Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-03
A FLASH OF MEMORY
Causes Miss Mitchell to Charge Mr..
Gibbons With Abducting Her.
SENSATION In COURT YESTERDAY.
The Strange Revelations in That Sheehsn
Heirship Claim.
BAD HABITS In JURIES BROKEN UP

The Sheehan will contest was continued in
Orphans Court yesterday. The first wit
ness placed on the stand was Jerry Gibbons,
the brother-in-law of the deceased, and to
whose care the child was first confded, and
who took her out to Keokuk, La. He had
very bad memory for names, but said that
Mary Sheehan, the girl confded to him, had
died of malaria. She was attended by DR.. Rus
sell, and he gave the names of some people who
he said attended the funeral. As he left the
stand the witness looked closely at Miss
Mitchell and stated that the claimant was not
a Sheehan; that she did not resemble either the
deceased or the little girl conided to his care
The child had long face, and this young
woman had not.
Michael Gibbons, a son of the former wit
ness and a claimant TO the estate, next testified
TO having been brought here from the st.
Louis Orphans Home by Mr.. Sheehan. He
stated that the deceased had spoken to him
about sister, and that he had tried to hunt
her in St Louis but found that she was dead.
Continuing the witness said that he had visited
Mrs. Sheehan in company with man named
Williams, and she said that her husband al
ways told her the child was dead. but that she
had dream in which it was revealed to her
that she was living and working in a tailoring
establishment and would some day come TO
her.
n. S. Williams, Esq, corroborated the former
witness as to Mrs. Sheehan's story Of the
es Welsh, a cousin of the deceased, testi-
hat'Mr. Sheehan informed him that his
1 was dead, and that he had seen her grave.
witness had often seen the child at Glib
Jns' house. She was puny and sickly, and did
not resemble the claimant.
Mrs. James Walsh testified that she had one
day been asked by Mrs Sheehan if she noticed
the birthmark on the child. Witness said she
had not, and Mrs. Sheehan examined the child
but could find no birthmark.
After the noon recess Julia Mary Mitchell,
the claimant, was recalled, and stated that in
her testimony in chief she spoke of being abb
Quoted in Leavenworth by two men, one of
whom was named Harrison The other man
she could not name at the time but since Jerry
Gibbons was on the stand she recognized him
as the other man who was with Harrison when
she was enticed away.
Mrs. F. Lochner, a daughter of Mrs. Sheehan
by former marriage, testified that she ad-
vised Sheehan to advertise for the child e he
thought her still alive, but he refused to do
that, as he did not care for the publicity and
notoriety, but that he would go to st. Louis
and endeavor to find the child. The witness
was on the stand on Monday. but did not testify
to this point, as she was not asked.
Mrs. Bridget Cleary and Mrs. John Casey
testified that they knew the Mr. Sheenan and
did not think the claimant resembled him.
This closed the testimony and it was decided
that the case 90 over until Tuesday next when
the arguments will be made. 1t is also prob
able that commission will be appointed to go
to Ieavenworth and take testimony of the peo-
pie who are alleged to know of the girls death.