Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-11-23

>''' "uuse Nndrles Dtnf0rth OF Gardiner,
and Hon. james G.. Blaine, relative to the
sanity of the lag, Ex-Governor Co.
burn. were tak.nAat the Court House
by E. F. Webb. Esq, acting for
the executors of Mr. C,burn's will,
to be used in the hearing before the court at
Skowhegan in December, on the petition of
appeal from the decision of the Judge of
PROBATE OF Somerset country alloxing the
Will. Judge Dascomb of Skowhegan, one of
the executors was present, and d. d. Stewart
Esq.,, appeared for the petitioners
DR.. H. H. HILLS DEPOSITION.
nave practlced medicine in Augusta for 80 years,
ana residing here 30 years; l have not made the
etady OF medicine speciality; have been admit.
ted a. an expert in several legal cases; have made
the diseases OF the mind study in common WITH
tne other branches of medicine; have known the
late Abner Coburn, to The bst of my rec Election.
from 30 to 10 years. Early, my acquaintance with
MIN was casual, but later intimate; attended him
professionally for about l3 or IA years before his
death; think about IL or u years ago he had q
very severe and protracted illness for which a,ten.
ded him p Occasionally most Of the time daily and
sionally, was on the 18th of December,
1884. at skowhegan; on the Sd day Of
tend him at the Augusta House; Mr. Cobsrn
was at all times Of sound mind during my profes.
slonal attendance never discovered anything that
Governor at any time when he was not in my judR.
ment perfectly capable to transact business; have
occasionally m him aboard of the train when was
not IN professional attendance.
| u D. Stewart here took up the examination The
nature OF the sickness Of 13 or IA years ago dis
of the bladder; he suffered from Ihis disease
more or less of the time the remainder of his life
attended him for this disease every year of his life
after the sickness of a years ago; usually at the
the sickness for which attended him Dec Sd, 1884
ut the Augusta House, from severe attack OF
the same disease; the sickness of Dec. 18th. oc
casioned by general prostra.iJn and exhaustion OIL
the system; old age was much concerned In it al
| disease; had no personal knowledge OF any of hi,
business transactions during the years was nc
quainted with him; never had any business transac
tions personally with him eye M in connection with
my treatment Of him. long suffering from any dis
ease tends or may tend to impair the faculties both
mentally and physically for the time being.
Mr.. ARTHUR SEwALL.
The deposition of Mr.. Arthur Sewall, president o
the Maine Central railroad was taken: 81 hav,
been an active director OF the Maine Central rail
| road company about 10 years; acquainted witt
the late Abner Coburn of Skowhegan during hi
lifetime from 30 to 81 years; Gov. Coburn was az on
time the acting president of the Maine Central rail
road met at the directors meetings of the rail
road about once month. except when he was pre-
vented from attending by sickness; the directors
meetings were usually held in Porland the las
time Gov. COburn was present at the directors ct
ing. as near as | Can remember, was In August o
September Of 1884 he always seemed to be deepl
Interested in the Affairs of the Company; had bust
ness and social interviews with him other than tn
business OF the Maine Central railroad cOmpan
every month; had knowledge OF sOme Of his bust
ness affairs but do not want to imply that / ha
knowledge OF all his business affairs; he transacte
business involving large amounts; the last time
! saw him in his lifetime, think was at the last reg
ular meeting of the Maine Central railroad that h
attended, returning from that meeting from Port
land to Brunswick did not at any time observ
any change in his habits or management of bushes
excepting as was occa Toned by physical weakness
did not observe any change in his memory
did not observe anything peculiar about him
l am not able to state how many times Mr.. Cobur
was absent from directors meetings account O
sickness; my business transactions with him wer
principally In stocks and securities. but cannot tel
them all the only tr .nsactions can remember nov
were in Maine Central, Topeka Western bonds
and Eastern Railroad stock; l am unable to stat
, the exact amounts and dates; according to my bes
recollection, Maine Central bonds were sod in larg
amounts tor the company from 1881 up to the tim
of his death, am u ,able to state the aggregate
the amount OF the Top la & Western was S25, 0OO
which bought at his reqn"st, he afterwards takn
them according TO an asf'ement between u.s. ON
thousand shares OF Eastern stock We're sold In 1858
the Topeka Il Western was sold in 1854 think, bu
am not sure am unable TO state what was paid 70
the Maine Central bonds the last know, that vi
paid par Tor, was a Maine Central per cent sinking
fund bond am not sure whether they were sold Il
him or his executors think he subscribed for then
before his death: he paid tor the Topeka Western
bonds. | think 90 cents on dollar; he paid $40
share for the Eastern Railroad stock; think it wa
in the early part oil 1903.
