Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-02-28

WAS presonteu Dy tne Q0fenCe In the
case OF John Pritchard vs.. Henry
Henderson, before the Superior Court.
yesterday week. In the opinion of
several witnesses Caroline q. Pritohsrd
was OF sound and disEosing mind and
lnemory when she made her will on
January 2Sth. 1896; statements were
sworn to alleging that she had denied
that John Pritchard was her son and
in the olurse of the afternoon, two
women, one witness for the plaintiff
and the other for the defendant, had q
tongue contest that might have de-
yeloped into a closer encounter, had
not court official been at hand
At the opening of the session the
court decided not to require additional
security for costs upon the plaintiff,
who has already been required to
furnish security for 5000 costs.
DIR. David /. Clifford OF Zion,
Md, who attended Mrs. Caroline q.
Pritchard in her last illness, testified
that be went to attend her January
10th, 1896, for broken leg. She asked
how much it would cost TO set the leg,
and he said S25. She thought that was
too much, but finally agreed to pay it.
She was uerfeotly ineligible and
sensible in her talk. She thought the
world OF Henry Henderson, and wanted
him constantly about her.
In his opinion SIZE was perfectly
sane woman on January 2Sth, the day
she made her will. At that time she
was competent to do business, to know
what property she owned and to whom
she was giving it. "A
On oross-examination by Albert Goa.
stable, DIR. Clifford said Mrs. Pritcbard
died February 9Th, 1896. He believed
she died OF organic heart trouble. She
suffered shock from the broKen leg and
debility. A led sore developed while
she was i'll.
The attorney and the physician bad
long passage concerning the doctor q
testimony at two previous trials on the
cause of Mrs. Pritchard's death.
What did you say at the second trial
as to what you said at the first trial?m
was one OF the complicated questions
which made, the doctor smile. He ex-
Flained supposed discrepancies in his
testimony Mt those trials. 8@
John Clark Of Cecil county visited
Mrs. Pritchard about the time she
made her will and found that she
recognized him aud recollected things
that hal happened before. He declared
that il she was of sound mind when he
first saw her years before, she was Of
sound mind the last time he saw her.
He was satisfied that she was able to
make will
+ In reply to Mr.. Constable, he said
he was not an expert ON minds. "I
may be crazy myself" he remarked,
'lots of people are crazy and dom I
Know It, " This caused laughter.
Smith ii. Rogers of Cecil county, an
attesting witness of The will, testified
tnat those present wheE the will was
executed we're MIRA Pritohard, her son,
Mr.. McVey, Mr. Steward and himself.
lie saw nothing 10 indicate that her
mind was affected She signed the will
with the assistance of Mr.. McVey.
On cross-examinatiun, Mr.. Rogers
denied having said to Thomas Frazer
that Mrs. Pritchard had not more than
half sense.
Laura Smith of near Pleasant Hill,
Nd, testified that she knew Caroline
Pritohard and saw no difficulty with
her mind.
Mrs. Sallie Reichart of No. lilo
South Thirty first street. Philadelphia,
proved very interesting witness She
mad met Mrs. Prirohard, she said, be-
tween May and December, 1895, while
on q visit to Cecil county, where her
mother, Catherine Alexander, was. In
one OF the conversations between the
witness and Mrs. Pritchard tho latter
said that John Pritchard was not her
son, but was hoy she had partly
raised, and she told the witness she
had had three children, only one OF
whom, Henry Henderson, still lived.
Asked as to the condition of Mrs.
Pritchard's mind. the witness expressed
the Wish that bers was half as good.
On cross s-examination, Mr.. Constable
tadkedf Mrs. Reichait when her first
husband died, ard while she was
rondering over it, he added
You have forgotten?'
have not forgotten, Mr.. Com
STABLE" replied the witness: ~ don t
forget what remember. y daughter. y
She said her first husband died in
1880 and she was married again in
1888, her present husband being boss
hy man at the Walnut Street Theatre,
Philadelphia.
Mr., Constable asked the witness il
her daughter was married and she
SAID she was not; he inquired if she
was not engaged to young Henderson,
and Mrs. Reichart said she was not,
A~oN n"o eo'HpB " WHuHf bUb WAS 6U-
gagged, but the court said the questions
were immaterial.
As to Mrs. Pritchard's mental CON
dition, the witness said 10 Mr., Con.
stable: 81 did think she was sane, and
50 dc you; and you saw her oftener
than l.
Strange to say declared the
attorney, :" never saw her. -
Mrs. Catharine Alexander, mother
of the previous witness, and living
with her in Philadelphia, was nnxt
sworn. She averred that Mrs.
Pritchard's mind was as sound and
perfect as her own, "and my mind ia
perfectly sound" she added. She
found Mrs. Pritchard actively interested
in things, doing her own work.
Speaking to the witness of John
Pritchard, Mrs. Prltchard said: "He
Is not my son; ought to know i
meyer gave him bed or birth. When
they stopped paying his board sent
him TO the hill, " and by'.hill, mrs.
Alexander learned she meant poorhouse.
Ms. Pritchsrd told her that John was
the son Of Lydia Brockman.
TIE witness said that Mrs. Pritohard
was highly respected by Henry Hender-
ton. She had heard Henry one day
tell Mra. Pritchard, when the latter
said something about matter in