The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-09
DIR. FREDERICK HALLS WIFE.
SHOCKING SETTLEMENTS IN ANOTHER
CONTESTED VIII CASE

Again, aud from whom he was Again d.
vo-ced-A story Of the Proponents
Dr. Frederick Hall Of Stratford Conn.,,
married about eight years ago. He lived with
his wife four years. and then he obtained n di-
vorcc. In the latter part of 1876 he married
Mary @. Baker who died Jan. IL. 1878. He ro-
married his first wife on the goth OF the follow
ing April. Again he obtained a divorce from
her. and il is now said that he is married again.
Ills wife who died is ono OF six children. among
whom fortune. said to- he nearly 81 900 900. was
divided. but her fathers will provided that the
properly should not be divided by the executors
unit 1880. She made will. it is testified. Just
nftcr receiving n stroke OF paralysis on July Is.
1877. bcqurathing the most Of her inheritance
to her husband. Afterward. on July a. she
made another will Of the same tenor or this
will her brothers and sisters are now seeking to
prevent the probate in the Surrogates Court in
this city. on the ground Of undue influence 10y
her husband and the additional ground that she
was not OF sound mind.
Sarah Connolly testified that she was n ser
want in the house OF Mrs. Mary q. Halls father
in Fourteenth street before her marriage. Al
ter her marriage she heard DR.. Hall tell his
wife that he had killed her brolher-in-law. Mr..
Gilbert She cried bitterly. and he allowed her
70 believe the story for about one hour The
witness had frequently heard Mrs. Halls
screams Wnlle ner nuSpalu wis ulhEklnN utT
all over the floor. Mrs. Hall told the witness
that her husband had treated her with shock
ing indecency in the presence Of two Of
his male friends. The witness gave the
details as they had been told to her.
These scenes nre alleged to have taken
place in the Fourteenth street house. Subse-
uucntly the Doctor and hrs wife removed 70
beventy-nrst street where they liv,dtrn weeks.
and then went n reside AZ Derby. Conn. in tho
Same house with his mother and stepfNner, Mr.
Nltslnlls IA ID
Mrs. Hall lying on the floor. CRYING. and WAS
told by her that her husband had thrown her
down Several times the witness had seen the
Doctor drag his wife down stairs 10y her feet.
Mlrs. Nichols always laughed when she saw
Mrs. Nichols 10000. The witness testified
that Mrs. Hall had told her she would rather
Nichols instructed the servants always TO leave
the door OF Mrs. Halls room open. although
Ellen Connolly sister Of Sarah. was also
servant in the house, She test He'd that she was
N the room at the time Mrs. Hall was eNp9Ssed
witness fed down to the kitchen. but even there
che could hear the screams and cries OF Mrs.
Hall 81 the outrage on her feelings Once she
saw DIR. Hall take n handful of hot gsiddle
cakes on the kitchen stove and slap his wlfe's
face with them. He followed his wife out OF
the kitchen and tried 10 force them into her
mouth. though they were 50 hot that BE- could
hardly hold them in MS hand. Mr.. Hall cried
ngreat deal OF the time aud often expressed
lear Of her husband and OF his mother. Mrs.
Dr. Eiwin d. Mooney Of stratforl. Connect
cut. testified that he saw Mrs. Hall there on Aug.
~, nineteen days after she had made the Will.
When her husband was then asked whether
paralysis had effected her mind he said that
she didn't know putty DR.. Mooney spoke TO
her, but she made no reply ami. as far as he
could tell. she didnt recognlzs him. Her iacc
wore a vacant look. Her husband told the Wit
ness that he thought her paralysis had been the
result q. her drinking siN glasses ut lie water
with very short Intervals brtween them;
The contestants claim that though Mrs. Hall
never iuily recovered the us" OF hrr reason. yet
she gradually improved after the fret ell cts OF
the stroke. Hence they argue that If she was
unsound OF mind on Aug. ~. when DR. Mooney
saw her. she was In all probability IN worse
condition when she made her last Will. nineteen
days previously. In December when DR..
