The Portland daily press., 1899-04-25
Aldermen Decide She Is Fully Capa.
bic Of Doing So.
Conclusion Of a Remark
able Case.
Petition For Location of Poles
BY New Lighting Company.

AT a special meeting of the Mayor and
Board of Aldermen yesterday aftsrn Don
the petition of John Curran to have Hen
ry j. Conley appointed the guardian of
Mary A. Holleran was denied by the
board, the finding being that the woman
was not insane and was capable of man :
aging her own affairs.
The city ny sician, DIR. Charles NJ.
Leighton, presented a report to the board
In this case in which he stated that he
had examined Mary A. Holleran on two
separate days. 1t was his opinion that she
was capable of managing her own affairs.
She has a delusion that certain parties
are trying TO poison her. Otherwise than
that, to all appearances, she is perfectly
sane. Evidently, from worry over some
matter, her mind has become deranged to
chat extent. In my judgment she is not a
person dangerous to the community. In
regard to her appearing before the board
should think it inadvisable, unless it is
customary thing. Appearing before
your board, amid strange surroundings
and subject to cross-examination the
chances are that it would be detrimental
to her mental condition.
MID A. Meaher, who had presented
the petition in behalf of John Curran to
have this woman committed to the insane
asylum, was absent and MIR. Henry ].
Conley asked that DIR. McDoDough be
called as witness.
DIR. McDonough said that he had seen
the woman two or three times as a pa.
tent. On these occasions Mary Holleran
had appeared to be suffering from some
illusion and was somewhat excited. 1t
had never occurred to him that the
woman was dangerous or would be likely
to do any one any harm. He said that
she seemed to him to be suffering under
great excltementiat the time she came to
his office but he considered her capable of
managing her own affairs.
At the request. of Henry j. Conley, who
seemed to he acting as the attorney for
the petitioners IN this case Mrs. John
Curran was called as witness. She
stated that the woman, whose sister-in-
law she is. had lived with her for a short
time and had been under the hallucina-
ton that some one was trying to poison
her. Mrs. Curran was not very good
witness and it was difficult to get much
information from her,. She said that she
thought her sister-in-law should be put
under some restraint.
Wilbur q. Weldon, who appeared as
attorney for Mary Holleran asked Mrs,
Curran if Henry J. Conley had been to
her house to ask her husband to sien the
petition asking a guardian TO be appoint.
editor Mary Holleran.
Mrs Curran did not seem to be anxious
to answer this question, but finally ad-
mitted that MIR. ConIey had been to her
house on such an errand and had seen her
husband.
MIR. Wheldon-"D Did your husband ever
sign such a petition or did some one else
sign it for him?'
Henry j. Conley, who was outside the
ban. of the chamber in the spectators
seats jumped to his feet atssthis question
and SAID
Your Honor, arise to point of or
DER
The Mayor-"Sit down, you are not
member of this board
Mr. Conley theIeupon sat down and
Mr.. Wheldon continued his examination.
Mr. Whelden-"Didn't you tell Mr..
Dana that this petition was signed by
your husband without his knowing what
IL VAST
Mrs. Curran-'I don't know anything
about it. 1"
Alderman Moulton-"Why isn't your
husband here?''
Mrs. Curran-"He is at work.
think he should be here "
Alderman Moulton-"Do esn't he care
enough about this case to appear here?"
Mrs. Curran-"He ought to- 1t
turned out that the petition ON which
this case was based had been signed by
John Currau who couldn't sign his name
with John Dumphy as witness to his
signature At this point Mr. Conley asked
few questions which brought out the
facts that while at Mrs. Curran's house
Mary Holleran had occasionally COM
planned of MIR. Meaher and others looking
In her window and trying to get into her
room. MIR. Conley then stated to the board
that he knew all about how this petition
was signed AMI he was willing to answer
any and all questions of the board of al
dermsu.
Alderman Moulton then asked Mr..
Conley If he We're appointed guardian of