The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1890-12-05
EION BOOTHS SANITY.

Not only because of the vast property
involved, but also because Of certain IN
teresting questions, there is q deal OF at
tention paid to the will of Elon Booth.
1t is generally known that MI Booth,
whose property inventoried at about
$15s, 900, accumulated this by the most
stringent parsimony and was, in fact,
thoroughly developed miser. The viii
was admitted to probate, an appeal TAX.
en- by all the heirs, with whom L. 3.
Booth joined forces and the case came
up for trial in the December term OF the
Superior court at Bridgeport, at ~ m,
Tuesday, I'd, before Judge Robinson,
with an imposing array of legal talent:
d. F. HOLSTER, Z. d. Brewster, w. Il.
O'Hara for the united heirs; State Attor-
ney Samuel Fessenden, Congressman
elect Robert E.DeForest and W.J. Beech
er for the trustee of the. estate. MIR
Beecher is judge of probate, but has
deputized Judge Benjamin Griffen OF
Brokfield to act in this case. The first
witness called was Judge Beecher, who
testified to the admission of the will to
probate, Mrs David w. Bronson, ID. W..
Bronson, their daughter, Mrs Annie L.
Down testified to witnessing the VIII. =.
III. Peck, the trustee, made oath that no
undue influence was exercised by him to
induce Mr. Booth to make the will. Here
the trustee rested, having consumed lit
tie more than half day.
For the appellants, S. p. Glover, first
called, said that in August, 1889, Mr.
Booth came to his house to have a will
drawn up, wishing to have him and NC.
Hawley act as executors. Mr. Glover de-
clined, thinking him mentally unsound,
although he did not tell him so. He
again saw Mr. Booth at Mr. Bronson's in
January and February of the present
year. He considered him of unsound
mind. His testimony, including rigid
cross examination by Attorney Fessen-
den, occupied the entire afternoon. A
few questions were asked him, wednes-
day morning and C. III. Northrop was
called. He had known Mr. Booth all his
life, had done business with him at the
Newtown savings bank and considered
him of unsound mind, incapable of max
ing a will. He denied having sal
that there was no doubt of Mr. Booths
ability to dispose of his property. One
reason for thinking hin, insane was be-
cause he once presented for payment a
coupon which was not due. Philo
Io al, NJ r.
Booths soundness, although, November
10, 1889, he had advised loan of 1912 to
him by the bank, of which he is presi-
dent. This he did because there was no
conservator over Mr. Booth, who might
be able to dispose of a house or lot, but
not such Il vast estate.
l.. 3. Booth testified to his business
relations with Elon Booth, whose bust
ness manager he had been since 1874. He
thought that he had been more or less in
sane since the panic of '73, when he fear
ed the loss of his entire fortune. He
said that Mr. Booth often promised to
pay him for his work, either before or
after death. He had trlked with no one
about the case and denied saying to Mrs
Bronson that their claims would ibe all
right if they worked together. His tes-
timony closed Wednesdays work. The
witnesses, Thursday, to prove Mr. Booths
unfitness to make will were L. b.
Booth, r. B. Belden, Edward Taylor, w.
j. Dick.
1t is expected that the evidence in the
case will be finished by next Tuesday
and IA verdict rendered by Friday or Sat-
urday.