Hattiesburg daily news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-03
EDDY CASE COLLAPSES.
The So-Called Next Friends Admit Inability to
Produce Evidence.
CASE. DISMISSED BY THEIR MOTION

Morse. Great credit is due these men
for the calm, considerable, indulgent
and judicial manner in which they
conducted their case
During the progress of the case it
had been thought advisable by Mr..
Streeter, counsel for Mrs. Eddy, that
an expert alienist, whose honesty, rep
utation and competency could not be
questioned. make thorough study of
the case and be prepared to pass judy
ment thereupon If it became neces-
sary. 1t was thought advisable that
this alienist should be the very best
which this country affords, in order to
make the testimony as strong as pos
sible according to the Justification that
he might find. and to this end DR.. AL
Ian McLane Hamilton was chosen.
Doctor Hamilton had formerly tes-
titled against Christian Science in a
New York case, but his sterling char
acter and veracity is of such a nature
that 1t was believed by Mr. Streeter
and the Christian Scientists whom he
consulted that the doctors disbelief
in some of the teachings of Christian
Science would not In any way inter-
fere with his making just and fair
estimate Of Mrs. Eddy's condition. He
visited Mrs. Eddy and has decided to
submit his findings for publication.
The following is Doctor Hamilton's
statement:
Il have Informed myself in regard to
the mental condition of Mrs. Mary
Baker G. Eddy and, for this purpose,
have examined large number of doc
uments and letters, perhaps one hun
dred in all, and have examined her
at her home, Pleasant View, in this
city. have laso read the original
biz ,e!ed by her next friends George
w. Glover. ct ais. and the atfidavits
presented by them in support of their
contention that she\is Incompetent.
y will appear from the comSlaint OF
these people that she is incapable of
SO understanding her property rights
as 10 be able to exercise her free and
unbiased will with respect to the sameJ
on TO manage her affairs and protect
her property with prudence and dis
cretlon against the undue influence
control and fraud of others, and ito
Jake charge OF and manage the prdss-
ent legal proceedings.
The inspection and examination of
autographs letters written pyr her
show inherent evidences OF mental
vigor. Her mode of expression is log
ical and connected. Her clonstruction
is admirable, and these, ass well as the
typewriter communicat lions emanat-
ing from from her are tthe products of
an unusually intelljgcent mind. Not
only are their cop<tents responsive, but
they show conceentration and the kxer-
else of a noruial memory. In several
of them are There interlineations. cor
rections and Iadditions, which convey
more fully what she has already said
In her letters to her counsel. which
! have }read with some care. | find
thai has returned to him certain
on nth explanatory interlineations
mere has been promptness and
sor IN her replies to his own letters
The handwriting itself is remarkably
nrm Tor person of her age and there
are no mistakes, neither are there
omissions. Her words are well formed
and although there is slight tremor
not uncommon in old people and nos.
sibly because her minds travels faster
tnan her pen, do not regard this in
any way as pathological. From the
large number of letters appended
which have read, there is no mental
defect indicated In those written n
Mr.. Farlow there is a keen ANXIETY
regarding her copyright a desire to
avoid the violation of the copvrjebt
laws, an appreciation Of what has
been done for her by him, certain d.
rections in regard to the preparation
OF the literature of the Church and
other matters connected with her daily
life and her position as the head Of
the Church find in the letters adj
dressed to Mr.. Mcclellan the same kind
OF intellectual good order, and in fact
there is nowhere the remotest sug-
gestlon of mental feebleness.
My particular interest is with the
papers written by her in the period
beginning March, 1906, and extending
down almost to the present time
These papers, which / understand
nave been prepared and drafted by
her, indicate either alone or together
good deal of intellectual strength
and consistency, and in this connec.
tlon | would draw attention to the
draft OF a trust deed prepared in
March, 1906, and another in February.
1877, one of which was the basis for
tne establishment of trust for the
Deneht of George w. Glover and his
family. US
hoNc disO Tedu tno instructions
conveyed in the letter of February 10
i9o7 which was sent enclosed in
letter written by Mrs. Eddy to her
personal counsel, Mr.. Streeter. and
which led to an extended correspond
ence. All these things prove that she
possessed a continuity of intention
and much elaboration, which. is. of
course, antagonistic to anything i'm
pulsive; that she had good and suffi-
Gent reasons in the preparation of
tnls trust deed; that there was tena-
cious purpose in continuing to elabor-
ave ana carry out her original idea of
providing for her next of kin, and in
advancing the interests of the Christ.
ian Science Church.
She showed an ability to direct
ana crfticise others as to her affairs
and In everything a normal amount If
VIII power which was exercised in a
proper direction. She had the capac-
ity TO appreciate details. to correct
mistakes, and to see that others were
put right, which imnlied ,,oua,. -