New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-24
CONTEST OYER MRS. FILLMoRE'S WILL
pn. GnAY DEcLAnEs HER TO nAvE BEEN INSANE.

Dr. GRAY DECLARES HER TO HAVE BEEN INSANE
rBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRBUSEl
BrFFALO. Oct. 23.-The contest over the will
Of Mr. Mllard Fillmore was rosumol before Surrogate
Ferris to-day There were present A. L. Lamb OF John
son A Lamb Of Brooklyn, and Colonel william Jay, OF
NewYork for the and the attorneys for the
charitable institutions which legatees under the dis
puted will.
DIR. H. r. Hopkins, OF Buffalo who attended the de-
ceased was examined. His certificate Of death was adj
mltted In evidence, as II tailed with tho
opinon OF Dr. Iand0n Carter Gray, OF Nyack'
who gave cause Of death general athcroma The dep
o-on Of Fanny wittcndac, Of Ohio, former servant
WAS read showing profanity and irrational actions on the
tsstarys part The dcpouen left the service OF the de-
ceased at o'clock In the morning and without her
wages for fear OF being stabbed by her mistress
DR. Gray called "A an expert testified, after looking
over the testimony before given that In his opinion
Mrs Fillmore was insane for a long time, the disease
having manifested Itself In various ways which TO his
mind were conclusive evidence He sworn TO exam
inc the testimony and pass upon Juhclhly'
He swore that after grouping the facts sworn
10 by former Witnesses he could clearly discover the
existence of general atheroma from which death ensued
The d asc must have originated about 1876. aud WIS
clearly indicated by "A change IN her actions and character
ANY OF the prominent ac-. such "A change In haDta
should have aroused suspicion Inc evidence ~ ~uole
showed plainly that the deceased was insane thtT yedIs
before death lie said that the testimony OF Mrs Dewey
describing Mrs Fillmore, Wa ~ good description OF AN
insane patient under general ahcrOma ~ he ever heard
The iact of ncrcascdiraoy and excitement. without
fever WAs sufficient indication OF
mental disease Dr. Gray stated that the
whole testimony lifted together 10 make perfect array
Of witnesses against the sanity Of Mrs. Fillmore
Her change In department, swearing, linpa-
tcnce etc. were al important and conclusive
indircs Dr Gray occupies chair In The Long Island
UoapltaI l. visiting physician 10 the FlAbush Insane
Asylum and professional lecturer on mental d'r9ses
Uc has nl.O connection with the New-IOrk Polytechnic
Institute where he uods the chair OF lecturer on nervous
dl.cssea His testimony to-day Judged very conclusive,
and an important point for the cOntcstln- 10 the VII"
The testimony OF Fanny Whittendae Is also Important
The case will continue several days longer, ana DC
summed up before Saturday -, 49, A..
The name the maker OF the contested VIII gives tuo
caee am historical aspect Spencer Clinton grandson OF
ex Governor Dewitt Clinton, appears Tor in tne
validity Of the will. O. Colonel william Jay,
of New-York, s the grandson Of John Jay nTSt
Chief Justice OF the United States. Mrs fl
more was the widow Of an EN-IIe7dent
I"gal opinion here says the looks bad for
sustaining the will DIR. II. Il. Hopkins MIS- Fillmore
% ysian NJ The lime OF her DEATH and Mr.. Lamb had an
Alteration to-day during the littcrs examination, over
some disputed testimony, In which the medical gentleman
wns badly wOrsted.