Bisbee daily review., 1906-11-20
PRIESTS WILL IS DECLARED
 ILLEGAL
The Last Testament of Father Mackin of Rock island. Ill., Thrown Out of Court-Liti- gation Lasted For Years,

ROCK ISLAND, H.. Nov. 1S.-After a trial lasting nine weeks and break ing the record of the Circuit Court in Rock Island County for length of time, mass of testimony and unusual feat ures, the document that was present. ed for probate as the last will of Fath- CT Thomas Macian, fo< many years in charge of St. Joseph's Roman Catho- lie church in this city, was today de- clared by jury to be illegal By this decision the estate. valued at s200, 900. will be divided among all the relatives of the dead priest accord ing 70 law. ,et.
 The chief beneficiaries and defend ants in the proceedings were Mrs Charles A. Plamondon, of Chicago, and Mrs. Thomas Dolly and Mrs. Grace Mackin, of Rock Island, all nieces of Father Mackin. contin- nation of the litigation through the higher courts is expected.
 Father Mackin came to Rock Island to assume charge of St. Joseph's s Church a quarter of century ago. He was at that time accounted well to do During his career as priest he added To his fortune, and lands that he held previous increased in value. His home was cared for by Mrs. Grace Mackin. widow of a deceased nephew, and he was closely associated also with Mrs. Plamondon and Mrs. Dolly. Witnesses for the contestants testi- fled that nearer relatives were denied access to the priest during his last illness, dSring which time the will that was tGday declared spurious was drapn Uudue influence and un- soundness of mind on the pe-. ce -h Q teststor were he groupSs of the con test. The latter contention was sup ported by witness, who told of many peculiar acts of the priest prior to the time the will was executed.
 Chief weight appears to have been attached by the jury to the testimon- of Mrs Mary Crummie, mother of one of the contestants and frequent wis itor to the Mackin household in late years. She quoted the priest as hay ing asserted he paid Mir. Plamondon s50,000 to marry his present wife, and that he had paid Thomas Dolly well for uniting with another niece. Mrs. Crummie also accused Mrs. Grace Mackin of opening the priests mail, WILL t1e iUteISucS tldl Sut ulu SO u prevent letters from other relatives from reaching him. and of characteriz- ing him on various occasions as "an old hog"
 Since the trial began Mrs. Gather inc McArdle, sister of the testator has died, as result, her physicians state, of the strain and worry connect ed with the litigation. Judge William H. Gest and nearly all the attorneys engaged have at one time or another been compelled to remain out of court on account of illness. On the other hand, not a juryman has been i'll al any time.
 The proponents called forty-fouI witnesses iii their main case and eighteen in rebuttal, the contestants calling tweaty-seyen witnesses and re ]. calling four experts, to each of whom Hypothetical question covering eighteen closely typewriter pages was propounded. The disease with which the priest died was pronounced progressive. pernicious anemia, whicf is so rare that it is asserted one phy sician out of twenty meets with it but once in lifetime of practice, and the question Of the effect it had on the mind of the patient was therefore z particularly delicate one.