The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-16
.LUR|O CASE NOW IN HANDS OF JURY Two Million Dollars Involved In
 the Trial FIERCE IN DtNUNCIA1loN
 
FIERCE IN DENUNClAIlON
Counsel For Plaintiff Denounces Forci- bly One of the Women Concerned In the Peversion of the
 Old Mans Morals.

Clinton, H., February 15.-(Special.) l. The legal fight of Dick Shell, the Clinton banker, for a million dollars of the es- tate of his father. Col. Thomas Shell, came to an end at o'clock this after noon, when the contest was placed in the hands of a Jury.
 Startling disclosures in the testimony and letters in possession of both fac tions made the case doubly interesting one as the case involves an estate of $2,OO0,0O0. The jury is not expected to return verdict for several hours, as the question to be solved by the jury Is whether a man who was capable of handling the large sums of money and looking after his numerous business deals and at the same time laboring under an insane delusion, hating his only living son and in a continual mad chase after women of questionable character until he was SS years old, could make a will that would be his last will and testament
 The entire case was gone over by the counsel in their final arguments to the jury which lasted 10 hours and many different constructions were placed on the actions of the old Lothario by the at torneys on both sides of the case.
 Perhaps the strongest argument made by any of the counsel connected with the immense will contest was that of Judge G. K. Ingham, one of the attor- neys representing Dick Shell. When the attorney was in the midst of his re- markable talk there were tears in the eyes of many members of the jury as we'll as number of spectators. He dwelt upon the great wrong which had been done Dick Shell by the rate and de- mented father by making charges of theft against him and finally cutting him off with mere pittance of an annuity. He emphasized the point that Dick Shell did not care for the millions of hIs father, but that he wanted to be set right in the eyes of his neighbors.
 Who was the vixen, gentlemen?' thundered the lawyer. "who made the colonel forget that he had home, made him forget his loved ones, made hin forget that he was a respected citizen of this community? It was none other than the so-called grand niece, Ma belle Shell McNamara the Kansas City wom- an who could make the colonel become silent just like child. and who could
  from the poor deluded man. It wou.d have been better for Colonel Shell If he had had no money: then the last years of his life would not have bean spent in shame and degradation. Ma belle Shell McNamara, one of the h heirs under his will is the person whom God will hold accountable for the ruina- tion of a man who led a pure life among his loved ones for 70 years be- fore she came into his life"
 Attorneys for Dick Shell cited the gifts of the colonel to Mabelle Shell IS the evidence of an insane delusion 1t is estimated that she was given sums of money which would total $S0,000 besides the thousands of dollars spent by the self confessed perverter on dresses, jewelry and trips taken with the woman.
 The amount of money spent by Col onel Shell on the family of the Rev. F. A. Hamilton, the Methodist minister, is not estimated, but 1t Is known to have been over $20,000.
 One of the attorneys in summing up the case. argued that Colonel Shell had spent $700000 in the last 10 years of his life, the most of which was spent on women. There is little question that had he lived he would have become penniless by his excesses and foolish gifts to women.