Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-02-04
RACE TO THE GRAVE
WOMAN DIES IN DENVER WHILE
LAWYERS WRANGLE OVER
MENTAL CONDITION.
Tragic Scene in Denver Court When
Death of Mrs. Lucy Anna crandalI
Sister Of Mrs. Joel kirschbaum Of
Ottumwa is Announced.

Beyond the pale Of the courts of man
n but a few minutes of mortal exist
ence between her and the time she
would face the Great Judge, Mrs. Lucy
Anna Crandall sister of Mrs. JoelKirsch-
baum n aunt of Mrs. +. H. Hall of
this city, breathed her last at lilo
Monday morning in Denver, Colo, just
one hour and thirty-five minutes after
a jury had returned a verdict, declar-
ing her $50 distracted in mind as to
be incapable of managing her estate
and at the very moment that the law
yers were struggling with each other
over the appointment Of a c%onservator
of the Crandall estate.
The Denver Story.
Only her sister. Mrs. Joel Kirsch-
man, who was the only relative who
battled against the disgrace of insti.
tuting proceedings to have Mrs. Gran.
dali adjudged insane, and Mrs. G. w.
Stearns were present In the death
chamber. Her brother Rodney c,
Crook and the dozens Of other rela.
tives who have vigorously prosecuted
the insanity proceedings crowded into
the court room to listen to the argu.
ment on the appointment Of the con.
seryator at the time the aged woman
passed to her reward.
In Ignorance of these matters, the
attorneys were gathered in the court
room ready for the battle over the es
tate. Sterling B. Toney was protest
ing against the appointment of At
torney @. w. Franklin as c%onservator
Attorney James H. Blood was awaiting
his turn to speak.
The News OF Death.
Attorney Blood made some remarks
as to the length of time to be al
lowed each side in the matter ant
Judge Toney arose and began to ad
dress the court. your honor, he sale
Il want to" But this was as fal
as he got. w. T. Bangs who conducts
the telephone exchange interrupted
him and the look Of blank amazement
that came over the features Of the
former Kentucky jurist almost con
yeyed the startling and most tragic
news he was told. He paused witt
Just the suggestion of a tear in his
kindly eyes and looked over to At
torney Blood who was waiting anx
iously. His glance then became riv
eted on Rodney Crook who sat un
conscious of what had taken place and
his eye lit UP for a moment with q
blaze of wrath. Turning to the court
he said: Your honor, Providence has
taken jurisdiction in this case an6
Mrs. Crandall who has been on tria,
before this court with reference to hel
sanity, is now before a court of in
finite justice. God has taken her case
from your honor's hand, for this ole
lady whose sanity was so disgrace
fully, may say. questioned by some
OF her W flesh and blood, departed
this vale Of tears scarcely five min
utes ago. 1t was a race to the grave
between the relatives and the hearse
but the relatives won by a neck in hav
Ing her adjudged insane before she
got to her last resting place."
An Affecting Scene.
Hardly a murmur was audible wher
Judge Toney sank back into his seat
The court pursed UP his lips as if t.
suppress a sigh and the relatives sa
In their seats like statues, dumfounde{
at the tragic climax of the proceed
ings. Attorney Blood broke the sol
emn silence by stating to the cour-
that death had made it unnecessary tt
proceed further. And then an ordel