Evening star., 1899-03-27
CONTEST OVER y A WILL
Opening Proceedings in the Controversy Over
Estate Of Eliza B. Dangerfield.
Statements of Counsel and Testimony
Of Wftnesses to the Instrument
In Question.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

| Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
| ALEXANDRIA, Va, March 27.-The
opening testimony in the contested will case
| Of Dangerfeld against Dangerfield was
| heard before Judge C. f. Nicoi in the cir
cult court this morning. The room was
| crowded. the case is one OF general IN
terest Among those present were many
members of the Dangerfield family, repre-
senting both sides to the controversy
There was some contest over the fmpanel-
! ing of the jury, and it was not until II
O'Clock that the twelve men we're agreed
| upon and the case opened.
The will under litigation is that OF the
late Mrs. Eliza r. Dangerfield, in which
the major portion of the estate Of Che de-
ceased, valued at above $4,000, is left to
Mrs. Ellen DanSerfeld, widow of Reverdy
DangerfeGd, son of the testatriX. The
contestants are the four sons and one
young daughter of the late Henry Danger
field, second son of Mrs. Eliza r. Danger
field Mrs. Ellen Dangerfield, the legatee,
is the principal defendant
Attorney John M. Johnson opened for the
defendant. He quoted the law, showing
that the burden of proof rested with the
defendant to show that the will was prop
erly and legally executed, and 10 show that
the testatriX was of sound mind and re-
sponsible agent at the time the will was
burden of showing defects to exist in the
will rested upon the contestants.
Plan of Contest.
Attorney R. Walton Moore of Fairfax
followed and outlined the plan to be pur-
sued in contesting the will. He spoke first
of the extreme unnaturalness manifested
by the disposal of the estate ignoring. as
the deceased had done, the children of one
son, Henry, and bestowing her property on
one who was not of her blood. He then re-
ferred to the conditions which rendered a
will void, and dwelt upon insanity. Among
the causes of insanity, said the attorney,
was that of severe mental shock
He reviewed incident of nine years
ago. and which Intimately affected the rep
utation and prestige of Mrs. Eliza r. Dan
gerfields immediate family. Attention was
called to the fact that in this affair MRS.
Ellen Dangerfe.d was the principal actor
With an intermission of only few years.
said Mr.. Moore, Henry Dangeffeld had
met a tragic end by his own hand. and fol-
lowing closely thereafter was the suicide
of Reverdy both of which deaths occurred
in the old mansion on Prince street, Where
bined influence of these calamities. SAID
the attorney, was enough TO unbalance the
strongest mind.
Witnesses Examined.
When Mr. Moore finished his address wit
nesses were put on the stand The first was
Mr.. Gardner l.. Boothe, whose signature,
with those of Judge ]. K. NJ. Norton and
Thomas Miller, was affixed to the will. Mr..
Boothes evidence tended to show that the
testatrix was of sound mind when he tMr.
Boothe), in company with the above-named,
became WITNESSES to the will.
Mr.. Miller was next examined. and Judge
Norton was also put on the stand Their
testimony wasc subs tantially the same as
Mr.. Boothes.
Shortly before o'clock the examination
of other witnesses was in progress. The
hearing of evidence in this case and the ar
guments will perhaps consume the greater
part Of this week.