Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-05-09

Iie Claimed To COnyefse WIN Ills Dead
Wife aud Was Altogether Under the
Influence OF Mediums--In other Matters
n Remarkably Bright business Man.
Anson Phelps Pond, n resident Of New
York, has brought will contosting suit
that promises 90 bo one Of tho most inter
osting II not sensational cases that have
been before tho courts In many years He
Is the son Of tho late Charles Il. Pond, who
was at one time president Of the New
York, New Haven and Hartford railroad,
and tho will he IL trying to break IL that
OF his brother, the late Charles NJ Pond,
who was state treasurer Of Connecticut
and also sat In the senate OF the Nutmeg
State besides having bcrn, up To the time
OF his death, director OF tho N. Y. N. II.
and II. railroad.
Spiritualism, "Ouija" morphine and
whisky are all mixed up In the case.
Among the property which Charles M.
Inherited from his father was the Prospect
Hill farm, on tho outskirts of the city of
Hartford, and this, with about $3.50, 900
worth OF other realty, no willed To Hart
ford. Tho disputed farm, or homestead,
which Hartford proposes to turn into
public park, Is now valued ut about $780,
900.
The claim Is made by the contestant
that his brother had no right TO devise
away this tract and counsel bring forward
his fathers will In substantiation of this
position and quote that part OF 1t which
reads, "And 1t Is my express desire that
my said son, Charles NJ Pond, will not
ALLEVIATE or sell my farm known rs the
Prospect Hill farm, but that the same
may descend and be from time To time de-
vised TO my lineal descendants.
In his public career Charles M. was
known only as II man Of rare judgment and
brilliant parts, but IL seems that for some
time previous to his death his mind was
cloudcd or weakened by dissipation, and
ne displayed oddities of intellect that were
entirely at variance with his character as
the public and all but his intimates knew
It,
According to tie statement Of Mrs. POr-
ter, his sister, some OF the evidence that
would be important and valuable rs cor,
roborativc proof has been deliberately de-
stroyed The destroyed evidence consisted
of works on spiritualism and several Ouija
boards that were the property Of Charles
M. Pond and were used by him. 1t Is said
that the dead man was n firm believer In
spiritualism and was al easy dupe OF me-
diums.
After the death of his wife, 1t Is said, he
was almost constantly under tho influence
of mediums. He had implicit confidence
In tho oracular qualities of the Ouija
board, which Is rudimcntary sort of plan
chette.
Charles NJ. Pond had several OF these
Ouija boards, and he consulted them doz-
ems Of times a day. Through them he
communicated with his dead wife The
story is told that often he would arise in
the midst OF group Of friends, excuse
himself and hurry off to another room to
ask Ouija certain questions.
These Ouija boards with all Of her broth
er's spiritualistic books, Mrs. Porter says,
she burned. Her statement Is that she
went to the office Of one Of the executors
of the will, and In his absence obtained
from his father, who drew up tho will,
permission to remove. the books and boards
from the house, which she did and made
bonfire Of them.
This Is only one Of the strange proceed
ings of the executors, 1t Is claimed.
There is q great deal Of secrecy about tn.
proceedings and a whole lot Of mystery,
but the plaintiff feels confident that he
will be able to show the mental INSULT
cheney Of his brother to make will as
well as to clinch his own right to the dis
puted part by the restricting clause in his
fathers will, which insists that the prop
erty shall not be devised away from the
family.
The dissipated habits Of Ponds brother
have been pretty well established. He
seems to have had wild and terrible ma
MIA for morphine and administered 1t to
everybody and everything on his place,
even the dogs. The Ouija board weakness,
though, appears to be the most fantastic
of all his vagaries. York World