The sun., 1897-12-19
A RAID FOR S25O,000
Celebrated Case in Which
a Play Was rlade for
a Fortune.
|JAE STAKE Was $25o.ooo
1t Was a BattleI of the Giants,
. But the Right Triumphed
at Last.
4 PLAY FOR TIE HARRIS FORTUNE
Politicians Identified With the
Crowd in This Game.
4 PLAY FOR TIE HARRIS FORTUNE

Will Case.
| If the scheme of the instigators of that
now notorious transaction had been sue
cessful certain politicians would have
shared $3.50, 900 ill.gotten gains,
Charles Harris of Dover formerly o.
Virginia who was adjudged insane by
Delaware jury and who, according te
sufficient testimony was mentally de-
pressed, made lengthy and voluminous
will with same sixteen or eighteen
codils.
In the course of the will and subse
lquent codicils, Thomas $. Clark anG
Charles H. Butler were named as .bene
ficiaries.
The will was contested before Register
of Wills, Ezekiel 7. Cooper, by the rela
tives of Harris.
Richard X. kenney, John B. Penning
ton, G. H. B. Day and several other
members of the bar were counsel fol
Thomas s. Clark and Charles H. Butler.
James Penniwell, James H. Hughes
and Edward Ridgely represented the
coveators and the case occupied the at
tention Of Register Cooper for several
months.
Prior to the time at which Harris
will was purported to have been made,
he Charles Harris, was adjudged insane
by jury, and in addition to this some
very conclusive evidence was produced
to show that the old man had been in
| fluenced in the making of his will BY
Thomas s. Clark and Charles H. Butler.
George A. Millington, proprietor of
the Capital Hotel, in Dover, at which
house Charles Harris lived for a long
time, was produced as witness by the
plaintiff, Miss Sarah ID. McPhail, of
Philadelphia, a niece of Harris Milling
ton, swore that Clark made frequent Wis
it's to Harris room during the time Har-
ris was sen !, dementia
When Mr.. Millington asked Clark why
he did this, Clark said that he Thought
Harris needed company and that he
liked to 60 up and talk with him."
When asked by Mr.. Penniwell if he
ever had other conversation with Mr..
Clark, Mr.. Millington said that zone
day in the hack, as l was going to the
train, / told Clark was very sorry to
know of his connection in the case, that
thought he was doing himself and fam
lily great injury. We had quite con-
versation to that effect. | told him L
was satisfied that that was a conspiracy
that would never go through. He prom
ised that he would have nothing. more to
do with it."
When asked, "did Clark ever say to
you or not that Butler could make Harris
do what ever he pleased" Mr. Milling
ton said that at the same time at which
he talked to Clark about his con-
nection with Harris, II told Clark
that had been to sale of Mr.. Sauls.
bury where there was very elegant
carriage withdrawn which l thought
be bought cheaply. Ae said that is the
very thing, he says, will make Butler
buy that for the old man Harris, he will
do anything | say, and we will have it
here. They did buy it l believe.
John f.. Salisbury was called as
witness for the propounders of the will,
but upon cross-exainination Mr.. Sauls-
bury became greatly confused and gave
same important evidence for the op-
posers of the last will and testament.
Salisbury was witness to the alleged
signature OF Charles Harris on the tRir-
teenth codicil, dated May 3, 1893, which
gave to Thomas S. Clark for the sum of
5000.
Lawyer Penniwel asked Salisbury
"what was Mr.. Harris mental condition
at that time?" Answer, ''at the time
that witnessed the codicil that Mr.. But
Ter was present." Eyes" Answer,
Mr. Harris was not in his proper mind
that morning.
"At that time did you consider Mr.
Harris capable of making willw
Answer, "No, not at tnat time, l did
lot."
r. T. Gehris a graduate in medicine
md a trained nurse was called upon the
stand in behalf OF Thomas S. Clark and
Charles ii. Butler, and when cross-ex-
4mined in regard to the conditions under
which he came to wait on Mr.. Harris
vas asked the following questions:
'One of these conditions | believe was
hat you were not to disclose upon the /,
treets any of the secrets of that sick
oom?'
He answered, Eyes, sir.'
Mr.. Gehris said that the terms were !
tated to him by Doctor Clements, and ;;
hat different persons often talked to !;
lin about the conditions. The follow !
ng is taken from the testimony. :;
Question-"What were the terms, Mr.. :
iehris ?" Answer-"He told me as far
I. -. L IL l.