The New York herald., 1879-02-14
ASherIh' Jury Investigating the Old Nler-
chant and Anxious About Fees.
HOSTS OF RELATIVES ON HAND.
A Schedule of Property Worth Nearly
Million Dollars at Par
THE OLD MANS HABITS.


A. Ward, chief of the Lunacy Commission raped
the large audi to order and with his associates,
DR.. Ayres and Mr. Charles A. Townsend, proceeded
with the examination in re Wells. ian alleged luna
tic" In the crowded chamber were many men
prominent in various walks of life Among Others
were noticed Patrick Campbell, Chief of Police;
Judge Gilbert G. J. Bergen, Senator Person. John T.
Howard. Rev. Mr. Storrs, Father Mcguire, l.. +. Chit
tenden, ex-Judge Dittenhoefer Adrian Van Snderen,
president of the Brooklyn Library; c. II. De Camp.
A. W. Tenney, Colonel Ward. Luther r. Marsh.
Henry Beam, r. w. Ropes and Melancthon Terry
MIR. Wells was represented by Messrs. Marsh and
Kent and by perfect raft" of his cousins whom
he now numbers by the DOZENS The complainant,
a second cousin represented by Mr.. Sibley, also
second cousin and all the principal journals OF
the day assigned seats at the reportoria tables
THE sHERIFF's
A very remarkable collection of men, four Of whom
arc bald Us eggs and six of whom have venerable
gray boards, occupy the jury box. They are nearly
all known the .'Sheri's regulars. and sit in all
the cases in which that official One of them is
ex-Unied States Marshal Campbell. but the rest are
unknown to fame. majority of the jurors are i'm
patient at the protractedness of the investigation,
and one them says boldly that if they think he is
''coming here five days for ST. they are very
greatly mistaken.
THE DEAR RELATIONS.
As if to verify Mr. Wells assertion that the
heavens raining cousins. the court room con-
tanned variety of relatives and a number Of init
mate friends. 1t evident that the non appear
ance of the venerable defendant q of I'M
easiness to them and to their counsel; so much so.
in fact, that before the proceedings closed formal
requsition made, and he shortly after made his
presence felt On one side of the enclosure sat all
the Ruckles on the other the Tafts and the Sib
leys.
THE PROCEEDINGS.
After an apology for his impatence and an expana-
tion in vindication Of red-headed man, who
supposed to be interloper. but proved to be
juror Cousin George Sibley called his first witness,
the Rev. Joseph wberforce Lee. Being examined,
he said:--I am rector of Episcopal church in
Bristol. Pa: have known Mr.. Wells about twelve
years; 1 visited him fellow boarder; am not
relative; l have him every day for FIVE years;
know him as intimately ever knows fellow
boardsr he has been in my room and l in his: L
have advised him. not spiritually but socially; for
four years his conversation coherent and loose,
day way the next the other; I talked
investments and money; he talked about BoIe-
ward and lie Roy street property and then on stock;
he decidedly mixed; never had a consecutive
Conversation with him; he did not appear to be able
TO carry it on; his chief habit parsmony; his
costume indecent Que time went to Boston; when
came home my drawers and desk were locked, and
j found that Mr.. Wells had my keys and had tax
them to fit his drawers; he said he had been knocked
down by horse: mis- finger was badly hurt; he often
do he said; he got barber to prescribe; one
night 1 found that Mr. Wells not home
him. next morning l found he had been
home and gone away; after dinner went to
occurred again I'll have u guardian appointed; he
said he had been at Albany, hut as can get
at It he didn't 50 to Albany; he spoke about his WILL
months; advised him for three four years to
make will, ana have told him he ought to do some
thing about his property; he said his lawyers had
Lis will, refused to tell me who they and that
they didn't wish their names known because they
wished to conclude 1t before it was known, and that
when perfected he would show it; he never showed
1t; the impression made my mind is that he is in
irrational condition; his mind is weakening like
that of Old men, and is weaker than that of many
men OF his age have seen
cRossFxAMINArIoS.
On crossexamination the witness sad:--I had no
money tran Lsactions with Mr.. Wells and gave him
monetary advice; / was not his guardian scolded
him and threatened proceedings; Miss Rrnlle and
were not pqued because we couldn't find out where
he went; he WIS not close mouthed think he would
have told me II he knew: 1 never was troubled by
the shrieking demons about the Delavan House;
asked Mr.. Wells to make will aud made no sugges
tons; said nothing about his hope hereafter II he
the of Mr. Wells loss OF memory; do not
know that he has ever lost any money; far j
knew then nc had the capacity to retain what he had
the ability to acquire.
To the court-As late as four or five months ago
advised him to make will.
Then you thought HIM unable to make will at
that timer
"Yes, sir"
"And you advised him to make will when you
Thought he was not ables"
what was peculiar about his eating at tabeY'
Nothing special, except that he had to be treated
BooKKEEpKRs TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Wallace y johnson, pleasant featured young
man, wa. then questioned by Mr.. sbiey and cross
examined by Mr.. Marsh, AZ follows:-I reside In New
York and am bookkeeper in Union National Bank;
keep to ledger and have Tor three years; that
includes Mr. Wells account; he has had an account
there at least twelve years: he had transactions
weekly and kept a small account, about average
OF $1,000 balance; l have known him since was
in the bank; have talked with hin business
Inatters: / remember that teller asked me IL
Si,5OO check good. and j said It was not Mr..
Wells asked what was THE matter; told him his
count was deficient $500; he asked what his
balance was and said between 500 and $500. and
that had credited him with his recent deposits,
against which he had drawn 5000 he said he had not
drawn it; showed him the check and hc laughingly
said it was his; he looked at it and found it was in
dorscd By Mr. Kent.
What kentp
A. W. Kent, his lawyer the check had been paid
aweek before this conversations; he then asked what
TO do; said deposit 81. 800 give us your check on
the Trust Company; he and Mr.. Coet then went
away together; the next check tor s40o for
taxes; II was not good Wells came In and wanted
S27 there then; the tar man asked what he should
uo Wells laughed, and they went out togethcr it
was mover paid; 1t was slegibe to me. but not egi
Bile as others OF his making; down TO these times
Wells had been very correct In his accounts he fre
quently brought in a memorandum OF his balance.
and was always rights in the last year OF two he
hasn't had good a memory; it was always hard TO
talk with him; he couldn't always express his ideas
tAtHlg abu lFcelyf ne seemed 10 know Wnat nc
wanted to say his manner was 80 hesitating that
couldn't always understand him; he struck me an
odd mai; think Mr. Wells is irrational aid OF un-
sound mind, aud not capable TO manage his own AZ
fairs, and should not to deal with him for that
To the Court-His deposit slips always cor
rect only remember three ovcrdrafts-ll since last
spring; the has not been active since them
he has probably drawn fifteen twenty checks
since last June, and made eight or ten deposits In
eight months.
10 Jurol--He grew to be quite untidy in personal
appearance.
WITCH KNOWS.
Mr. George ID. Fitch, an elderly man, was then called
aud testified with great aacrits, az fouwsil reside
in New York and secretary OF the Farmers Loan
aud Trust Company was formerly ~ Mr.. Wells
employ and have known and dealt with him he dealt
with the Trust company very great change has
taken place in few years lac had no clear ideas Last
June thought he was altogether out OF the way lac
said he had Icrre Uaute bonds. but he niunibed
had dozen names aud did not seem to comprehend