Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-22
SON AGAINST FATHER.

| Peculiar Testimony In q Lunacy Hearing
| Why John Woods Is Supposed by Some
People to Be of Unsound Mind-Odd
Accusations.
The hearing in the case of John Woods
whom his son William wants to have ad
judged lunatic, was begun yesterday be-
fore the commissioner, Samuel McClay.
The attorney for the relator was Judge Fet,
terman, and for the respondent appear
K. Q. Bigham, N. W. shafer-and j. S. Fergu
son.
The testimony taken yesterday did not
show the respondents reason to be particu.
larly weak; in fact, some of it showed him
to be rather careful business man. Two OF
the Jurors are lawyers.
1t was shown that on one occasion when
he had timer and carpenter repairing a
up the stray shingles at a time when some.
thing might have fallen from the roof and
injured him. Another instance advanced
was that at one time when dividing crop
more oats than fell to his share. This testt-
mony caused some merrimeHt, as this kind
OF work in these days is accredited to sanity
rather than insanity. Another instance
supposed by the relator to indicate un-
ntness for business was that on one occa-
sion the old gentleman met C. T. Bown and
Baker Snyder, of Mt. Washington, whom he
had not seen for a year or two, and he did
not recognize them.
John Murray testified that once at vendue
the old gentleman hugged him. Juror AL
hugging, and he said he didn't know; that
some people hugged for one reason and
some for another. The hug of a grizzly
bear is not usually one OF love.
MIR. Fulmer testified that at one time he
bought some turkeys on the "hoof' from
Mr oods, and he attempted to catch them,
which might be considered an insane pro-
ceeo1ng on the part of an aged gentleman.
When Fulmer was paying Mrs. Woods for
the turkeys, Mr.. Woods acted as though he
would like to have gotten the money him
self.
Witness also offered as an evidence of in
sanity statement that since the old gentle
man had left the management of his farm
largely to tenant the fences had been al
the old gentleman's management, they are
always kept in good condition. He also re-
lated as an evidence of weak mind
ef beng "nsn reaned his 1 hsTsess Ts was
ago, there arose violent thunder
storm and the old gentleman told
HigDee to t'unhitch and get home as fast as
Goa Almighty would let him." At another
time when Higbee was collecting taxes the
old man said he had paid his tax. At an
other time Mrs. Woods paid the tax herself
and refused to allow the collector to go up
stairs to see the old gentleman. This evil
dence was supposed to be for the purpose of
showing that the respondents wasn't in
sound mind and that his wife did not want
the Collector to know it,
Evidence was offered that in 1888 when
Lem. Bozer was assessing taxes, the respond
ent acted queerly and whispered in the col
!ector's ear the amount of cash money to be
listed for taxation; that he also told BoZer
ne would lend him money on q common
note and without interest.
or late years the old gentleman has largely
made his home with Dr. Mccormick, his SON
in-law, on Mt Washington, and it seems
have had any fault to find with him, and
that his actions have not occasioned them
any trouble or concern.