The Portland daily press., 1897-05-21

Questioned regarding her mental
capacity the day the will was signed, DR..
Hooper replied that she could be led
around just like child. "
Dr. R. B. Jordan, who treated her a
few months before her death, corroborated
| the testimony of the previous witness.
| The last time he saw her was two weeks
| before her death. She was in very weak
| condition, physically, and if leading
questions were asked her most any kind
| of an answer could be obtained. She
made contradictory statements about her
condition.
"Did she ever say anything to you
about the disposal of her property" asked
Mr.. Frank.
eyes, replied the witness. "Just after
the former will was drawn, told her
hoped she would sometime feel differently
| toward her sister and leave something to
her. Mrs. Edwards replied: mo, it
shall remain just as it is. My business
has all been fixed up"
DR. Jordan said he could not really term
her weak minded, but she certainly was
weak, both physically and mentally, a
week before her death.
Miss Helen Cressey of Gray, was called
as the first witness of the afternoon She
| had worked as nurse at the Edwards
house from Christmas week till short
time before Mrs. Edwards died, when
Mrs Marcia e. Libby came to act in that
capacity. Miss Cressey called again at
the house March 81, and was there the
next forenoon when Mrs Edwards died.
81 talked with her that morning." said
the witness, 'and she told me what kind
of a robe she wanted to be laid out in.
She had told me before that if anything
happened to her she wanted me to have
her clothes"
"Was your being there agreeable to Mr..
Edwards" asked Mr. Frank
~ don't think he liked me or wanted
me there. He didn't treat me as if he
wanted me to stay. In fact, he told me
that her cousin, Marcia, was coming to
stay two or three months, and that there
| would be no need of my staying. But
Mrs. Edwards made me promise would
stay with her,
'Did Mr.. Edwards devote much of his
time to taking care of his wife?'
Eyes, he was very constant"
.Did he do as much as one person could
toward caring for her?''
~ should say he did,
''Were their relations pleasant and cor
dial?''
eyes, sir"
sDid Mr.. Mason tell you what he came
for?'
"No, and asked no questions"
| care you the person to whom this will
gives what money is left after Marcia
Libby gets through with it?'
81 know nothing about it,"
''What Do you mean to say you never
heard of that?'
81 just heard yo ny SOP"
"Did not anybody ever tell you beforeP'
81 knew nothing about her will till
1 came here today, and Marcia Libby told
me 1 was mentioned in the WILL She
said she was to have home and the
balance was to go to me, and that was
to have most of Mrs. Edwards's clothes. u
Had you ever heard before anything
| about Mrs. Edwards's clothes being left
| to your"
| MRS. Edwards had told me she want
ed me to have her clothes?"
"And that was all you expected
| II didn't expect that
| Mrs. Mary Smith of North Windham,
an intimate friend of the Edwards fami-
| ly, testified as to the pleasant relations be-
| tween Mr.. and Mrs. Edwards. "I have
| heard her say" continued the witness,
s'that he was kind to her, and that he
had been very kind to her mother and
she wanted him to be well cared for.
She also said he had made his will to her
and she made hers in his favor.
ibid you ever hear her say anything
about Marcia Libby?" asked Mr.. Frank.
"Yes, she told me once that Marcia
Libby shouldn't have anything of hers
The witness said Mrs. Edwards for
some weeks prior to her death was very
weak and her memory failed rapidly.
| Mrs. Harriet E. Smith of Standish tes-
titled in the same line. Mrs. Edwards,
one day last winter, said to her: ''When
my folks stop and ask me for my clothes
before I am dead, they shall not have a
cent of my money. I want Isaac tc
have it ALL" told her that even if she
fixed things the way she wanted them
folks might step in and take her things
away. She replied that her will was al
made. Mrs. Smith referred to Mr. Ed
wards's kindly treatment of his wife and
her mother.
Mrs. Lucy E. Lombard of North Wind
ham testified that one day last winter
when she was talking with Mrs Edwards
about making wills, Mrs. Edwards said
"Mine is all made have made mine
to Isaac and he his to me. We have
worked hard to get our property and ]
want him to have it all if anything hap.
pens to me-"
"What about Marcia Libby"
Mrs. Edwards said Marcia Libby's faith
er left her good property, but nobody
seemed to know what had become Of it
and that she should not have any Of
Lo 81, l.