The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-10
DONOVAN WILL CASE.
Proof That the Testator
Was Unduly Influenced
By His House
keeper.
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MISS DONOVAN'S TESTIMONY.
Scenes in the Death Chamber
Recounted at Today's
Trial of the Cause.


In the contest of the will Of Cornelius
J. Donovan an effort is being made to
prove that the testator was unduIy in-
fiueneed by Miss Ida May Meyring, his
housekeeper and a legatee under the will,
and also that at the time the will was
made Donovan was not possessed of tes-
tamentary capacity.
Mary d. Donovan, a daughter Of Rich
ard Donovan the contestant and niece
of the testator, testified today that she
lives at No. All Washington street Hobo
ken. She had not seen much of her uncle
for year or two prior to his death. She
saw him on June and on June u, and
she was there on July 10, the day he
died. On these occasions she saw him
at his roadllouse on the Boulevard, in
North Hudson.
when / went there on June S. Miss
Donovan said, my uncle didn't seem to
know me, but he recognized my voice
when I spoke to him. He appeared down
hearted and seemed to have lost his
memory.
What did you talk about?' asked ex-
Judge Hoffman, counsel for the contest
can't
Il don't care to say what our conversa-
tion was about" replied the witness. Il
saw Maggie Decker there "
who is Maggie Decker2" asked ex-
Judge Hoffman.
THAT woman,s niece
What woman?n
That woman that was supposed to be
my uncIe's wife. / don't know what her
name is.
DO you mean Miss Meyring?
Eyes, | think that is her name"
Il asked Maggie Decker if i could see
my uncle" continued the witness, land
she said she would find out. She came
downstairs and said that / could not see
him. My mother and / went there on
June u. We saw Miss Meyring, and sae
allowed US to go into my urcle's room one
at a time. thought then that my uncle
was dying. While | was in the room
my mother, that woman and her sister
were in the hall. My uncle was unable
to move He had TO cali the men to lit
HIM up. I saw my uncle on the day lie
died. My mother was with me- That
woman met us in the hall and began to
tell US about the will She told US what
my father was to get and all about it..
She put her arms around US and cried and
Kissed us. She said. It's too bad about
poor Dick and his large family Con
ought to have left him more Chief Dono-
van was in the room. Miss Meyring
spoke of the viii several times. The next
day that woman was in the room where
my uncles body was. She had her head
in the coffin and her hand in my unele's
mouth The Chief came in and told her
to go out. She refused to go and the Chief
said You know can put you out, you
have no right in here. She still refused
to go. Then the Chief said: Didn't I
promise you that everything would be
all right for you and isn't it all right?'
She just looked at the Chief but didn't go
OUT
On cross-examination by Mr. Besson the
witness got a little mixed in her dates.
but she stuck to the main part Of her
story.
Otto G. Engel, who had been bartender
at the road house for a year and half,
Donovan about two months before his
death. He seemed to be getting childish
and foolish.
What did he do or say" asked Mr..
Besson, that led you to believe that he
was childish or foolish?'
when we were lifting him out Of bed
to put him in a chair he told US to be
careful and not hurt his legs"
s'And yous consider that childish and
foolish@'
The witness could not remember any
thing else that Mr.. Donovan said which
would Indicate that his mental faculties
were imhpaired. He just had a general
impression on the subject.
C. j. Donovan, nephew of the tes-
tator and son of the contestant, testified
that he called at the road house and that
Miss Meyring refused to let him see his
uncle.
Richard Donovan, the contestant, testi-
fed that he saw Con on June and Con
was unable to speak. He went there
again on June A, although the Chief told
him not to 60 He went to the road house
about once a week Miss Meyring object
ed to him seeing Con, but he went in any,
way.
Judge Hoffman had no more witnesses
present and the hearing was adjourned
until next Friday.
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