Alooney saw her. she would answer questions.
but only by yes or no. or other very snort
answer. She would never begin conversation.
DIR. Mooney had seen Mrs. Hail before she re-
ceved her stroke Of paralysis His opinion was
that she was not person vino would ever take
the lead in anything. but who would always iol-
low the suggestions ~ somebody else, Or.
tnry capacity when he saw her on Aug II. He
had not seen her in July. nor previously TO the
18th in August
Joseph Dufour. a harness maker. was the
man who, in Stratford. on Aug. IL asked pr
Hall, in DR.. Moneys presence. whether his
wife's mind had been effected 10y the paralysis.
didn't know putty, He testified that on that
cated person, Her head kept falling to one
eide. DR.. Hall told Mr. butour and DR.;
Mooney. ON this occasion. that his wife had
made u will leaving him the most OF her in
hcritancei Re added th.t II he could keep her
divide the property among the heirs he would
Mrs. Tyelina i. Hall OF s,ratiord. the twico
divorced wife Of DR.. Hall. dresses in black. Her
face expresses melancholy anu her EYES. when
She is not speaking. or listening intentiy. have
lar away look She Is about 80 years old and
You were divorced second time from DR..
III believe So" was her answer. delivered
with considerably more energy than her an
pcarance anu manner Indicated that she pos
Then she testified that while she and DR..
Hall Were living together for the second time he
had told her That his second wii-'s mind was
very weak; that It was shattered. indeed, by the
stroke Of paralysis; IL" also told ner he had
dictated n grent deal Of what was written down
a. her will. He said that he suggested 10 her
that she ought 10 remember his mother Char
lily Nichols and that she made no objections a.
his suggestions. She had not much mind Of her
lie said" the witness continued. that she
was very different from me ~ that respect"
The witness had thrown of her look Of mel
anchOly. ana the sharp ton" IN winch she made
the last rrmark made tn au Hence laugh.
On her cross-cNnnination she testified thai
the hrst divorce was not obtained against hei
for hubitud drunkenness.
What then wis The cause p she was asked
decline 10 answer" WAS the reply.
summons IN the case was produced at the
sugg"stion OF the opposing lawyer, on which
husband. DR.. Hairs lawyer SAID he would bt
able To prove that tile cause was habtual
drqnkecnness II tho point should become mate
rial. tn" witness admitted TINT aspiration fot
the appointment OF a con~"rvatOr was made
under the laws IF Connecticut in her behalf, hui
that the movement was 10 prevent her husband
from getting possession al her property. She
had frst seen Dr. Hal after ms second wife's
Death in April of the same year. Ihey were
remarked on April 20. She denied that she
married him the second time because sh,
thought he was going 10 get his second wilr's
property On the contrary. she understood hr
would not get IT, He himself often told her that
he had a bad show To get IT,
Eliza Wagner. who was cook in Mary @. Halls
fathers iumIiy before Mary WIS married, trsii-
fled that Mary WAS thpn about 30 years old. Shr
seldom went ont unless her iuthrr was with her
She used To ask the spirit % her mother foi
money. Sometimes She would say, look INK up
" That Is the spirit of my mother" or That l.
the spirit Of my cousin" She told the witness
that the spirit OF her mother had lett some
money Tor her in II drawer. She took money
from this drawer occasionally To buy cologne
toOthhrushrs a.. aud when she Eot money
from her father To buy clothing with, she would
take enough out 81 IT, MS sh" explained, 70 pas
back the spirit of her molhcr She dad this hS
putting back in the drawer the same amount
she had taken out TINS testimony was obJect
ed 10 on ia" ground That it showed merely tina
Mrs. Hall was before her marriage believer II
spirtunlism.
The Surrogate said ne ali not consider a be-
lief in spirituallsm evidence Of an unsOunc
mind but that no Intelligent spirliudsi woul'