The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-02
MAKING WILLS HIS HOBBY.
Hover Made Seven or Eight in the
Last Year and a Half Of His Lite.

Matrimonial Troubles Said to Have
Led Rim to Change 1t Frequently.
In None of Them Did He Leave His
Wife All of His Estate-Fhe Wills
Introduced and Read to the Jury.
The Last Two Wills Drawn by Mr.
Edward 8. Elliott.
Considerable interest is being mani
tested in the Hover viii contest, which 50
far has occupied three days in the su-
perior court and promises to consume to-
day and perhaps portion Of tomorrow
When the court adjourned last night at
6 o'clock the attorneys had not concluded
the taking Of testimony. Mr. John Sulli-
van Schley was on the stand at the time,
and he will continue TO be examined by
the attorneys when the case is taken up
this morning.
When the court opened yesterday, wit
nesses for the executors Of the will and
for the plaintiff were being examined
Mr.. Schley was the first witness and
after he had been examined for
awhile, Mai. Meldrim objected to
his testimony on the ground that
the conversations between himself
and Mr.. Hover were privileged
attorney, which made it illegal. The
court, however, Overruled this objection,
and held that Mr. Schley could testify as
to what passed between himself and Mr..
Hover prior to the making Of the last
will
MADE EIGHT WILLS.
1t was shown that Mr. Hover had made
altogether seven or eight wills during
the last year and a half of his life, when
70 n &c tv.fry NJ
relations, and that he had changed his
will frequently.
Or. w. II. Elliott gave expert testimony
to the effect that a man who was labor
ing under deluSiOns was not necessarily a
victim Of chronic alcoholism, but might
be subject to delirium tremens
Mr. William Neyle Habersham testified
that he had known l.. l.. Hover all his
life, that he had employed him to take
care of the Waterbury place on Ossabaw
Island, ana while there Hover. he said,
transacted all of his business satisfactor-
lily. This was up to four or five years ago.
He had never known, he said, of Hover
being an habitual drunkard and consid-
cred him Of sound mind.
Kate Barnard, colOred, used TO cook for
the Hover family when they lived at
Montgomery She testified that Hover
and his wife lived unhappily together,
that she frequently beat him and pulled
him by the beard. Solomon Thomas, col
ored, gave testimony on the same line.
THE WILLS INTRODUCED AS EVIDENCE.
Mr. Schlev, the legatee under the will.
was then recalled, and testified as to his
business relations with Hover He had
drawn, he said, various wills for Hover,
five or six in number, in none of which
did he leave his wife all of his property.
These wills were all introduced as evi-
dence and read to the jury. At one time
the larger part of the estate was left TO
David Meyer, nephew of the deceased
Mr.. Schley said when Hover wanted to
give him the property on account of the
trouble with his wife, he refused TO take
it, and that when Hover insisted, he re-
fused to draw the will. Hover then con
suited Mr.. Edward S. Elliott, who drew
two wills. The first gave +. w Maui
one-third, MIR. Schley one-third and
Hoyers wife one-third. The last will.
which was the one contested, cut Maui
out altogether and gave two-thirds to Mr.
Schley The taking of testimony will con
tinue TODAY