The San Francisco call., 1904-11-23
Mrs. Moody S
Testimony Is
COntradicted
Continued From Page I, Column 4.


before was gone over again, but moth
ing new or important developed.
Arthur B. Watson, brother of Doug
las S. Watson. and with him a witness
to the will of Bertha NJ. Dolbeer, was
next called. He told of the arrival of
Miss Dolbeer at the Watson offices on
April %, 1904, to have him and his
brother attest her execution Of the
testament now being contested.
She produced eight pages of closely
written matter, which she said was
her VIII, and in the presence of the
witness and his brother she dated and
signed the instrument
In the conversation that followed
Miss Dolbeer spoke happily of the trip
she was about to take to Europe and
was in the best of spirits, said Watson.
What was her mental condition
when she executed the will ,"
she was absolutely sane"
Do you think she was capable of
making a testament"
Il think she was
The witness said his acquaintance
with Miss Dolbeer was not very init
mate. At Del Monte he saw her play
ing golf and taking part in the tour
nament in which she came within one
stroke of winning the trophy. She
had also driven her automobile a
great deal and proved herself an ex-
pert chauffeur.
On cross-examination the witness
was questioned searchingly as to the
persons with whom he had talked
concerning the case. but there were
no surprising revelations. Hiram
Johnson contented himself in regard
to the statement of Watson that Miss
Dolbeer was absolutely sane" with
the answer of witness that he knew
nothing whatever OF insanity as an
expert.
MISS DOLBEER CHEERFUL.
Albert Sutton, who answered that his
vocation was that of an architect. testi-
fed that on April % he met Miss Dol
beer just as she came from the office of
the WatsOns, Immediately after signing
the will. He conversed with her for FIVE
minutes and she appeared cheerful and
spoke in a merry vein of the trip she
was then about to take to Europe.
Lucille B. Forman testified that she
had known Miss Dolbeer many years
and saw her the last time on Sunday,
April "a. in the present year, the day
after the will was made and few days
before she started for Europe.
Miss Dolbeer came to the home of the
witness, accompanied by Miss Mary
Jolliffe, and was in usual good spirits.
She said she expected to enjoy herself
very much in London and Paris, for so
many of her friends were there
This testimony of Mrs Forman is
contradictory of the statement of Mrs.
J. l.. Moody that on the same Sunday
afternoon, when Miss DoIbeer called on
her, the testatrix exhibited signs of in
sanity, having what Mrs. Snndy de-
scribed as a 'paroxysm of terror" Miss
Dolbeer left Mrs. Moody's home to call
on Mrs. Forman.
Mrs. Forman also disputed the state
ments of Mrs. Moody that during the
last year of her life a great change
came over Miss Dolbeer, indicating
melancholia. The witness told of nu-
merous social affairs and automobile
parties into which the testatrix entered
with great zest. Nothing whatever in
the manner or conduct Of Miss DoIbeer
could be interpreted by Mrs. Forman
as evidence of melancholia. The young
woman was phlegmatic in tempera-
ment, but no change came over her
showing that her mind was failing.
Next came William Carson, hair and
beard white with age and eyesight so
defective that he had to be led to the
witness chair.
II knew John Dolbeer for fifty odd
years" he said. He was an engineer
at a lumber mill in Humboldt County
when 1 first met him 1 was in busi-
ness there. In April, 1883 we became
partners, and that relation continued
for forty years.
The DOlbeer-CarsOn Lumber Com
pany is still in existence.
The witness said that John Dolbeer
was a man of good average Judgment,
was honorable and had no bad habits
Carson lived in Eureka and looked
after the business at that end, while
DoIbeer resided in San Francisco and
mad charge of the business here.
II saw Mrs. Dolbeer about a year
before and about six months after
the birth of Bertha," said the witness,
"and the mother appeared always to
BE- in good health"
Six months after the death of John
Dolbeer the witness found Miss Dol
beer cheerful. She consulted him fire.
quently Sl business, and her mind was
clear at ali times.
Il saw her eleven months before
she departed for Europe, and there was
nothing strange or unusual about her
whatever" declared Carson.
A number of business letters from
Miss Dolbeer to the witness. in which
she wrote of their joint business af-
fairs, were introduced to show the
sane and thoughtful consideration she
gave to her affairs.
ON cross-exaIhination Carson was
asked if he knew of Mrs. Dolbeer's de-
partures from home in 1875 and 1875
and taking up apartments in the Oc-
cidental Hotel. but all he could say
was that he understood there was
trouble in the family"
Did you know of any Of John Dol
beers vagaries of mind, particularly
that Of belief that the slaughtering
of AL Protestants was imminent?"
asked Johnson.
II did not"
..-;II 10 rac,1rnad THE morn