The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-15
THE ARDLAMONT MYSTERY.
Testimony Taken Today on the Trial
of MOnsOn.


of MOnsOn.
By Cable to the United Press.
EDINBURGH, Dec. Is, 1s93.-This was the
third day of the Monson murder trial The
room in which the High Court of Justiciary
sits was crowded, as it has been every day
since the trial began. Intense interest is
manifested in the case. The prosecution has
produced strong evidence showing that the
victim, Lieutenant Hambrough, could not
possibly have shot himself, but this has had
no effect upon the demeanor of the prisoner
who, it is said, has no doubt whatever that
he will be fully able to prove that, no matter
how the shooting occurred, he had nothing
to do with it.
The first witness called today was David
Stewart, Secretary of the Liverpool and
London and Glasgow Insurance Company
He testified that on July % Monson called at
the Glasgow Office in reference to proposal
that had been made that the company iss ue
policy for 1000 on the life of Lieutenant
Hambrough. The head office declined to
accept the risk. The witness identified the
documents that had been submitted to the
office, which showed Monson's interest in the
matter.
James Wardle, the manager at Leeds for
the same insurance company, was next call
ed. He testified that proposal was handed
to him on May q, 1892, for Els, 900 policy
proposal was lodged at the same time for a
ESQ, 900 policy in the name of Mrs. Monson,
who claimed that that sum was due her from
Lieutenant Hambrough for four years board,
expenses of education and advances made by
her. The company considered the statement
in the proposal too vague, and asked for
further details In reply a letter was re-
ceived signed by Lieutenant Ham
brough, accepting Indebtedness to Mrs.
Monson to the extent of SIG, 6,000 The
letter intimated that other arrangements had
been made to meet the Indebtedness. There
fore, the amount of the policy asked for was
reduced to e26000. Monson told the wit
ness that Lieutenant Hambrough was en-
titled to 4200,00 under his great grand
fathers will. The directors of the COM
pany were not satisfied with the application
and ultimately the risk was declined.
William Wisely of the Scottish Provident
Society testified that the Edinburgh office of
this society had received proposal from
Monson to take e50,000 risk on the life of
lamont and saw Monson, who said he was
Lieutenant Hanbrough's trustee. If the in
surance applied for was not effected he
would he added, be loser to the extent of
f49, ,0OO The proposal was signed by Mrs.
Monson. The company did not receive
fore, the application was dropped.
Mr.. Ramsden, solicitor for Mrs. Monson,
testified that the latter was interested in the
will of William Buckley, upon which inter
est she had raised mortgages.
Secretary Kidston, of the Reversionary
Society, deposed that Mrs Monson wrote to
that society saying that Lieutenant Ham
brough would inherit 100000 upon attain
ing his majority. In the interim he had
entered into contract TO pay for his board
and education, and asking if the society
would advance $500 on the security of the
contract. The society objected to advanc-
ing money on contract made by minor
and the loan was therefore not granted
Thomas Brooks, pawnbroker of No. 79
Wardour street, London, identified ticket
for watch, covering an advance of twelve
shillings, in the name of Mrs. Monson
John Monson and other jewellers identi-
fed various articles that had been bought
under the name of Mrs. Monson, of Ardla-
mont, and others that had been purchased
under the name of Alice Agnes Morrison.