The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-23
BRYAN ON STAND
Tells More of His Transaction
with Bennett.
HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM
Bennett Had Made Some In
veStments for Bryan.

New Haven, Conn.,. Oct 22.-W. J. Bry-
an again occupied the witness stand in
the probate court when the hearing on the
application for probating the will Of the
late Fhilo s. Bennett was resumed today.
In the cross examination of Mr. Bryan
Judge Stoddard. counsel for Mrs Ben
nett. the widow, spent considerable time
in asking Mr.. Bryan why it was that in
the letter which was left for Mrs Benz
nett by her husband directing her to give
Mr.. Bryan $4,000 for himself and further,
1t was stated that certain part Of the
fund was to be given 10 Mrs. Bryan and
part to the children. Mr.. Bryan replied
that he did not know but that il was
so understood between himself and Mr.
Bennett, and that after Mr.. Bennett $
death, he told Mrs Bennett about the ar
rangement.
Judge Stoddar dthen asked Mr.. Bryan
if any one was present beside himself
and Mr.. Bennett when they discussed
that letter in which the bequest should
be made to Mrs. Bennett. The witness
answered that he did not remember but
thought that Mrs. Bryan was not pres
ent. although she afterward wrote the
).
Bennett and one TO himself, relating to
this point Judge Stoddard also inquired
why it was not stated in the letter 10
Mrs Bennett that Mrs. Bryan knew the
contents of this sealed letter since that
letter said that the writer preferred TO
have n Done know it but Mrs. Bennett
and himself
Mr.. Bryan replied that he had told Mrs.
Bennett the details of the agreement
when he came here after Mr.. Benefits
death. He added that he presumed that
it had not occurred to either Mr.. Bennett
or himself TO mention Mrs. Bryan in the
letter. The witness was asked to eX
plain why he had received $500 from Mr..
Bennett at the time the will was drawn
up, and stated that while there was moth
ing said about it. he supposed it to be
for drawing up the document.
Mr. Stoddard then questioned the wit
ness regarding some offer he had made
to Mrs. Bennett with regard TO the $780,,
600 bequest to himself and family MIR.
Bryan said that he had told Mrs. Ben
nett that he was willing to pay the in
heritance tax on the entire SJ0.0U beQuest
out of his $4,000 portion and that he
would give her $4,000 in trust for three
persons who were her relatives, the bal
ance to be invested by him in government
bonds and the interest to be paid to
Mrs. Bennett, unless he should need it
because of broken health or in case of
her death.
hen Judge Stoddard asked the witness
if Mr.. Bennett had ever made any invest
ments for him, Mr.. Bryan replied that
he had made investments of the Common
er fund buying government bonds with
the proceeds of the. subscriptions which
came nadvance. He also asid that Mr.
Bennett had never made an investment
for Mrs. Bryan.
Lawyer Newton then asked his client
Mr.. Bryan:
Was, it ever suggested by yourself
OF Mrs Bryan that he give you the
$50, COO?
mo sir we never suggested it. 1t came
as a surprise to us when Mr.. Bennett
made the suggestion himself.
The witness then said that he had used
a portion of a previous viii. which had
been executed by Mr.. Bennett, in drafting
the last one.
James d. Dewell. wholesale grocer,
stated that for many years he had known
Mr. Bennett. He had always believed
him to be a shrewd. capable business
man and bore a reputation as such.
Replying to questions he stated that
Mr.. Bennett appeared to be in good
mental condition at the time when ne
last saw him. which was shortly before
his death. He was a man, said the wit
ness. whose opinion could not be easily
changed
At this point Judge Stoddard interrupt
ed with the question:
Did he worship Mr. Bryan
Witness replied
I always knew that he held the high
est opinion Of him.
Mr. Bryan then made a statement
which somewhat modified his answer that
no money had been invested for Mrs
Bryan by Bennett. He said that when
he received the royalties on his book.
The First Battle" ne gave Mrsh Bryan,
who wrote tire biographical sketch. a
sum amounting to about 81 900.
This was invested for her. he said, but
he could not recall whether IL was BY
Mr. Bennett or by a Chicago firm.
The case was adjourned until Monday
evening