Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-11-30

DOVER, NOV. S7.-Ihe celebrated
Harris lunacy case was begun in the
court room at 10 o'clock this morning.
The trial will decide the control of
fortune valued at between 100000 and
Il $S00000 and will likely consume from
10 days to two weeks.
Almost all of the legal talent of Dover
and several attorneys of Wilmington
and Philadelphia have been employed
by the two factions, Miss Sara d. Nc
L Phail, niece of Charles Harris, and
Charles Butler, Harris valet. Hundreds
of witnesses will have been summoned
4 by both sides.
The utmost care and secrecy has been
made in selecting the jury, which is as
f follows: George w. Baker, Lewis NJ.
4 Wright and John w. Casson, Dover;
E Levi 5. Proud and William Graham,
Camdcn; Elwood Jenkins, Wyoming;
= o. j. Smithers and Joseph Brown,
Frederica; John Ii. Hoffecker, William
Z nj. Bell and George d. Collins, Smyrna;
8 George Q. Mason, Magnolia.
OPENING OF THE FIGHT.
& The Jury assembled in the sheriff's
office at 1890 o'clock. The oath was
& administered by Justice of the Peace
+ Peter l.. Cooper.
N The counsel on both sides were pre-
sent with the exception of William g.
Spruance and Il. G. Bradford of Will
mington, counsel for the plaintiff.
John b. Pennington, on behalf OF the
" other members Of counsel who are con
nected with the case for the defendants,
stated that they had examined the jury
and were perfectly satisfied with the
men who had been selected by the
sheriff.
Hon. N. B. Smithers, VINO represents
the plaintiffs, stated to the sheriff that
he had selected a juryman who was
State officer. The juror in question is
George @. Mason, justice of the peace
of Magnolia. There was no objection
made In regard to Mr.. Mason person.
ally, but the only thing in question was
from legal standpoint, whether or not
the decision would be objected to by
Either side.
XIV By an agreement of counsel the jury
as drawn by the sheriff were sworn, and
fthen adjourned to the court house for
argument. .... -. E. -,
" By an agreement or counsel ana tiie
& jury, the proceedings of the case from
day to day will commence at 10. 15 a. IN.
and continue to 1890; adjournment to
2.15 p. m. and to $50 p. m.
r Hon. N. B. Smithers opened the case
h to the jury by stating that they were
.called upon to make very responsible
kleclsion; to inquire into the sanity of
|atCharles Harris. He reviewed the nature
4 hi the case and at the conclusion of his
remarks the court adjourned until 2.15
- b. m.
Following are the names of the wit
pesses who have been summoned for
Die defendant: Samuel W. Hall, John
s. Jester, Watson Broadway, Alonzo
Clifton, William II. Walker, William
y q. Butler, William II. Boggs, Mrs.
homas NJ. Gooden, James Virden,
Robert j. Ferguson, William Butler,
Sr., Robert Collins, Henry Krisbaum,
fkJ. Wesley Brown, George Ii. Shakes
peare, jefferson L. Ford, Benjamin
Simmons, John @. Pennewill, Joseph l..
" Bonsall, Charles Denney, stephen k.
Belts, DR.. t. o. Clements, Franklin
= Temple, DIR. j. NJ. TwilIey, D. NJ.
4 Ridgely, Mrs. d. NJ. Ridgely, Edmond
Bailey, Thomas jackson, Salisbury
Bostic,R. D. p. Wilson, Frank Bonsall,
Samuel Wharton.
Armstrong, DIR. James II. Wilson, DR..
~. "a II. IlahOlI, H. L. ~ lJOuuSSt
John f. salisbury, David II. Ronsche,
James S. Goodwin, Eben Hughes, James
Virden, Joseph George, DIR. T. O.
Clements, George A. Millington, Mrs.
Ida M. Millington, A. 3. Richardson,
Mrs. Lucy NJ. Richardson, Samuel
Harper, Elizabeth Patten, George L.
Donovan.
DOVER, Nov. 20..-The second session Of
nalah tod
called yesterday morning ut lU.3O O'Clock
the sheriff presiding. The counsel were
all present, with the exception of Il. G.
Bradford. who was detained in Whining
ton attending the November term of the
superior court w. q. Spruance of Will
mington, one of the counsel for the de-
fence, was present at the opening of the
court and did the cross-eXamning. A
humber of prominent people were present.
NThe attendance was not as large us at
Mondays session. Mrs. McPhaii, accom-
panied by her attendant, Miss Barker, was
also present. c. J. Smithers, the foreman
of the Jury, inquired OF the sheriff that in
case any legal objection was made between
counsel, whether the Jury should settle
the matter between themselves or call on
the Chancellor or some other legal
authority for advice. The counsel ON
both sides amicably settled the matter by
giving the jury full power to settle all OBJ
mitted MS evidence.
DIR. J. Ii. Wilson, the first witness who
was called yesterday and who was ON his
rross-examnation by AIR. Bird, was not in
the court house at the opening OF court.
N Mr.. Ridgely, counsel for the petitioner
ralled j. ii. Hazelhurt, chief clerk in one
&pf the departments of the Fidelity Trust,
bafeand Deposit Company of Philadelphia
Ntrhe witness testified that Charles Harris
was depositor in said company, and that
be also held a private box in the conf
pany's building. The witness stated that
HE amounts OF deposits in this company
Hated from December. 1887, and continued
<koN November 7th, 1890. The witness read the
Number of the certificates and the amount
Of each which totalled S92, 900 in the ag-
gtegate.' He also stated that they held
special deposits of 100000, subject to the
demand of said Harris, making total of
f152.000, OH which said company still pays
interest and dividend
The statement as read by the witness
Was admitted as evidence before the jury.
Mr.. Spruance asked the witness ii the
amounts on deposit represented the face
felue or the market value, and the witness
Replied that the amounts of the certificates
were their face value.
The next witness was Robert NJ. Scott,
assistant treasurer of the same company
He made a statement of the deposits and
krder paid by checks from the LIST of
January, 1898, in which the petitioner,
Hrs. Sarah D. McPhai had received 81, $50;
Charles II. Butler, STl4.03, aud the attor-
beys sl,75O and other miscellaneous