The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-06-15
WAS MRS. DODGE OF
UNSOUND nIND :?
Her Husband Claims She Was and
Was incompetent to Make Will.
Threatened to Kill Him.

OF Mrs. Dodge would say her mind was
affected i'm some way.
There was no ss-eXamination OF
| this witness.
Albert IA. Wakefield said he knew
| Mrs. Dodge from the time her husband
and she lived i'm the hotel. once she
| left the hotel and was gone three Oh
| four days and after this she was fire.
| quently disturbed In mind. One morn
| ing Mrs Dodge came down TO the ho-
tel office about ! o'clock and stopped
| until O'Clock. Witness frequently
| heard Mrs. Dodge during 1897 use pro-
! fame and vulgar language though be-
fore that time her language and con-
duct were irreproachable.
Mr. Wakefield frequently heard Mrs.
Dodge say she would kill herself and
also several times threaten to kill Mr..
Dodge. once she threatened while sit
ting -np-the- piazza --eftAe4-l -lstieetptsea
| house in August, 1898, 20 throw herself
into the water. The same night wit
ness claimed Mrs Dodge said her hus-
band would have her property.
ON cross-examination witness was
asked II he was still i'm the employ of
Mr.. Dodge, and his reply was yes. "In
what capacity?" queried Mr.. Lapham.
Selling rum for him." replied the wit
ness. In answer To another question,
Mr.. Wakefield said he had been selling
rum for Mr.. Dodge seven years. He
had never heard Of Dodge abusing Mrs.
Dodge in private.
William l.. Wheaton. Jr.. clerk In the
Providence post office for 10 years and
Knew Mrs Dodge. 10 years. He called
at Mr. Dodge's home. Sometimes things
would be very pleasant there, but at
other times things would be very dis
agreeable. Mr. Wheaton said for two
or three years he had heard Mrs. Dodge
use very bad language. and this ten
dency TO use such language increased
towards the time of her death. Mrs
Dodge frequently complained OF her
head feeling bad.
Witness on cross examination said
he did not know whether Dodge abused
ms wife in private or not.
Benjamin r.. Jefferson. a motorman
In the employ OF the Union Railroad
Company testified TO visits 10 Mrs
Dodge's house at Edgewood. Her eyes
would be wild and CLASSY and have at
times wearied look. Witness heard
her using very violent language fire.
quently when alone on her dawn. So
far as witness could see Mrs. Dodge al
ways used her husband we'll. Once wit
ness heard Mrs. Dodge say somsthing
-tteetft her mot her Stri cirr- Vftupvs rfirf
not wait to hear other remarks on this
occasion. as he left quickly.
Other witnesses testified 10 the same
effect as the above. Nellie Dodge. tes-
thd Mrs. Dodge acted strangely the
last years of her life and used bad Lam
guage. The night before she died Mrs.
Dodge said she had made wrong dis
position of things and wanted 90 make
o. change. Witness heard Mrs Dodge
refer TO her mothers having committed
suicide
Mr.. Dodge. the contestant. took the
witness stand and told SCcut his wifS
leaving the Revere Hotel without Civ
ing him any notice. He said that after
moving to Edgewood Mrs. Dodge act
ed peculiarly. and on several occasions
when having spells. threatened him.
Once when he made gems for breakfast
his wife came down stairs and said she
wanted no gems. and proceeded To
throw a stove cover at him. She tried
TO use the poker at him. hut the dog
nterfered. This was Nov. 23d. 1897. Wit
ness cited number of other instances
" popularity on the part of his wife.