The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-10-03
some ACTS
OF SUMNER
Nephew Says He Is
Not Of Sound
Mind.
JUDGE DE BOLT
PRODS ATTORNEYS
Tells Them They Must Proceed in
Regular Names
Is Dragging.

Wyllie Davis, nephew of John K. Sum-
ner, was still on the stand, with his
ss-examination unfinished. Judge
De Bolt during the course of the after
noon announced that at the rate the
witnesses We're being examined it
would require one hundred days to
hear the Sumner case, and advised the
attorneys to be more speedy in the con-
duct of the case After nearly an hour
spent in argument over testimony
Judge De Bolt announced that no fur
ther time could be wasted in Irregular
tiles and the attorneys must confine
themselves to conducting the case in
an orderly manner leaving out the side
issues.
In spite of this however the examina-
ton of Wyllie Davis was painfully
slow. There are fifty witnesses, and
the trial will occupy nearly two weeks.
The Sumner case is a probate matter
and does not therefore interfere with
the hearing of term cases.
The afternoon was taken up in the
cross-examination of Davis The wit
ness admitted that he and his mother
had made arrangements with counsel
to conduct the case against Sumner.
He testified that the agreement and
trust deed given to the Bishop of Pan
opolis was made at the instance of his
mother, to prevent designing persons
from securing the old mans property.
He said that he did not claim any in
terest in the property, nor did his
love" of her brother. His mother OBJ
jected to the exercise of the option of
the Oahu Railway in the 1arbor lands,
because Sumner was to receive but
100000 for property worth half mil
lion. The witness was asked how
crazy his uncle was at the time of the
execution of the trust deed, and re-
piled that he was not an expert on
brains He talked excitedly for nearly
ners sanity, at the conclusion of which
Mr.. Highton quietly asked that the
testimony be stricken out, which mo-
ton was granted. 4
Davis testified also to a number of
wills made by Sumner in one of which
he had wiIied all his property to Gran
dali Witness said that Sumner was
satisfied with his mothers action in
ousting Crandall from control Of his
property, while he was in Tahiti This
had been done by declaring Sumner TO.
be non compos mentis, to which express
sion the old man had objected. Tt
was all right" said the witness, tun-
til Wilcox and the Princess got hold of
him and told him, You know what
your sister has done to you. She has
nad you 3Ildue d. CRAZY Ileai anu +SNSA
One down town knows you are crazy.
Then Theresa took him down to a place
and showed him that non compos men
tbs meant crazy and since then he has
been very sore
$50 the words non compos mentis'
are responsible for this petition?" ask
ed Mr.. Highton.
He was satisfied at first when Gran
dalfs power of attorney was cancelled,
but when he moved to Waikiki and
found out the meaning of non compos
mentis he got mad"
paid his mother fifty dollars a month
for her support for a time but later
the amount had been reduced. He said
also that the old man had been very
good to him, had paid for his educa-
ton abroad, and later taken him. TO
Tahiti, where he wanted him to re-
/ main. The witness said ne didn't re-
member collecting this allowance for
his mother and using the money to pay
his private debts.
by the way, Mr.. Davis, you are
forty-one years of age. What is your
business?" asked Highton.
L have worked at various trades,
was employed in a jewelry store. drove
a hack. was a fisherman and am now a
bartender"
MIR. Summer has given you property,
has he not?"
Yes, in trust. held by Bruce Cart
wright
We'll. how insane was Mr.. Sumner
at that timer"