Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-22
A STRANGE OLD MAN.

A STRANGE OLD MAN.
Idiosyncrasies of DIR. Isaac L. Nicholson'
Uncle, Which Led to a Contested Will.
BALTIMORE, April 2l.-The trial of {
most remarkable will case was completed
in the Court of Common Pleas Of this city
today. Gustavus Nicholson died March
10, 1885, aged y years, leaving an estate
of$l6O0O0. he was a bachelor. By hi:
will he bequeathed all his estate, except a
few triAing legacies, TO his brother, Isaac L.
Nicholson, head of the banking house
Of Nicholson & Co, one Of the
Oldest in Baltimore. Gustavus
had until 1860 been connected
with the same banking. house, but on the
breaking ont of the war he retired and
went to Earope. Immediately on the pro-
baton of the will the children of
John j. Nicholson, another brother, deter
mined to contest. They conduct bank
ipg-house under the name oil j. j. Nicho!-
son 4 Sons. and make social pretensiops
far beyond those OF their uncles, Isaac and
Gustavus. Among the sons is the Rev
DR.. Isaac L. Nicholson, Jr, of Philadel
phta, who was last year elected bishop of
Indiana, but declined the honor. His
brothers and sisters are Mrs Frederick
Shriver, Mrs. DR.. B. B. Brown, Mrs j. Nc
Kenney White, Charles G. Nicholson, An
drew j. Nicholson and John Fl. K Mich.
olson, all Of Baltimore.
These nephews and nieceS testified that
their uncle lived alone, his only attendant
being male nurse, in the upper back
room Of bis large house in fashionable
quarter Of the city, and that he had an in.
ordinate passion for cata. He would keep
as many as @ dozen in his room and in his
bed, and they would have kittens in his
sheets. AS consequence, the room reek-
ed with pollution, aud the stencil from the
cats filled the house.
Rev DR.. Issac l.. Nicholson, Jr., testi.
fed that in 1888, when his maiden aunt,
sister of bis uncle Gustavus was lying
dead in the house, be visited his uncle and
found him in pitiable, maudln condition
He a,kt alter the health of DR.. Nictol.
sons father, who had been long since
dead, and called him by the name of
another nephew. The stencil in the room
was so great that DR.. Nicholson placed
himself near windor and drew his chair
away from the bed to avoid the vermin
which he saw crawling upon it.
Eminent specialists IN insanity Il Sti6ed,
iu answer to a hypothetical question, that
be suffered from chronic alcoholism. 1t
was admitted that Mr.. NIcholson drank q
great dea', but maintained that when sober
be was a shrewd, capable business man
and gentlemsnly in his habits. His attend
ing physio an and business friends testified
10 his soberness OF mind. An amusing
feature OF the trial was the production OF
the following letter, offered by the defend
ants to prove that Mr. Nicholson was rot
under a delusion that woman wanted to
marry him. IL 10 addressed to his niece,
with whom he was travelling in Virginia:
LITTLE HEALINI SPRINGS, VA
"Seple nber 3, 1888.
"MY DEAR Miss NICHOLSON Il have
carefully thought over all you told me in
your visit the other morning and in my
orphaned condition do long for some one
o love aud look to aud also be protected
~. If you think Mr.. Nicholson will be
Happy with me his pleasure shall always
,e my pleasure, and will DO everything in
ny power to make him happy and to further (
lis comfort. Ny parents on both sides
we're of good family, and ! have been very
nicely educated, but have bat little proper.
=. If you think he likes or loves me
veil enough to marry mo, unit | know {
i'm well would love to come 10 you for {
dvics and help under all circumstances. |
daynt II am not q member OF any {
church, and will Immediately Join his
hurch that we may be more united and
eally think | can love him dearly. II all
his be agreeable 10 you all and Mr.. Mich.
'lson, suppose you come over and spend !
he day and ye csn talk it over. and he ,,
iced not fear refusal, as you told me he
0 much dreaded. Let me have card to -,
now what day to look for you.
Very truly, I
ALICE WILSON" i
Written across the page are the words:
"All this for your eyes only" t
In the argument OF the case the plain I
IFS charged the defendant with keeping '
he old man secluded in little room and
IMPLYING him with liquor that he might ,
all an easy victim to his designs. The g
charged that the plaintiffs lifted |;
be veil and revealed the trailties OF their q
Id uncle in order that they might break .
is will and get bis money. The Jury had |
ot agreed st.the adjournment OF court this
veniDg.