The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-02-21
Big Charges For Care Of TssiatM Grocer
les, Taxes, Money Loaned, Etc.
WERE ALLOWED BY PROBATE COURT
R. S. Wood, One Of The Executors, Testified That
Tssiaior During Last Illness Required Much
Aiienion-A Rigid Cross-EramlnatioM

The appeal of James r. Lee, the re-
siduary legatee of the late John A.
Wood of Burrilville. from the action
OF the court of probate Of Burrillville
allowing the final account of Roscoe 8.
Wood and +. w. Wood. executors of
the deceased estate was heard by Judge
Rogers in the jury -trial-waived divi-
sion of the appellate court today. The
items disputed according to the appeal
filed are a claim of II. $. Wood for 1868
for care Of testator i'm his last illness, =
claim of r.. $. Wood for $274.9s for taxes
paid during the lifetime OF the deceas.
ed; $500 for counsel fees and executors
charges: $S9S0l store account. The lat
ter item included charges for groceries
and money advanced TO testator.
At the opening of the hearing coun-
sci for Lee agreed that Judge Harris
charge of 5000 for counsel fees both be-
fore and after John A. Woods death
was reasonable one and also that 5000
was not too big a charge for the SER
vices of the executors SO this item was
eliminated.
II. s. Wood testified that the testator
was his uncle and from October 18th.
1894. 10 Feb. 18th, 1895. the testator was
brain disease and required at all times
the most constant and menial atten-
tions. a guardian was appointed for
the testator In the spring of 1895, Dep
uty Sheriff Oliver A. Inman being ap-
pointed guardian. The testator died in
September 1895.
Mr.. Wood produced a number of tax
receipts TO justify his charge for taxes.
Explaining the grocery charge witness
said IL included the payment OF a vote
to a Mr.. Esten for $fl9.05. also interest
charged on account of some years
standing. The charges on book account
were changed somewhat from what
they were when first presented. but
this was explained by the fact that
there had been mistakes in allowing
some credits
The witness was put through very
severe cross-examination by Irving
Champlin who was counsel, with
Charles l.. Steere, for Lee. Mr.. Wood
admitted he failed in business and
made an assignment to $. S. Stone Afa
terwards the witness said he did busi-
ness with his brother as agent for his
mother Witness explained that while
in the grocery business he made lit
tie money from time TO time in horses.
Asked If the testator was not a man
who had plenty of ready money the an
swer was mot Of late years" Witness
said he and his brother ran the gro
cery business his mother taking no
part i'm the management of it. He
thought the agency might be simply
cover. His mother bought the grocery
stock and told the two men TO go into
the store and get a living If they could.
When witness and his brother started
in the grocery business after the fall
ure the debts had not been paid. After
wards there was a compensation made
to creditors varying from 20 cents to
a dollar for dollar He had never told
any one before that the property was
his and his brothers not the mothers
Witness went out Of the grocery busi-
ness in 1894 and went into the livery
business.
The appellant claims that there ara
a number of fictitious charges on the
grocery account put there In order
that he may not recover a claim Of 5000
he holds against the testators estate
estate for the case Of an ilegitimate
child. James Harris was attorney for
the executors.