The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-08
MISS HOMELL'S
SIDE OF CASE
WILL DE PRESENTED TO THE
JURORS TODAY.
Closing Evidence on the Part Of the
Petitioners Was offered Yesterday
and Mr.. Newcomb Opened the
Case for Miss Howell--He Said
They Would Prove That She Is Of
Sound Mind and That Her Brother
Is Prompted by Mercenary Mo-
tives in the Proceedings.

There was another hearing yester-
day in the proceedings brought by
Franklin Howell with a view to hav-
ing his sister. Miss Jennie Howell de-
clared insane. Miss Howell was pres
ent. and beside her sat T.. Il. Dean. the
man she proposes to marry. She was
represented by Attorneys II. Z. New
comb and G.. Balentine and Mr.. Howell
by Attorney James II. Torrey.
The hearing was held in the arbi-
tration room before Commissioner G.
II. Pitcher and the following Jurors:
Hon. John +. Roche. s. w. Roberts,
Samuel Blickens, James Merrill, John
!. LOTUS and Frederick Fuller.
Miss Mary Booker, OF Philadelphia.
a professional nurse. was the first
ness. She attended Miss Howell in
the spring of 1899 at Hotel Walton.
that city. She said that later they
went to Atlantic City. where she was
also the attendant upon Miss Howell
at Brighton Hotel. DR.. DeCostm was
the physician who had charge of Miss
Howelrs case, and she was sent TO
her as nurse by the doctor. Miss
Howell had a. nervous ailment, sur
fering much from prostration, and APP
peared much emaciated in the four
weeks she was her attendant. Miss
Howell was quite nervous and when
alone talked to herself q great deal.
on many occasions medicine offered
her was rejected. Miss Booker said
Miss Howell had very poor memory,
AT that time the patient was unable
to manage her own affairs. Dr. De
Costa told her, Miss Booker said. that
Miss Howell should receive rest treat
ment, else she would have to be sent
TO a sanitarium, where she would he
subjected to regularity and discipline.
Unless this was done. her case was
hopeless. on cross examination she
said that Franklin Howell stated To
her this morning that he wished his
sister to be saved marrying. and had
| consequently brought the proceedings
to have her declared q lunatic
DOwLING'S STORY.
| Thomas Dowling was then called.
Ilc was formerly employed by Miss
| Howell as chore boy. and was given
work about the barn TO do. He was
discharged from her employ Jan. 1g
| last. He testified that Miss Howell
day. Often times she would talk
| incoherently TO herself. Other times
she would have him drive her to a
store, and then refuse TO enter. but
on the return home she would order
the driver to again go back to the
same store. Mr.. Bowling said Miss
Howell was easily led, os ladies in
her company could get her TO buy
. tickets for operas and other enter
! tainments.
/ On cross examination, Downing was
! asked if he did not offer Frank Rar-
! rick $1,000 if he would get l.. Il. Dean
to whom Miss Howell is engaged tc
be married, out In company witt,
| lowd women. where the matter would
attract attention, and il he did not
say that he would get the $1,000 from
Miss Howells relatives for Rarrick.
Bowling admitted that he asked
Rarrick 10 get Dean cut with dis.
reputable women. but did not say any
thing about getting 1000 from Miss
Howelis relatives for doing so. HI
said that he had heard Rarrick say
that Dean frequented houses of i'll
repute, and it occurred to him that |,
would be a good thing to show hiI
up. No one suggested the plan to him
1t was his own creation.
| Miss Sue Stevens. who has been Mis-,
| tlowelrs maid for a number OF years
said that Miss Howell was irritabl,
and impatient when not feeling well
but that she was fond OF music. car,
playing. the theater, driving and trav
cl. She did not read much. becaus,
her eyes We're not good, but witness
read to her good deal and theN
discussed the books. Miss Howell.
| comments We're thoughtful and intel
ligent. One book witness read to he
was "The Christian" and when tn,
play was presented here recently sn,
formed party to go end see it an,
during the play pointed out wher,
parts OF the book had been omitted
in making the stage version.
HOWELL SIGNED CHECKS.
The witness said that Franklin How
ell signed all the checks for his siste
until about year ago. when they hat
disagreement about his failure I,
invest some of her money as she tol,
MIN to. She gave him permission Z
sell some stock she had in the Scran
ton Savings bank with the understand
ing that it was to be invested In gov
ernment bonds. Instead he invested /
in coal deal and lost the money. Mis-
Howell said she would rather sc
Franklin dead than have him do wha
he did. When the proceedings wer
brought against her she said sh
wished she had died before such
thing came to pass, ON cross-examin
alton the witness testified to the kee