The evening times., 1897-02-02
MRS. VAN R|sW|CK'S CHECK
Plumber KOch'S Story of Ii as
Illustrating Her Capacity.
NURSE GOODWIN'S EVIDENCE
She Said That the Testatrix Always
Became Nervous when Mrs. Lam
Was Not Permitted to Take Ashes
Out of the Furnace After Noon.

William Koch, a plumber. was the first
witness this morning in the Van Riswick
will case. The. witness told the jury about
a check incident, in which ne said he had
called to see Mrs Van Riswick about some
money due him for plumbing work. She
told him she had sent him check week
before, whereas She had done nothing OF
the kind. This was cited as showing the
mental capacity OF the old lady.
Mr.. Koch said he had worked for her
for three years. and considered her ca pable
OF attending to business matters. This an
Swer came some what as surprise to the
caveators, but under the skllfuI eXamina-
ton OF Mr.. Perry the witness explained
that he noticed a most pronounced change
in Mrs Van Riswick.
she did not seem so capable and was quite
forgetful.
A written offer TO prove a certain al
legged influence on the part of Mr.. Wilton
Lambert was objected to by Attorneys Mat
tingly AMI Davis and ruled out by the court.
James Williams, colored, who was coach
man for Mrs. Van Riswick eight or ten
years before her death. was called to the
stand by Mr. Perry As his connection with
opinion as To the relations of the two fami-
lies, he was not asked any questions. A
written offer similar to the one ruled out
was made in correction with the witness,
but it was adversely ruled.
Mrs. Goodwin, a professional nurse, who
attended Mrs Van Riswick IN her last ILL
ness, followed the coachman. and was
asked as to the effect OF Mrs Lambert's
visits to Mrs Van Riswick
Il DO not know whether it was caused
by Mrs. Lambert or not, but she seemed
very nervous when Mrs. Lambert came.
She was also nervous at night" said Mrs.
Goodwin.
did you ever observe her condition of
pulse?" inquired Mr.. Perry. The witness
responded that her pulse accelerated 1T
also went higher at night
Asked as to whether she had observed
these conditions of excitement when per
sons called other than Mrs. Lambert, the
witness said. ''only one person.
Who was that person.
'.Mr Wilton Lambert was the reply.
Mrs Goodwin also said that Mrs. Van
Riswick called for Mrs. Carr during her
illness. but did not cali for Mrs. Lambert.
Judge Wilson. on cross-examination, in
sisted that the witness tell how she could
attribute Mrs. Van Riswick's nervous
ness to Mrs Lambert's visits.
The nurse at first replied that she did
otreally knowit, and her answer
by saying that she would not say positively
that her nervousness was attributable to
the visits of Mrs. Lambert.
Mrs. Van Riswick was the hardest pa
tient 1 ever had, and particularly yaccil-
lating,'' said Mrs. Goodwin
Albert K yles, Mrs. Martina Carr's coach
man, said he had been working at his pres
ent place since October, 1893, when Mrs.
Carr lived with her mother, at No. l413 K
street He knew about the superstitiOUs
feeling of Mrs. Van Riswick and said she
several times cautioned him not to take
ashes out of the furnace after noon. About
two months before her death she made him
drive a square out of the way to avoid
funeral.
Kyles said that when Mrs. Van Riswick
was staying at Mrs Lambert's Mrs. Carr
sent him every day to see if she wanted
anything He claimed to have found Mrs.
Van Riswick on the back stairs.
sometimes shewould stand and Some
times she would sit on the top STAIR
stated the witness,