The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-21
A MASTERFUL COUP.
DR.. Tisdale Testifies i'm the Dana
Will Contest.

When the Dana will contest was resumed
before Judge Coffey yesterday W. j. Cum
Minis produced formidable bundle OF let
tiers, the examination of which by the attor-
neys required something over an hour. AT
its conclusion DR.. Thomas P. Tisdale was
placed on the stand, and the facts were
ELECTED that he had practicei as physician
for about thirty-five years, and for Ave years
last past has resided in Alameda.
TIE witness had known DANA whom he
attended on the occasion of his last Illness,
In 1851; also prior to that, in December,
1887, at his residence. 3l7 Mason street In
the opinion of the doctor Dana was suffer
ing from general drOpsy, complicated with
heart disease, and also, as is usual III such
cases, kidney troubles. The witness fur-
Their said:
He asked NE to tap him, but replied
that it would not benefit him and might
hasten his death. | asked him on one occa-
sion if he had settled his affairs, and was
told that he had made will, when he mad
placed in the hands of Mrs. Sarah Barker
Smith, in whose favor it was made, and
that he left a memorandum and other
papers concerning IL in the Safe Deposit
box. He said that she had been very kind
to him, and in fact, If 1t were not for her,
he would not know what he should DO. as
she had cooked his food and constantly at
tended him. He felt very grateful to her.
L had other conversations with him, ana
felt an interest in him. He was very intel
lgent and seemed to understand the medI-
cal terms l used when speaking OF his
health"
The further examination of the witness
was then deferred for the purpose of again
placing w. Il. Cummins one the stand. kOw-
aiSky asked whether the thirty-One letters
produced by him consisted of originals and
copies OF letters he had written or dictated
for others TO write to Mr.. and Mrs. Smith,
and received the answer that they were let
tiers to Mr.. and Mrs. Smith and to Scoyille,
Mrs. Smiths clerk.
Continuing the witness said that lie had
known Thomas Il. Knox, with whom he
had conversed concerning this case recently
In the City Hall. on winch occasion some
general remarks were dropped concerning
The matter. Such conversation occurred
also one day when the witness met Knox ut
the United States Land Office, lie being en-
gagged In reporting a case there. The wit
ness presumed that he had conversed with
French four or five times about this case,
sometimes at the railroad office and some
times at his own, but always at the latter'S
request.
Il did state in my own house," replied
the witness to question, that the fact that
four deeds of land, which Dana did not
own, were included in the will was suffi-
Client evidence TO my mind that it was
forgery, but L will explain why made such
Q statement. Fer the last three years | have
been almost pariah in my own household
because was honestly convinced that the
Will was genuine, yet have been accused Of
aiding to cheat my sister-in-law, Miss Belle
Harris, out of Il fortune, and L have come
out here 10 this court to examine it, and the
result Is that the CONVICTION of its genuine
ness Is indeibiy impressed upon my mind"
The hearing will be resumed on tuesday.