The morning call., 1892-04-26
BLANC'S LAST WILL.
Testimony Introduced That He Was OF
Sound Mind.

| Testimony Introduced That He Was OF
Sound Mind.
Witnesses had been examined in behalf Of
the application 10 revoke the probate of the
will OF Alexander Blanc when. yesterday
afternoon. the respondents opened their
case. The matter is on trial before Judge
Coffey and jury. The contestants are
Alexander S. Blanc and Marcus A. Delfs.
nephews, Mrs. Fannie Barr, a sister of the
decedent, and Charlotte McGrath. q
daughter. The testimony for the contest
ants has been that Blanc was a man greatly
addicted to the use of intoxicants, and that
his mental faculties had thereby become I'M
paired. The will made the widow. Susan
Blanc. and nephew. Stewart Alexander
Blanc, the deyiseeS of his estate
David Porter, who for 20 years has lived
at the northwest corner of Powell and Cali
fornia streets. diagonally across from where
Blanc lived. testified that he believed he
was man of sound mind. He had told him
frequently that he had a good wife and
that lie would leave what lie had 10 her and
Stewart. He declared In substance that
Alexander was no good; he had liked Lot
tie formerly, but latterly said he thought
she was getting too smart Blanc was
man who generally spoke ont his mind He
drank, but not enough 10 affect his mind.
Policeman William Warnock, whose beat
is on California street. had known Blanc l.
or 13 years. Never thought him insane.
lie drank good DEAL
Christian Reiss, neXt-doOr neighbor of
Blanc, gave il as his oDinion that he was
man of sound mind. Their families did not
visit each other
John Lachman, who keeps a grocery at
Sl6 California street, which Blanc visited
frequently also believed him to have been
OF sound mind. He had said that he had
the best wife in the world. and wha tever he
had would go 10 her and he would provide
for Stewart Alexander he did not like,
because OF his staying out of nights, and
Lottle displeased him because she repri-
manded him Tor not dressing better and
putting on more style-she was too high
toned for him. he did say that he wanted
his property TO go TO those who bore his own
name, but never referred in that connection
TO the fact that his wife had no children.
This witness had seen him intoxicated and
staggering.
Sexton Henry j. Fisher of Grace Church.
and such for IS years. had known the de-
ceased for abont 10 years. and he some
times came to church. Conversed with him
many times and believed him to have been
sound IN mind. He came to that church
when Dr. Platt was pastor. though not
regular attendant, nor member of the
church, nor believer in its creed. Blanc
spoke kindly of his niece Lottie who went
TO the high school with the daughter OF the
witness.
a. +. Goss, who has been employed in the
Custom-h0use off and on for many years
and lives next door 10 the house of Alexan-
der Blanc, related a conversation had with
him IN the fore part OF April, 1891, when he
told him and his wife that he had an option
on the corner lot ana told him to put price
on his, as the intending purchaser wanted
TO take in both. Blame said: 81 want to
sell nothing. / intend to leave it to my
wife, and when | die she may do as she
likes with IT," Il think, said the witness,
'he was man OF sound mind when whisky
was out OF him. | saw him very often when
he was pretty well set up | have seen him
when he was cold sober, but that was 20
years ago when he was in the meat market.
be was as rule abrupt and brusdue."
Mis-. Susan Blanc, the widow, 60 years of
age. was next called as a witness. She had
: known Blanc in Ireland, but not intimately,
though they saw each other every dav
They were married here three weeks after
her arrival. when he was about 50 wears old
and she 10 years younger. He began his
habit OF drinking about FIVE years after
marriage Tie children of Stewart Blanc
have lived with them since they were very
young their father having died in Homo
lulu, She related incidents Of Alexander's
conduct before he left their house on Cali
fornia street and said that she had often
heard her husband say to his nephew that
he would never leave him a dollar of his
money to squander. having heard of his not
paying some oils which he should have
done. Mis-. Blanc narrated the circum-
stances under which the will in question
was made. declaring that t no N oment dur
ing his last Illness was he ever out of his
mind. or that sho or any relative influenced
him or even suggested the making of the
will.