Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-09-13

nieces were well of and that she desired to
will her property to her niece, Mrs Wood
| ward, who had seen hard times and was des-
titute. Testimony was introduced showing
that Mrs Stoddard was quite lame and her
eyesight considerably impaired during late
years. The cross.eNamination of the wit
ilesses called by the proponents of the will
developed the case of the contestants, which
is an attempt to show that Mrs Stoddard from
a time prior to the execution of the will had
become very penurious and in fact, insane on
money matters. so that she was not ut tn at
time, or subsequently. OF disposng mind
also, as corrobOrating this condition of mind.
that after the death of her first husband she
became very untidy in dress and filthy in the
matter of housekeeping. The proponents
rested their case Saturday noon. The tcst-
mOnv on behalf of the contestants commenced
Monday afternoon and thus far the following
witnesses have beed heard: Preston II llaa-
lev (who testified AS to certain papers in his
hands,, Mr. and Mrs II b Farr, Mr. and Mrs
b f Sleeper, Mr. and Mrs Elihu Durham, Eli
Geer, George II Walker, Mrs NJ Il Nutting,
George II Allbee, Edward Holton, Mrs Lila
Pierce, Miss Alice Whitney, Mrs Dora Bruce,
Willard Durham and Mrs Nellie Hall, who
testified to Mrs Stoddard'> pecu liarities along
the line of misery and filthy habits. 1t was
shown Ialso that she cut down one of her
while they were in church, that she coaxed
her neighbor hens into her own ash house
TO lay, aurng them by means of line OF
scattered grain, that she took from the neigh
bors' wood piles and PARTICLES OF provisions
from the cellars witeout leave and
that she frequently asked the mer-
chant TO send her up any articles OF pro-
vision that were unstable and that he did
send her at one time a maggoty cheese and
kit of spoiled fish, that she invariably plead |
ed poverty when shown a subscription paper !
and gave very sparingly for all neighborhood !
benevolent objects, and that she sometimes !
objected to entertaining relatives and friends |
on the score Int she was poor.
A large portion Of the testimony recting |
the most peculiar acts, however. related to
happenings subsequent 10 the making OF the
last codicil in 1897. The consensus OF opin-
ion OF contestants witnesses SO far as en-
pressed wrs that Mrs Stoddard was insane on
money matters when the will and both codi-
ills were executed. II is not now expected
hat the case will 90 to the jury before Thurs
lay.
Julia F Woodland. the residing legatee re-
emily deceased, her heirs and the admins
rators are proponents OF the VIII. Jeanette
Ioltou was born In Westminster in 1920, one
# the four children of Zoetti Holton. Her
ather conveyed his property to one of the
|
litions being that the family support should
re provided for and that certain payments
hould be made to the other children. A few
ears later this son conveyed the property ,
'ook and left home, when like conditional
was made to Ann Jennette, who :
emained at home, met the conditions, paid :
II the mortgage. and when 40 years old mar :
eyed by the deed OF trust formed the basis .
t what accumulated. Her husbands had the .
Of the property during their life /
mes.
The proponents called q witnesses, mostly I,
M time neighbors and church assoc yates Of
Irs Stoddarl Among the witness for the
were James .Stoddard OF Towns
end son of the Judge, and Mrs Edgar Stod- c
ard, daughter-in.law. who had made )
eqdeptl visits to her home during Judge |
.oddard's lifetime. h
The witnesses for the contestants included :
good many substantial citizens Of West V
mister East Parish. who seemed quite q
morally to regard Mrs Stoddard as very II
centric woman by nature whose mind since
e death of her first husband had been in q
adualy failing condition. When asked if
e hadn't managed her estate so that It had CO
instantly accumulated, and whether they bt
lew OF any bad investments That she had OF
AIDE the usual reply was that her two hus- 81
nd. and Henry & Lane had the com. d,
etc management of her financial affairs.
stances were recited of frequent statements
ide BY her to the effect that she was liable
come onto the town for support.
DR. 5 + LawtOu of the Brattleboro Retreat on
+ put on the stand by the contestants H. an IL
pert witness and Mr. Martin put a h,po- In
plical question to him covering two pages br
more of legal cap. the question peciting the W,
aud actions OF Mrs Stoddard rs n,
own bv the contestants witnesses and call ~
f,,. ba 1nntnt'. Tpib N a. IN tlI "
soundness of person in like condition.
Lawton answered that such person would
of unsound mind. the disease taking the ,
m of senie dementia with decisions. The
y stefan wto attended sylvester Stoddard ,nGG
his last illness testified tnat in his opinion H. IT,
: StOddard was of uusound mind, basing ' iie
opinion chiefly on the fact that when he lllil
t went to the house on the occasion Of his M
is he found her very much depressed and Ie
t when he would leave she WAS correspond VI
nnnnsoI fn,. nonta.t,nt 20 two othar for
,ses of tho r,se asi,,e from tho claim of per
mol ,,rso,nIroOs Tho r.irI shor. ,bat and
on first yritten several hlonk snares were the
TIA With uora af,ar,rari fIlal H. hou
ne 'Stepphen NJ Nutting' as trustee for M AZ!
Il Iiolton. also one or more dates. These we.
ttions although apparently the writing of MAJ
! no., tba ,a,tr "l rortio,' - ~ do,'r M,
the claim is advanced that the spaces ti'l
,ba '',,,ii - o1-oautaJ ,bns ,,,nttn, H. and
lument TO no effect. Mr. Nutting testi- N9'
that Judge Stoddard consulted him about uhu
ng as trustee, although not able to detin- WI
Fix the time. The other claim is that the ioau
,ertv in disnuts IL ,n.inIv tha I,nnno ~ carr
real estate left by her father to Mrs Stod- ip !
taken from ali the th.r branches ~ the and
II the pnIitipS of the demand vail