Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-09-25
FRIENDS ON STAND
Several intimately Acquainted
With Father Mackin Tes.
tify at Trial.
CONSIDERED OF SOUND MIND
Tell of Meetings in 1904 and January,
1905, With Priest-Retter Pro-
gress is Made.

| The trial of the bill to set aside the
| will of Dean Thomas Mackin progress
ed much faster yesterday and today
than at former sessions. Yesterday
| afternoon three witnesses were exam
med. and the direct examination OF a
fourth was concluded The witnesses
now being heard in support of the will
are friends and associates of the priest
who knew him intimately and would
be likely to know of his mental condi-
ton
Francis l.. Tobin of North Platte,
! Neb. was the first witness called yes
| terday when the hearing was resumed.
! He conducts a store for his mother
and Michael c. Harrington, who testi-
! fed last week. Mr. TObin said that he
| had known Father Mackin for eight or
nine years, and that he had met him at
North Platte and had many talks with
him. He saw the priest in the summer
| of 1904, and at one time during the
summer drove Mrs. George Mackin
and her daughter, Miriam Mackin. to
| Father Mackin's ranch. He said that
| he noticed that Father Mackin was
very much attached TO the girl. 1t was
the opinion OF the witness that Father
| Mackin was in his usual mental cOndi-
ton.
| Local Witnesses Henrd.
Frank Hefner. passenger conductor
on the Burlington Frank Meenan. and
| John Blake were examined. Each test
| flied to years acquaintance with Father
Macki1. and told of frequent conversa-
tons with the priest during the sum-
mer of 1904 and early in January, 1905.
All held it to be their opinion that
Father Mackin was perfectly sound
mentally. The examination of Mr..
Blake was completed yesterday after
noon, and the cross examination taken
up this morning.
Bishop Davis Testifcs.
At this mornings session OF the
court. Ri. Rev. James Davis, coadjutOr
bishop to Bishop CosgrOye of Dayen-
port, was the principal witness for the
proponents of the will. He had known
Father Mackin intimately for many
years. and had met him at the cathe-
dral in Davenport, at the rectory Of St
JosCph's church here. and at various
other places. During the fall of 1904
=
Mackiu a number of times. and in No
vcmber 1904. Father Mackin had gone
to Davenport a number of times with
the church choir to prepare for the
celebration of the elevation of Father
Davis TO the bishOpric. which occurred
Nov. 30. At that time Father Mackin
was chaplain to Bishop Spalding, and
had much to do with the ceremonies.
1t was a week later that Bishop Davis
heard of Father Mackin's illness, he
said. and he testified that he had called
TO see the Rock Island priest number
of times from that time until his
death.
Had Arranged Affairs.
On one OF these occasions Bishop
Davis told Father Mackin that it would
be well for him to adjust his affairs,
spiritual and temporal. and was told
by Father Macllin that everything was
settled. He did not explain in detail
how he had disposed Of his property,
other than that he had provided for a
gift of $4,000 for the Sisters of the
Visitation, in keeping with a promise
to Bishop Spalding. Bishop Davis saw
Father Mackin a few days before he
died. and performed the usual services
required by the church He stated
that he concluded from his long asso-
cation with Father Mackin and his
conversations with him during his i'll
ness that he was of sound mind, and
Bishop Davis stated that he was salts
fed all the time that he had known
Father Mackin the latter was of sound
mind and memory.
Eugene Burns was the last witness
at the morning session. He told of his
acquaintance with Father Mackin, and
gave the opinion that the priest during