The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-20

II is now legally established that
Miss Jennie Howell il not of unsound
mind, and that she Is In every way
capable OF managing herself and her
estate.
The proceedings instituted by her
brother. Franklin Howell, to prove her
to be mentally unbalanced and thereby
prevent her from carrying out an al
legged design to marry and share her
quarter of a million dollar estate with
Edward Il. Dean, came to an abrupt
termination yesterday afternoon
Three celebrated specialists in mem
tai and nervous disorders from Phlla-
delphia. who had carefully examined
Miss Howell and maze thorough
study of her case. testified positively
and without the slightest equivocation
thta she is not only Of perfectly sound
mind but woman of remarkably
sharp intellect. and not affected with
any physical disorder which might
lead to mental unbalancing.
This testimony being in, Mr.. Torrey.
attorney for Franklin Howell, an
nounced that the relator did not wish
TO continue the case any further
This decision. he said. had been ar
rived at earlier in the day. but he be-
lieved 1t only fair to Miss Howell to
allow the case to proceed until she had
had full opportunity of presenting
what testimony she might have gath
cred TO rebut the evidence of the re-
lator and establish as best she conld
the contention of the defense that she
Is not of unsound mind
WOULD NOT ASK IT.
The testimony of the respondents $
| experts. coupled with Miss Howells
own testimony. was such as to make it
! unwarrantable on the part of the re-
| lator to ask jury to accept the views
of the REALTORS witnesses and declare
Miss Howell insane. The fact that the
testimony Of the respondents experts
| was based on examinations made sub
| sequent to the observations of the re-
| lator's witnesses, made 1t impractic-
able to ask the jury to accept the lat
ter. The jury would likely feel con-
strained to say that. with all due def
erence to the witnesses for the relator,
| Miss Howell is now of perfectly sound
mind.
AS an evidence that Miss Howells
stand had much to do with the decis-
| ion to drop the proceedings was evil
| denced by the fact that the witnesses
| who followed her, the three experts,
We're not cross-examined by Mr.. Tor
| rey.
The announcement of the withdrawal
of the proceedings caused a deep
silence for few moments to settle
| over the court room, and then came
| a general advance by Miss Howell's S
| friends tn the table at which she sat
with her hand resting on Deans knee,
! her back leaning against his arm,
| which was stretched along the top OF
her chair on which she reclined. She
| received "A gentle carcss from her
| fiance, and then rising shook hands
| with her friends and kissed all the
women folks, while tears rolled down
her cheeks. Her brother had taken his
| hat and left the court room the mo-
| ment Mr.. Torrey finished speaking.
A MANLY COURSE.
| Former District Attorney George d.
| Graham, of Philadelphia, who was
| consulting counsel in the case and who
| came up yesterday to conduct the ex-
| animation of the experts, held a mo-
| ments conversation with his coll
leagues. +. C. Newcomb and Clarence
| Balentine, and then in sincere and
| feeling tones acknowledged the action
of Mr.. Torrey as being a most manly
one, adding: "It is only in keeping
| with what We know OF him in Phila
| delpha."
| 1--WE want a verdict" he went ON TO
| say, that will completely exonerate
| Miss Howell from this terrible allega-
tion that she Is crazy. We want this
| cloud lifted from her life-.lifted so
! high that not the shadow of vestlge
OF it shall remain. The testimony has
established her sanity, and what il
also a matter of great qualification,
that her physical ailment has ceased
| its recurrence and that the words of
| the dead Di Costa, You will be ulti-
mately cured will come true. It is
marvellous how bravely and how with
out any ill-effects she has stood the
ordeal of this trial"
| Examiner Charles Il. Pitcher and the
| jurors, John j. LOTUS, Hon. John f.
| Roche, James Merrill. Alderman Fred
Fuller, Michael Blickens and ex-County
| Commiss Samuel w. Roberts
signed verdict that Miss Howell Is
now and always has been of perfectly
sound mind, and that she is in every
way capable to manage her person
| and estate.
WAS NO DOUBT.
There was no doubt as to what Tho
verdict would he after the TESTIMONY
of the Philadelphia experts, DIR. Whar,
ton Sinkler, DR.. Thomas @. Norton anG
DR.. John ID. Chaplin, was heard.
Dr.. Sinkler stated, in response to At
torney Graham's questions, that h,
was a graduate of the University o.
Pennsylvania, class of 1865, is now
specialist in nervous and mental dis
eases, ana holds official positions il
three OF the largest institutions in anC
about Philadelphia, where these dis
eases are specially treated, includn.
the Colony Farm for Epileptics a
Chester. He is also the author of tw,
text books on neurology.
He examined Miss Howell on fou
different occasions, the FIRST time be
ing Jan. %, of this year. at his ofilc,
in Philadelphia. This was soon afte
the proceedings were instituted bu
he had no knowledge of them and wa,
not informed until after he had com
pleted his examinations of the particu
lar purpose his patient had in con
sulting him.
lie found her TO be of absolutel,
sound mind, good memory and NOR
than average intelligence. Everythin,
developed by his examination war
ranted him in saying she was full,
capable OF taking care of herself an,
her estate.
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