The herald., 1894-09-27
MRS. ANNA A. PRATT'S MIND.
Witnesses Testify That She Was
Very Eccentric.
The Death of Her Son Charles Great
ly Changed Her.
Mrs. wakefsid Tells tho Story of Mrs.
Pratps Relations with the Mans
hsld FamiIy-Consfde erabie
Progress Made.

Progress Made.
No very great amount OF public inter-
est has been taken as yet in the trial OF
the contest OF the will OF Mrs. Anna A.
Pratt, deceased. and very few spectators
have been in attendance at the interests
ing battle between attorneys now going
on before Judge Clark and a jury.
The trial proceeded yesterday, and as
the witnesses were examined it was
very readily perceived that the hearing
will be prolonged one.
Yesterday was devoted by counsel for
the contestants to the production of tes-
timony directed to tho mental condition
OF Mrs. Pratt, and the examination also
was directed to the relationship between
the family of Gen. John Mansfield and
Mrs. Pratt. The ramifications of the
families and history of the various per-
sons interested in Mrs. Pratt's estate
we're pretty well brought to light during
the day.
The contestants were again arrsyed in
solid phalanx back Of their counsel, and
the testimony was closely followed by
both sides, General Mansfield occasion
ally writing questions on slips of paper
and passing them to his attorneys.
Alexander Campbell made an opening
statement upon the convening of court
as to what the petitioners for the probate
OF the will expect to prove. The allega-
tions OF undue influence and !amperiHg
with the will were denied emphatically
by him. He asserted that the affection
OF Mrs. Pratt for her sisters, Mrs. Gross
and Mrs. Mansfield, was very warm, and
that they had done nothing to influence
her against her daughter or her sons
\ family. He scorned the imputations
cast upon General Mansfield, and said
they would show that Mrs. Pratt was of
unusually strong intellectually, and waa
sound in mind when she wrote the holo.
graphic will and knew just what she was
doing; also. that she made the interline.
atoms in the will herself at various times
afterward in good faith.
Mrs. Mary M. Webb of Fruitvale, Oak.
land, the venerable mother of Mrs.
Charles P. Pratt, deceased, was the first
witness and testified: Il have lived
here since 1881. was acquainted with
Charlea p. Pratt. He married my
daughter in October, 1877, in Oshkosh,
Wis. I was there at the time. They
departed that evening for Chicago. They
returned to Milwaukee subsequently. l
lived there and 80 did they. They re-
NAMED there until 1851. At first they
moved to Washington, N. j. They left
in April. There were two surviving
children, Annie N. Pratt and Orville @.
Annie Was born in Washington, Sept. g.,
1873. Orville was born in August, 1880.
My husbands brother lived in Wash
ington then. They remained in Waeh-
ington two months, then went to Ork.
ney Park. l was with them. Judge O.
Q. Pratt came on FROM California while
we were in Washington, N. J. His son
was looking at u place to purchase it..
His father prevailed upon him to come
to California. They remained at Asbury
Park until Oct. l, 1881. On tnat day
they LETT small place near Asbury
Park, in the evening, for Califor-
MIA. accompanied them. We
went right through to California.
and arrived at San Francisco on
October 8, 1881. Remained in San Fran.
cisco month, then went to Oakland.
Went to reside on Charter or Twenty
second street. We lived there q little
over year. Saw Mrs. Annie A. Pratt
at our house many times. Visits were
frequent. cannot say whether she had
anything to do with the selection of a
place of abode for my son.in-law. Judge
Pratt visited us. | think the Fruitvale
residence was selected in 1882. They
went there to reside in Novem Der, 1882.
Went there from the Charter-street resi-
dencs. 1t takes half an hour by carriage
to reach there. Mr.. Charles Pratt and
Judge Pratt looked at other places. but
finally decided on that Mrs. Annie
Pratt visited the house at Fruitvale very
many times, staying over night many
times. There was room finished and
set apart for her. which che said she
would furnish for herself. The last
time saw her at the mouse was about
February 20, 1885, at my son-in-law' 9
funeral. l was we'll acqusinted with
her. When che visited us l talked to
her often. Our relations were very
pleasant, as was also the case with her
and my daughter and the children. She
was often there once week, not always
that often. Was very pleasant always,
and interested in the affairs of the
family. My daughter and the children
were very fond of her. After the death
of her son Charles there was marked
difference in her actions, but did not
Hee her for three years after her sons
death. (The answer OF the witness pro-
voksd o protracted argument between
council, objections being frequent all
along The line of the table where sat the
defendants attorneys. and by cor
responding demand for its allowance by
the contestants, but it was finally al
lowed.) She was indifferent. quiet
amiable and pleasant, but expressed no
ideae. seemed sad and not disposed to
converse. | think that was about three
years after her sons death, at Mrs.
Cross residence. She WAS vigorous in
mind previously and advanced ideAs
independent of others. After her
sons death she acquieHced in
everything but advanced no ideas
of her own. | saw her at Charles
Pratt,a fnnaral She was very much