed with Vacant stare.
DIR. Creed was summoned. He found her face
drawn to Que side; and the vacant stare and
other symptoms indicating paralysis, She was
sp"echlcss. in u com0tuse state with dissolu-
ton last approaching and unable To recognize
| anybody. While she was in this condition, Or.
Creed says. Mr.. Hall brought n lawyer to the
bedside. drew up = Will. and obtained from her.
what he says was the Acknowledgement Of its
| her husband placed tho pen in her hand. which.
guided by his own. wrote the signature to the
| DIR. Creed looked on In establishment.
Mrs. Hall did not improve. She was removed
| to Derby. Two or three days afterward another
| will was drawn and. hcr husband says. executed
| by her, making substantially tho Same dispose
non 81 ne, mr. opr9p7eTV ms VII, which WAS WAS
| rogate Calvin Tor probate. and the evidence in
| lis favor 50 far. as IL usual In such cascs. Is
! 10 prove that she cXccuted the instrument.
The relatives of Mrs. Hall who contest the
| will, brought down DIR. Greed 70 give his tcsti-
| mony of the ,ircrlmstnncas under which the
| ~ the time Of making the first will Mrs. Hall
| had no mental capacity Tor making n Will that
| She was unconscious, not "ugntIlnt NJ anything
! that was going on around her; that she could
! not articulatc words that her tongue wns par
aly2ed ami rigid. and the mus les Of the right
| side Of her body were useless He was not oul y
| positive that she was not mentally capable OF
| max INK VIII at That time. but that she could
! not have recovered within two or three days
| after her return To- Derby 80 ~ to b. mentally
| 1T To mako the Will in question ON July n. ns
| alleged by her husband. \ rigid crQSs-eXami-
| nation failed To- shake DR.. Creed. He was in a
| measure currohnratI hy Lawyer Ballan. who
| ncsscs that DR. Hall had said 10 his wife when
| tie viii Of Feb. II was signed. Mary, | want
| YOU To- know what you are doing, and that she
| a-sentcl only hv grunting out something. but
that from a medical point OF view she could moi
| be called conscious.
The testimony was not completed when tho
| Surrogate adjourned the hearing. II IL under
stood that Dr. Hall Intends to offer evidenc,
| that his wfr recovered sufficiently upon her re-
| turn 10 Derby To make her will while in q
sound and disposing state Of mind and
| memory
Dr. Creed who enjoys tho distinction Of being
| the first coored medical expert. Is a graduate
| a. surgeon in the Thirty-hrst United States
| colored troops. He had his parchment with
| him yesterday, ready Ia be produced should his
| standing be questioned on cNAni n zion
Ito recalls with pride and gratitude his collcg,
| laws. aud especially remembers thu kind treat
! ment 81 some ~ his classmates who wer'
| Southerners. and with whom he maintained
pleasant relations 10y CORES pondence for years
| Ono whoiesouled Southerncr he gratefully re-
calls who made friendly advances by visiting
his room and rendering the use OF his library q,
a token OF good feeling.