National Republican., 1885-04-25
ADMIRAL powELL's MIND.
Evidence Bearing Upon His Testa-
mentary Capacity when His Will

The contest over the will Of Admiral
Powell was not concluded in the circuit
court yesterday, and will be resumed next
Monday. Miss Mary Weeks testified that
the admiral had said that If he could not
get Mrs. Stewart out of the house he
would break up and live in Aiken, 8. c.
Susan Hill, colored, testified that Mrs.
Stewart forbid her giving the clothing of
the admiral to Mrs. Brand to mend. This
closed the testimony of tho caveators.
T. i. Crogan. the admiraPs clerk, in
June, 1884, testified for tho propounders
of the will that the admiraps mind, up to
a short time before his death, was in such
n condition that he was able to attend to
business. He had never heard of Mrs
Colmesnil until recently. The Misses
Weeks were frequent visitors at the
house, and after they had left on one
occasion, the admiral said that they had
'enfiladed" him, both talking at one time.
He identified check of the admiraPs
drawn by the witness, DIR. Addison writ
ing the admirals name, and the latter
making his mark.
DR.. James &. Walling said he knew the
admiral very we'll, and whom he saw him
in October last his mind seemed perfectly
whether the Columbian University would
take charge of the trust to promote edu-
cation for the navy and merchant mi srine,
and he was struck at the time with the
admiraPs intellectual vigor.
Gates Thornton testified that the ad-
miral had twenty-five or thirty cousins,
seven of them Powells. Tho admiral
spoke Of his business to some extent, and
also of his relatives and of one branch Of
the family he educated. On one oc-
casion, over year ago, while engaged in
private conversation with the admiral,
the latter heard some one enter the room,
and the latter asked who IL was. Wit
ness answered it was Mrs. Stewart, and
the admiral said he was having a private
conversation with Gates, and she with
drew. His mind was then perfectly clear.
On his last visit witness found him very
feeble. On the last day of his life Mrs.
Stewart, Miss Condor, and witness were
standing over his bed discussing whether
thoy should give him medicine, and the
admiral raised his head and said: Fol
low the doctors instructions" This was
within six or seven hours of his death.
Rev. DIR. Addison testified that he ad-
ministered the communion to the adnii'
raj; found him in bed sick and feeble;
eonversed and prayed with him. Spoke
TO him about the communion. and the
admiral was reluctant He asked why,
aud the admiral said Business first"
Then the check for 800 for witness and
his associate was brought in and it was
signed. Witness then administered the
communion, and at the end of the prayers
the admiral responded audibly amen"
There was no suggestion made for post.
ponement of the communion.
Judge c. D. Drake testified to lengthy
acquaintance with the admiral, who con-
suited him about his affairs. He had
never seen Mrs. Stewart drink.
Wm. B. Webb testified to being counsel
for the admiral and writing tho will
There WAS no intellectual failure ap-
parent, and he never knew man moro
capable of making will.
This closed the testimony, and the
caveators will put in their rebuttal on
Monday.