The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-01-09
as Before

e2EI OrlSIOcraDl #.EEass
Attendance OF Spectators as Large
as Before.
In Part 1 OF the circuit court, Judge
john Campbell presiding, the Reilly
will contest trial was resumed yesteF-
day morning at $3.50 o'clock. The usual
large morning crowd vas in attendance.
The first witness. examined was Alex
ander Laing, OF Greec & Laing, the
hardware merchants. who had known
MIR. Reilly for q number OF years, ana
had had business transactions Win
him. Aa to the mental conditlon OIL
the. old gentleman the witness had no
ticed nothing peculiar about him ana
considered him always about the same.
To Mr.. Hutchinson, on c~ross-examlna-
ton, MIR. Laing said his dealings with
Michael Reilly were not numerous. ne
thought the last purchase made OF NM
by Mr.. Reilly was in 1891.
Alexander Kemple, by trade a plas-
terer, was examined. He had done
work in his line for Michael Reilly from
1874 up until near the time OF ms
death the last piece of work was done
i n August, 1891. He always did busl-
ness directly with Mr.. Reilly. Except
ing during the last few years Mr. Reilly
himself generally made out the checks:
In later wears Thomas made out the
checks. Ag to mental capacity the usual
question was p~ropounded and Wltness
n wered that he always considereo
Michael Reilly clear headed. On cross
examination witness recalled one IN
stance when. Mr.. Reilly did not attend
to matters personally, and that was
when William Bowler went with him
to Benwood to see about come plaster
ing.
MAYOR CALDWELL TEsTIF1Es.
Mayor Caldwell was put upon tho
stand and testified that he had done
considerable work for Michael Reilly in
tho way of timing, roofing, etc, up
until his death. He recalled work that
he had done in 1891, in the months OF
February and July. Mr.. Reilly made
the contracts with him On both coca
Bions. In HIS experience OF over twenty
years the old gentleman had always
paid the bills. as to mental capacity,
the mayor said he had mover noticed
closely, but that he was capable OF
driving a pretty close bargain.
Anthony Manley, a dairyman, who
knew Michael Reilly for n number OF
years, next took tho stand. He had
frequently done hauling for the de-
ceased and always gothis moneys as con-
tracted. There was no cross-cxamlua-
ton.
COLONEL THOMAS o'DRIEN.
Colonel Thomas O'Bricn was next
called. He had lived in Wheeling for
forty-two years, and had been acquainted
with the deceased all this time. He
said that although there had been little
differences between them he was always
on friendly terms with Mr.. Reilly. He
was asked as to recent business he had
with MIR. Reilly, and answered that he
was or his bond as secretary OF the Title
aud Trust Company, and also on his
bond as administrator OF the Hannah
estate, the first transaction taking place
ins1S9O and the second i'll 1891. On
these occasions he seemed to under
stand. lie never saw an indication of
unsound miud on the part Of the de-
ceased. lie was asked if Michael Reilly
ever talked with him about Philip
Reilly's will. Witness replied that he
had expressed his opinion regarding
that paper to him. Mr. Reilly had an
admiration for the will in some respects.
At this point MIR. Russell offered the
Philip Reilly will in evidence. 1t
gives :one-halfo of his home and farm to
his wife, and turns over the remainder
of his property to three trustees, Henry
Moore, Charles ". Russell and Rt. Rev.
V. Whelau; these are given full power in
the management OF h estate, and The
children are provided for. in amanner
ssimilar to the will of Michael Reilly.
The cross-examination was conducted
by Mr.. Hubbard. Tho witness said that
in the last years of his life Mr.. Reilly
was odd and eccentric.
MIR. Hubbard-Did you not say to me
within two weeks that he was the
strangest creature you ever saw in the
lasE4ten years OF his life
The Witness-Yes; towards his fam
lily.
Mr.. Hubbard-Did you not cay that
without the qualification?
The Witness-Ges, he was q pecu-
liar man in the way l meant it.
The witness told OF an instance where
The old gentleman told the witness to
sell some insurance stack for him, and
when he had sold it went back on the
sale. Witness thought this somewhat
peculiar.
He was asked why he considered tho
of Mr.. Reilly toward his chill
dren peculiar. He replied that Mr..
Reilly would c~riticise his children and
witness would defend them, saying that
he had as good children as anybody,
aud better. The matter would end by
Mr.. Reilly telling witness 10 attend to
hiskbusiness. The witness paid Thomas
Reilly a high compliment. He said
that for years he was his fathers main
stay, and as a business man he was un-
suspassed.
After tho witness term as state treas
uIer had expired in 1855 he had a
scheme to start a bank here and want
ed Thomas Reilly for cashier. Thomas
was approached but said he had no
money to put into the enterprise, and
was doubtful whether he could leave
his father. Tho father was approached
and asked rs to the matter, but refused
t advance any money. The witness
said TINT the money part of the affair
would be taken care OF, and then the
old gentlemsn got very angrY,a and told
the witness that he did not want him
interfering with his affairs.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
49, 4sihn nftnrnnnn nassinn tha cro-s.