New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-30
SEAMAN WILL CASE ENDED.
AN EASY VICTORY FOR THE DEFENDANTS.
THE PLAINTIFFS COULD ONLY SHOW THAT
MRS. SEAMAN WAS UNUSUALLY FOND

THE PLAINTIFFS tOt Hu ONLf' ShOW THAI
MRS SEAMAN WAS UNUSUALLY FOND
OF DOGS AND CATS.
Peter shute's heart and the hearts of 146 other
plaintiffs In the Seaman will case were made sad
yesterday-that Is. II the 1is other plaintiffs really
| sympathzed with Mr.. Shute In his attempt to
break the will OF Mrs. Ann Drake Seaman. As
| there was about si.G0o000 involved the case at
trac,ed considerable attention. although the attacl;
| on the will proved feeble and futile. for Judge
| Patterson dismissed the case with an allowance
Of $1,000 to Joseph II. Choate and other counsel
| for the l53 defendants. whose hearts presumably
beat gladly in unison thereat
The trial OF the dragged along In the courts
for nearly four weeks. and most of the efforts
OF the n,ain,fs we're directed 10 showing Mrs.
Seaman's extreme affection FOR her dogs and $,
| to some of which she raised monuments when they
died. and to a perpexing and disastrous attempt
TO straighen the degrees OF relation which ex-
listed between the various 1i7 plaintiffs and the
| several lj3 defendants.
| The legal reason for Diminishing the case seemed
to be that the plaintiffs failed make out
There were not wanting, however, those who were
OF the opinion that the result might nave been
reached on the principles OF majority rule winch
prevail In this country. The defendants would
thereby have had a clear majority of SIX On this
theory the four weeks talk would seem to be some
sort OF imitation Of Senatorial courtesy"
Mrs Seaman lived in a magnificent marble house
on Kingsbrdge Heights. She left the bulk. or her
estate to her cousin Lawrence Drake The other
relatives exceedingly disappointed, and nave
brought several suits TO break the WILL without
success The proceedings yesterday mad humorous
side to them. Gardner Conkn. one OF the rela-
tves. was on the witness stand. After Mr.. VIII
son, the counsel for the plaintiffs. had rummaged
for ten minutes in some papers he asked Mr.
Conkln to explain why he drank whiskey.
We'll. you see," said Mr.. Conklin sometimes
I go without food for seven or eight weeks. and
when don't put anything in my stomach It feels
empty. 20 / fiji 1t with whiskey. That's an
pr Justin Hofhemer was then D. called i NJ. WI
son.
Interval OF three minutes More rummaging
through papers
Doctor. do you know anything about mental
Yes. / studied them for year"
doctor. il you saw an old woman. feeble, in
would Would til It indicate" '''''N O' "
Mr. Choate-I object.
Judge Patterson-Objccton sustained.
Tick. took. tick took, tick. ,ock' for minute
Mr. Choate-your Honor. I object to expert testi-
mony-if this physician can be called an expert
on the ground that the plaintiff has not established
any ground for its Introductory ,,,o,o. .,.,o,rod
Judge Patterson Canguidly)-ObJecton sustained
Bernard Bowe called. Saw Mrs. seaman's dogs.
but no cats. Saw monuments which Mrs. Seaman
had erected to the memory OF dead dogs DIS
missed.
affair Conklin testified previous day that he
had been adopted By Mrs. Seaman ION probation
one day she caught him tying two OF her kittens
his probation" He then went to sea. He test-
fed that he had been approached by three men,
who offered him money TO testify for the defend
ants not to testify at all.
judge Patterson told Mr.. Wilson that that was
not criminal court. He didn't want to hear
any explanations. He would refer the case 10
the District Attorney. He then told Mr.. Wilson
10 proceed with his case. Mr.. Wilson asked the
Court to wait till the Rev. Dr. Morey arrived
Judge Patterson refused. and said he would de-
clare the case closed Mr. Wilson then made
motion to withdraw a juror. which was denied
MIR Choa;e moved that the Court drec. verdict
for all the defendants against all the plaintihs
The motion granted.