Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-23
A LETTER TO MR. JE-sor's RATS.
How they We're Invited 10 Leave
Henilw Orth-Archibaid sttri-
tn0ss Will.

A LETTER TO MIR. JE-sOP's RATS.
How they We're Invited 10 Leave
miIwOrsh-Archibaid sttri-
tDg's VIII.
baltimore Sun
The testimony in the contest over the
will of George JessOp of Charles, of
Kenilworth. near COckeysville, in Bal
timore county. was all i'll yesterday, and
the argument will be begun to-day. AS
before stated the will bequeaths "Kenil-
! worth" the ancestral home OF the JessOp
family, to George Jessop, Jr., son
of the testator, after the death of
his stepmother, and the widow
and other children Of the tes-
tator seek to have the will set
aside on the ground that the elder
Mr.. Jessop, who died April 3. 1887, IN
the eighty-fourth year of his age. was of
unsound mind. Among the witnesses
for the defence examined yesterday was
Mr.. James Howard, residing in Baltl-
more county, about two miles from
Kenilworth. He testified that Mr.. Jes-
sop was entirely competent. On cross
examination Colonel Charles Marshall
asked him if be ever proposed to Mr.
Jessop to try to drive the rats away from
the house.
81 did, sir" replied the witness.
"How did yoI tell him you were 60
ing to drive them away"
by letters.
Glow were you going to do it by let
tars ?"
"By writing to them"
"To whom 2"
"To the rats.
Chow much was he going to give you
for doing that ?"
There was no contract between rs"
"You we're to write the letter, and he
was TO read it"
81 was to write the letter, and Mr..
Jessop was to read it,
You thought that would drive them
away"
81 didn't think anything about it I
tried it. and know it
"You have done that?
81 have done it.
odd you write a letter to Mr.. Jes-
sops rats or get him to write one to
them 2"
"Mr. Jessop wanted to write it, but [
did not let him. l wrote it when | went
home that night, at least | got my
daughter to write 1t and | took 1t and
gave it to Mr.. Jessop."
What did he do with it 2"
Il told him to take the letter to the
meat-house and read it, and lay the let
ter down on the meat-house floor"
"Did be do that?
"He told me he did"
"In that letter didn't you tell them
they had been living on Mr.. Jessop long
enough?"
"Yes. sir"
Didn't you tell them they must
leave?"
"Yes, sir; l did,"
Didn't you tell them to go straight
up to the lane?"
"Yes. sir.
Past the stone house, and keep on
up the hill right past the church, and not
to 90 down the turnpike or turn up the
turnpike, but to keep on until theyc came
to the large white house OH the right and
turn in there that it was Captain Loves
house, and they would get plenty to eat
there ?"
81 did"
did Mr.. Jessop tell you he did read
it TO the rats ?"
eyes, sir.
Chow often was he to read it to
them"
"Onlv once a"
"Did Mr.. Jessop report to you that
the paper had disappeared ?"
"Yes, sir he did"
Didn't you tell him that broke the
charm"
"No, sir"
"What did he say had become Of the
paper ?"
He didn't know, and 1 didn't know"
HE came to let you know it had dis
appeared-the rats did not go
"The last time talked to him he said
he really believed great many OF them
did 60. but hadn't all gone"
"All those who understood the letter
had gone p"
Il don't know about that. Maybe
some understood it and didn't 60. too. "
During this examination the attorneys
and their clients, the jury. court officials,
and the large audience were convulsed
with laughter, and during the rest of the
day the slightest allusion to the "rat
story was the signal for fresh ont
burst. 1t was one OF the most humorous
exhibitions ever seen III a Baltimore
court. Mrs. Katie Barker, one of the
contestants, and daughter of the tesla
tor, confirmed the evidence OF Mr.. How
ard, and said the episode occurred in
1882. Her father, she said, shut the
door and refused to allow her to accom-
psny HIM when he went out to read the
letter to the rats.