The morning call., 1893-10-10
SHE WAS INSANE
Mrs. Redfield Inherited
the Disease.
HISTORY OF HER FAMILY.
The Testimony in Aged Mrs. Bow
denis Suit to Set Aside Her
Daug hter's VIII.

A jury in Judge Coffey's courtroom lis
tened to testimony yesterday ib support OF
the contest filed by Mrs. Mary Bowden
against the will Of her late daughter. Mrs.
Mary A. Redfeld.
1t will be remembered that Mrs. Red
field beQueathed the whole of her estate.
valued at $4,000, to her nephew, waiter
E. johnson, now known as Francis 4.
RedfeId. with instructions to her nephew
to allow her aged mother, Mrs. Bowden,
$50 a month during her lifetime, Mrs.
Bowden contests the will on the ground OF
undue influence exercised by the nephew,
as we'll as the unsound mind of the tesla
trx.
A Jury was empaneled last Thursday to
try the case, but the first proceedings were
commenced yesterday. Attorneys Joseph
c. Campbell and w. II. Metson repre-
sented the contestant, while w. ID. Chick
ering and r. E. Houghton appeared on
behalf of the proponent Of the will.
Attorney Campbell stated the case to
the Jury, and said he expected to prove
that Mrs. Redfeld was victim OF pal
monary phthisis and tainted by hereditary
insanity; her mother was and Is OF un-
sound mind and contested the Will Dy ner
guardian because of her infrmity; her
grandmother was insane; the testatrlx was
unduly influenced by her nephew, now
known as Francis E. Redheid, VINO took
advantage of the decedents debility OF
body and weakness of mind; that the
nephew was the one who controlled tne
conduct of the testatrix and that the Will
was in reality his. not hers.
Miss Nellie Letitia Simmons OF 819 Fill
bert street was the first witness called
She testified that she had known Mrs.
Redfield for eight or nine years and had
always considered her of unsound mind
because Of her strangely erratic habits.
She was a bad conversationalist, as her
mind seemed to wander too much TO
enable her to carry on connected 0ls-
course Mrs. Redfield was also In the
habit of taking opium pills to INDUCE sleep.
Asking concerning Mrs. Redfeld,s opln-
ion of her nephew, the witness stated that
on one occasion Mrs. Redfield told her
that her nephew was trying to get hold OF
her property.
"What do you know Of Mrs. Redfield
and her dread of poverty?"
"She always made out that she was very
poor and objected strongly to gas bein
burned in the house because Of the ex-
pense."
Mrs. Josephine b. Bruce, a sister of
the last witness, gave corroborative testi-
mony, and Mrs. Helen Russell stated FUR
ther that Mrs. Redfield had once told her
that she found her nephew very hard TO
live with. She didn't appear able to get
rid of him, although willing enough.
Mrs. Ellen B. Simmons, sister of Mrs.
Redfield, testified that to her knowledge
her mother, Mrs. Bowden. the contestant,
had been twice confined in an insane asy-
lum. Her sister, Mrs. Bowie. was insane
and there was no doubt whatever OF the
insanity of Mrs. Redfeld. The witness
stated that she was legatee under the
contested will to the extent Of $4,000.
Charles Bowden. brother OF the testatrlx,
was called. He said that his mother, Mrs.
Bowden, lad been twice confined in an In
sane asylum, also that his sister. Mrs.
Bowie, was insane.
'Do you consider that your sister, Mrs.
Redfield, was insane?"
Most certainly she was"
How long do you consider that she was
insane?"
well, l always thought she was insane
for the past thirty years.
The witness instanced several of Mrs.
Red fields eccentric habits and acts, among
others stating that she dare not go out for
fear that the neighbors would soc her and
run after her. Mrs. Redfeld also persisted
that she was very poor. and even objected
to supporting her aged mother, the con-
testant. on account of the expense.
"Was Mrs. Redfield born when Mrs.
Bowden was first sent to an insane
asylum?" asked a juror.
Eyes; think she YVES about years old. "
Andrew Bowden. an elder brother OF the
last witness. corroborated the foregoing
testimony, and added that once when be
was quite young he heard his parents talk.
ing about mis- grandfather, and flom theil
conversation he judged that his grand
father was also insane.
The case for the contestant is expected
| to close this morning.