JUDGE CHARLES DANFoRTH.
formerly resided in Norridgewock, aud was &C
quainted with the late bner Uburn upward of fift
Years; saw him in Aug. 1884 at Skowhegan, ant
could not say certain that law him at any othe
time than that year saw him twice in August,callet
tine first day at his house IN answer 10 a hote re
ceved from him; he wished TO see me in regart
to some papers, and found the object to be to con
suit me in regard his will. When l first went il
he was enga !ed with another person doing some
, writing; when that was completed he excused tn,
gentleman. then turned TO and sta ed his object
which was to consult me about his will. could mo-
meet him that afternoon but agreed to meet him thu
next morning; after some further conversation
left him, and met him the next morning at min,
O'Clock: the Will was then prodneed' ne said NJ
as to the wording of the will at his request the will
was then read to me by Judge Dascomb; he asked i
had any suggestions to make rs to the changing o
the form of the will; told him no, not so far i
went; that If understood mis- purpose thought L
would be better to make an addition, he said such
was his in enton and proposed to put 1t in codicil
| told him this would do; then he said he proposed
to reduce some of the legacies rs he imposed thu
legacies must come to the property; answered o
ton, in which he stated particularly the change IL
the legacies; we also had some conversation in re
gard TO the executors In which he expressed do
Whether he would drop out two who were named il
the will (there were three named) and add two
Others or add two without dropping out any; no re
ply was made to that, with the exception that o.
course he could do he pleased he then mentioned
Mr.. weston's name for one; he said that he was &C
Quainted with the numbering business, anu cieA
| headed business mao he then asked me II woult
take the DO ition of one; objected and gave hin
some reasons; that was not acquainted with thu
business; that did not sign any bonds, and couldn'
ask anyone to sign with me; he then said that h,
wished me as a legal adviser; told him that could
act as such as well without being an executor; b.
said he preferred having me as executor, because
nv opinion came with authority it would have
more influence over the Others did not raise an,
objections and the matter dropped there; he theI
asked Judge Dascomb to make the codicil; the mex
morning met him at the same place with the SAME
persons present; the codicl was read by Judge Das
comb with the excepto on of the portion relating u
the executors; did not hear that read; he suggest
ed no alterations. did there was some genera
conversation at both these interviews, and think
further conversation in regard to the nature and Ell
fects of the will occurred, which cannot clearly re
member at this time; was not present at the exc
cuon of the codicis: he assented to my suggestion
that the legaces were largely In lumber lands;
| understood him to mean by saying that the 1egacies
must come to the property that since the will was
made he had met with losses; lie alluded to one OF
the legacies he said had been pad-that to Coourr
Classical Institute Waterville; in neither of the
| interviews did l observe any loss OF memory;
thought he spoke more fe, bly, than usual; saw nc
change mentally; 90 not remember that he saio
anything at either of these interviews
about the estate of Philander Coburn OF
any losses that had occurred under MI
management of it; he said nothing about having
made losses by bad investments; should infer from
had been considerable shrinksge in his property;
have no direct knowledge of the loss OF nearly half
million dollars in a single investment made oy MN
L h. I w