The sun., 1907-11-28
MISS LEWIS SAYS SHE SCOLDS
COMPLAINS OF HER STSTER-EN-
Law Ar SANITY INQUIRY.

termine her sanity, except for a short
time when Charles e. Sumner, who was
appointed her guardian by Justice Iieven-
tritt not long ago, told something about
the condition Of her 5000 900 estate and the
costs OF legal work that had prOhted some
lawyers.
When Mr.. Summer was first examined
by Mr.. RinGrose, Miss Lewis's counsel,
Onto Horwitz objected and wanted to
know IL every act Of the trustees OF the
Lewis estate and the act Of the lawyers
for the estate were to be considered at the
hearing. Mr.. RingrOse said he intended to
show how the estate had been mismanaged
and to place the responsibility where 1t
belonged and Commissioner McDermott
allowed the questions.
Mr.. Sumner said that he had devoted a
great deal Of time 10 going over the vouchers
and had not yet finished his work. He
found voucher for 81, 500 which was placed
With a trust company AS security for
500 Judgment in the case Of William
against Lewis and which was to guarantee
the costs Of the appeal. The bond was filed
at the request of Bowers h Sands. but
although the case was disposed OF in 1893
no accounting had yet been made. He
said he had written twice to Bowers h Sands
but had obtained no satisfactory answer
and he intended 70 push his inquiry
This case of Williams against Lewis was
brought by a lawyer who said he was re-
tanned by Miss Lewis to secure her release
from the Pennsylvania State Asylum
Miss Lewis declared she did not retain him.
The case was tried twice. the Appellate
Division reversing the lower court after
the first trial Henry II. Man appeared for
the trustees Of the Lewis estate and Bowers
and Sands also took part in the arguments.
Mr. Sumner showed by vouchers that
shis 81 500 was run mp to more than 81 900
before the case ended and Of this Bowers 4
Sands appeared to get most of the money.
Henry Fl. Man got 500. Gen. Tracy received
500 for an opinion and II. NJ. Todd was
paid for an opinion.
Mr.. Horwitz said he had brought all
ahst out when he presented the cnse Of the
petitioners, but Mr.. RingTose reDlied that
although the vouchers we're filed he wanted
% give the jury an idea of how Miss Lewiss
money wa spent.
Mr. RinRrose asked Mr.. Sumner il ne had
oonversed with Miss Lewis. He replied
that he met her yesterday for the first time.
Did you talk to her?'
y did, and she impressed me as being
perfectly rational
Commissioner McDeTmott said that IL was
remarkable that no accounting had been
made Of the S4.5OO fled with the trust com
psny, and thought il the duty Of the COM
mission to find out how il was spent.
Miss Lewis continued the story OF her
life. She said her father was buried in
Greenwood Cemetery and that her brother
purchased adjoining lots She devoted
much time to taking care Of her fathers
grave and used to go regularly to place
flowers there aud see that the weeds did not
grow. ~ has been charged that she carried
scissors to the cemetery and that because
of trouble with some Of the employees she
was elected.
She denied this and said all she took
there was pair Of shears TO trim the shrubs
and the grass Some OF the men in the
cemetery she liked and gave them little
presents. She smiled as she told the jury
what she had done for them. On one oc-
casion she had weeded her sisters plot
and had been forcihly elected from the
cemetery. This action on the part OF the
cemetery officials she declared had been
inspired by Mrs Thomas Lewis. her broth
er's wife. Mrs. Lewis was in court and
Miss Lewis suddenly turning to her said:
Don't you sit there and smile and ridicule
me. That woman caused all the trouble;
she annoys me-
Lawyer Ringrose at once appealed 90
Commissioner McDermOtt for protection
for the witness. The foreman of the Jury
remarked that he had heard one Of the jury
men say that Mrs. Lewis was constantly
Annoying the witness and Mr. Horwitz
insisted that the juTyman who had noticed
this should tell himself what ne had seen.
Commissioner McDermott Quieted the trou-
HE by suggesting that Mrs Lewis should
change her seat and said that he had seen
nothing improper. Mrs. Lewis with her
husband moved over to where Miss Lewis
had been seated before she took the
stand and Miss Lewis exclaimed:
Now You are sitting on my seaiskin coat.
Move it away"
A point that had been made by the peti-
rioners was that Miss Lewis buried birds ia
the cemetery She explained this 10y saying
that they used to own canary that her
father was fond o. The bird died and her
sister. Mrs. Hognan, one Of the petitioners,
suggested that il would be a nice thing 10
tury the bird in the same lot with their
father. The bird was placed in a box and
inferred by one Of the cemetery men. but
later she found that another employee OF
the cemetery had dug up the bird.
Miss Lewis said that For eleven years she
lived at the 81. George Hotel She ad
mitted that she had a tea kettle IN her
apartments and used 20 make herself tea
or coffee sometimes, but she never cooked
meals. Sometimes she would boil an egg.
She denied that she had purchased melons
and thrown the rinds in the halls OF the
hotel. She denied. too, that she had strucl;
her sister with jar Of preserves.
IL l had she would have known it,
struck any one. I have scolded, every one
knows that. l never struck my brother
John. We were always good friends and
I was devoted 10 him and sympathized
with him very much in his domestic
trouble"
On one occasion Miss Lewis sent lot Of
postal cards TO Mrs. Lewis, and for this
was arrested by the postal authorities,
but she apoligized. she sent these be-
cause, she said, Mrs. Lewis slammed a door
leding into a dry goods store in her face.
The door struck her and hurt her head
She Was angry, and then thought il would
have been much better after Mrs. Lewis
had received the cards IL she had come TO
her with her husband and talked things
over instead OF having her arrested.
She told Of visits TO the trustees OF the
estate and declared that she did not create
a scene In W. NJ. Walkers office She had
gone 20 him to talk about business and
told him that she could not see why the
lawyers Of the trust could not manage IL
instead Of paying outsiders TO do their work.
-You have q temper. Miss Lewis" sng-
aYes. have. and scold a great deal.
| have no feeling against MIR. Walker or
at his testimony.
sHavs you enjoyed this hearing?"
Il have not enjoyed listening, to the