The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1891-06-12

been Eighty at times, but this was due
greatly to mal-nutrition, affecting the
brain; hardly senile dementia, though of
somewhat the same nature. This he had
first noticed during slight cold; just at
that time, he could hardly be called in
sound mental condition. His death was
really caused by old age. The mental
faculties had been failing, in conjunction
with the physical, for six months; tow
ard the last, there was acute delirium,
caused more particularly by disturbance
of the circulation of the brain, proceed
ing from weakness. At the time of the
signing of the codicil, Mr. Osborn was in
good mental health; in fact, his mind
was not then affected and he was feeling
unusually well. The witty remarks for
which Mr. Osborn was noted were notice.
able at this timo and continued to within
week or two of his death. Shortly be-
fore his death, he lost his continuity of
thought. There were times when Mr. Os-
born was quite himself, others when he
was decidedly off. Without further
thought, the doctor would not like TO
name the disease of Mr. Osborn's brain !;
it resembled senile dementia and by many
would have been called softening of the
brain. He had been asked, about that
time, by Mr. Morehouse, whether or not
he considered Mr. Osborn capable of max
ing wills or doing business. So far as
DR. Donaldson knew him. Mr. Osborn was
the very opposite of man who could be
easily influenced. Whenever DR. Donald
sons bill was presented, Mr. Osborn in
sisted upon handling the money and re-
ceipts, although Mr. Morehouse, of course,
did all the business, as Mr. Osborne could
not see to count. DIR Donaldson stated
that there was not for some time, before
or after the signing of the codicil, any in
dication of mental unsoundness.
John Welsh then attested his signature
to the will. He saw Judge Glover and
Mr. Hobart witness, but did not see Mr.
Osborn sign the paper. Mr. Welsh, when
asked to give his opinion of the sound
ness of Mr. Osborn's mind, said, ''Well-
l don't know; can't say" Pressed for
reply, he said, Don't believe he was
sound" To Mr. Thompson, he said, "He
was never sound after he left the hospit-
al, because he was acting and talking and
we thought he ought to go back. He
was talking at random and | was a little
afraid of him, before Morehouse came.
He said that the heifers were after him.
He was talking about being in different
places and didn't know whether he was
home or not; wouldn't believe Miss AL
mira Wilson or myself. We told him he
was home, but he thought he was at the
hospital or somewhere else. AT this
point, Judge Glover interposed ques-
ton as to the purpose of the cross exam
ination, but was told that Mr. Welsh was
now a witness for the heirs. ~ was
with Mr. Osborna10 years and left, last
April. My work was on the farm. 1t
was large farm, but he raised small
crops and he had only William Hayes,
who took care of Mr. Osborn and helped
on the farm before Morehouse came.
Hayes was there only one Summer. Mr.
Morehouse was there for three years, be-
ginning in August His family was not
there, but Mrs Morehouse came there oc-
casionally; Miss Almira Wilson was
housekeeper. Mr. Osborn required atten-
ton before Morehouse came, as he was
partly blind and weak. Hayes came af-
ter the return of Mr. Osborn from the
hospital. Mr. Osborn could not see out
of one eye distinctly for the last Is or 20
years. | don't know what was the mat
ter, but he couldn't see to work a piece
of land. His other eye was afterward
affected, but it did not seem to hurt his
mind at that time. [ don't know how
long he was at the hospital, but it was
some time. After he came back from the
hospital, there was change; he couldn't
talk as he used to and kept talking at
random. Fer while this was all the
time, then by spells he was quite smart.
When Mr. Morehouse came there, he was
overseer and stayed there all the while.
Sometimes Mr. Osborn was out of his
head, at other times he was rational.
When he was out, | should not say that
he was capable of doing business. 1t
was some time before he got 80 he knew
where he was and | was puzzled to know
what to say to him. 1 can't say just when
Judge Glover and Mr. Hobart were up
there with the will, but | was there and
saw them. This small room of Mr. Os-
born's was used as bedroom. | was
surprised that they did not ask me to be
witness to the codicil, for was there
at the time, but didn't go in. 1t was
something new to me to have this
codicil drawn. / hadn't heard a word
about it. [ did not see Mr. Osborn sign
the will. My eyesight is good, too.
Some years ago, told him where to put
his hand to write his name ON paper;
this was before he went to the hospital.
His eyesight was not improved by his
visit to the hospital. At times, he was
very weak and, on a warm day, had to
sit down often. He tried to work, but
couldn't do it. He never said what was
the matter with him. He used bayberry
bark for good many years. During his
last years, he had good deal of head
ache. He told me several times that he
uiuSh VIC SaAlCu carly III Luc IuOTulDg,
for he had headache if he got up too
early. In the last year of his life, he
was smart by spells. He said that he
had pain in his side. 1 have no recol-
lection of hearing Mr. Osborn say word
On September 81, the day the will was
signed. He did no work of consequence
On the premises during the last year of
his life; Mr. Morehouse worked little
and what work was done was under his