The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-16
JONATHAN WELLS'S STORY.
THE RCCENTRIC OLD BACHELOR TIES.
TIBYING ron HIMSRLK
Undergoing nm FsnninRticn by his seeona
Cousin Intended to show him Insane 0ueer
Replies that Made the Auditors Smile.


undergoing nm FxRnination by his seeo-a
Cousin Intended to show him Insane -Oueer
Replies that Made the Auditors smiio.
There was great throng In tho Supreme
Court. Chambers. In Brooklyn, yesterday. al
the examination Of Jonathan Tremaine Wells
the aged straw goods merchant OF lit Maiden
lane. whose second cousins are trying TO prova
that he ia unable to care for his large fortuna
and seeking TO have him declared insane. tha,
a committee may be appointed to manage his
affairs. Mr. George f. Sibey. Mr. wellss 500
ond cousin called Mr.. Wells as a witness. Mr..
Wells took seat on the Judges bench beside
the Commissioners He gave prompt answers
to the questions. and his mind seemed to grasp
quickly the significance Of any inquiry; but his
answers we're occasionally rambling and clear.
ly Incorrect. The petitioners counsel the wit.
ness's cousnl applied tests to his memory Of
persons. places. and times. skipping rapidly
from one subject to another Mr.. Luther II
Marsh. Mr.. Wells's counsel pronounced tho
method OF ,examination unfair and unkinds
Mr.. Wells leaned forward on his cane. and
spoke with much emp3hass m He caused amvse.
mer cousins" The construction Of hts sen.
tences was good. but his greatest dificul,I
ative lengths OF different pcriods OF time. In
substance his testimony was rs follows;
. was born IN 1900. am IL years old. and
live at so Woodruff street where have lived
for twelve years. know my fellow hoarders,
but cannot remember the names. They do
not live in the same house but in the vicinity.
am in what IL called the palm leaf business,
buy up cuba palm leaf and sell II to th.
not been brisk for some six or eight months. ]
haven't had anything to do with my business
sioners. a MIR. Van Sinderen. has locked up mi
store door and the street door 80 that cant
assisted them, but was not personally ac,
quanted with them
York. New Haven and Hartford Railroad Com.
pany about seventy-four shares. They wer,
worth about 1G9 when | last had report
New Haven road. They are not worth 80 much
IA the others. l don't think Of any more promi.
IN e% months
| who owns them now. / should snv tha' '""'
Inv" "', 10, n my ownership for ,.p years oi
| mere. have got three lots in the Ninth Waro
OF Brooklyn, running from Greenwich 70 Wash.
ington street. There are some poor old build.
iings on them. own some oil stock. known ~
| was formerly productive, but for some years H
hasn't been productive. for the wells have DO
| come exhausted. They have been drained bl
other companies. and they don't produce bar.
! rel week. had some land in Michigan. scat
| lercd through the state. about six acres In Eas
| Hartford township and l own somo lands abou
Jackson. Miss.
MY mothers maiden name was Perley Taft
very old fashioned name. She is still alive
| but my father has been dead long time. MI
mother IS SO years old. shall be 80 years ole
on the nlhth day OF next september. i hav
| neither brothers nor sisters: they are all deae
| and gone long ago; | was disabled some tim,
ago by, being struck. with hoof OF the hors,
| not much hurt"
On being questioned further about his stock
Mr. Wells said that all Of his books were out o
his hands, and he oouldnttell anything about i
IN Mr. sioIeym,Have you employed any ono
Mr. Mursh-I object. A mans will is q sacrot
thing. 1t is a secret which he keeps in his owl
| MIR 9iblev Withdraw bia ounation
| MIR; Sibley asked the witness about his sisters
| cousins. uncles, aunts and parents and Mr.
| incorrect, his second cousin George shook hiI
head and bit his lips, Mr.. Wells seemed nstrai
George told him that no didn't understand hk
| meaning Mr.. Wells said. " There is nothing
knows whrs the % Wall n Street bnnE one
Mr.. sibley-Do you know what power OF at
MIR. weils-I used to think did hut don't
proless TO be an expert intnow. It's general
| Mr.. Siblcy-Do you know what chock is1
| Mr Wells-Of course; everybody knows wha
| Mr.. Silloy What 10 you DO with chcck1
| Mr.. Wclls-I generally destroy II when nnd
no further Use Tor IL. or use IL Tor reference.
MI; Wells WIS asked to pick out his first cou
| sin. Mr.. WIN. Taft. and two or thrce men stood
up together, ono of them boing Mr.. Tnn lie
readily, SOLICITED his cousin from tho number
orya IT, and % Mr sey~ SsEoS yDs wGo iHSH Is IL S
Mr: Mells-l should think that that was AN
/ olltI lulnlly fflttlNe.
| Mr.. Marsh refused to examine Mr. Wells un.
| I'll the latter was less exhausted.
Dr. Charles Corey testified that he had heard
| all OF tho testimony. and had for three or foul
| hours on the day before sat at the elbow OF Mr.
Wells In court Ii9 had made personal OK.
| animation OF Mr.. Wells out Of court. and on
| Friday evening had Il conversation OF iorty-flye
| minutes with MIR. Wells. Their talk WAS on
| great number Of topics. including his hus moss
| his health. his physical condition. his relatives
| and tho proceedings in progress. From what
| he had seen OF Mr. Wells. and IRON what he lad
| heard without reference TO his professional cx.
| perlencc ~ an expert. tho witness deemed MIR.
| Wells irrational. Of unsonnd mind. and unable
| TO take care Of his own affairs
| On cross examination DIR. Corey said that no
| one had engaged him to come into the case lie
| came voluntarily. without Il subpoena. He ID
usunlly paid by the lawyers for testiiyng rs an
expert and he trusted to their generosity,