Norwich bulletin., 1909-09-16
PUTNAM
Appeal from Probate in Will Of Will
3 liam Ross, stepfsther Of Governor.
Elect cIark-ssptsmbs Visitors in
Local Hcmes-PersonaIs. !.

heir at law of William Ross, who died
in Chaplin on December 80, 1908,
within few hours after signing the
will being contested. The. grounds of
the appeal are that the deceased at
the time of making the will was lack
ing in mental capacity and was acting
under the undue influence OF Emily j..
Ross, his wife. The estate involved
was large one.
The will was allowed and ordered
re corded by Merritt WEIGH, judge OF
the probate court of Chaplin, on Jan.
25, 1909 The case came to the .supe-
rior court on an appeal filed IN April.
Attorneys Harry Hunter. Charles A.
Capen of Willimantic and Charles l..
Torrey represent the appellants, and
ATTORNEYS w. A.. King. Samuel III.
Harvey of Willimantic and State At
torney Charles E. Searls the appellee.
The Jury Panel.
The case is to go to a jury which is
composed of the following: Wesley
Wilson, Danielson; j. Richard Carpen-
ter. Putnam; G. c. Spooner, Sterling;
Alfred e. Hyde, Plainfeld; John San
ger. Mowry Ross, Woodstock; Waiter
S. Arnold, Claus A. sHagstrom, Thomp-
son: Alex NJ. Bassett, Ashford: Austin
e. Pearl, Hampton; Charles Barstow,
Canterbury
and he exhibited the will. which was
read by Attorney Harvey.
Principal Bsquests-
BY its terms the principal requests
are SO, 500 to the town of Chaplin for
a library, $4,000 to the Congregational
church of Chaplin, $1,000 to Mary Swift
and the remainder of the real and per-
sonal estate. which is by far the great
est part to Emily J., Ross, wife Of
the deceased.
Or. Knight festifies.l
Dr. Charles M. Knight of Chaplin,
taking the stand as a witness, testified
that he was a witness of the will and
that w. A. King and the other two
witnesses were present when the will
was signed. DR.. Knight said that in
his best opinion Mr.. Ross was in his
right mind. Cross examined by Attor-
ney Torrey, DR. Knight said he was
Mr.. Ross attending physician; that
Mr.. Ross had several ailments previ-
Gus to the last one, and that six years
ago he had suffered an attack OF paral-
ysis. DR.. Knight said that he had in
Toned Mrs. Ross that her husband was
very sick and might die at any time,
and IL there was any business to be
done 1t ought to be done at once.
Mrs. Ross Not Present.
At the time of making the will he
was called to the Ross home and found
Mr.. Ross with high temperature, but
during the evening he seemed to i'm
prove and still seemed to be in his right
mind DIR. Knight told of going to the
room with the other witnesses to the
will, but said that Mrs. Ross did not
go in. When Mr.. King asked Ross II
it was his last will and testament
Ross replied that 1t was.
Witnessed. Will.
william Lamphear of Chaplin, a wit
ness of the will, said that he was call
ed to the house for that purpose and
said that Mr.. Ross signed the. will with
a fountain pen, and that Mrs. Bingham
was in the room at the time when the
will was signed In his opinion Mr..
Ross was in a sound state of mind.
On cross examination by Mr.. Torrey
Lamphear testified that he had worked
for Mr.. Ross for several years before
his death, and saw no particular
change in his mental capacity. Lam
phear said that in signing the will Mr..
Ross said it was his last will and
free act and that the sick man had
no difficulty in making his sigma
ture
Peleg Bromley, the third witness of
the will, testified to the some effect as
Lamphear as to Ross making MS sig
nature.
Afternoon Session.
At the afternoon session Lindsey A.
Dening, First Selectn1an H. A. Twist,
Judge WEIGH and Mrs Sarah Wac
were on the stand as witnesses. All
are OF Chaplin.
Judge Welch in testifying as to his
opinion of Mr. Ross mental capacity
previous to the latter's illness. said
that he had always regarded Mr. Ross
as an exceptionally sagacious busi-
ness man before his illress After his
illness he appeared at first to grow
weaker physically and later apparent
ly weakened mentally also. During the
last year of his life there was decfd-
ed change.
Judge WEIGH said he. admitted the
will to probate and that there had
been no contest.
The testimony of the last named
witnesses was to the effect that in
their opinion Mr.. Ross had weakened
mentally during the last year of his
life.
The case will be confined today
Thursday.
Mother Of Walter E. Clark.
Mrs Ross is mother of Walter E.
Clark of Chaplin. recently appointed
governor OF Alaska
City Notes.
Miss Emma Merriam has returned
from a two weeks visit with her
brother. Henry Merriam, and wife in
Somerville, Mass.
Miss Charlotte Carpenter Of Daniel
son is the guest of Miss Marian of
Fremont street.
Mrs. A. W. Macdonald after a
months visit with her sister in An
sonia has returned to this city.
Miss Mary Merriam is the guest of
relatives in Providence.
Mrs. Walter Wheaton and daughter,
Helen. and Miss Helen Bradley have
recently been the guests OF Miss Sarah
Kenyon in Central Village.
Miss Hattie Anderson of New York
has been the guest of local friends
Philip Gleason of Providence was
the guest of local friends Monday.
Guests at Foster Home.
Mrs. Herbert W. Foster and children
of Montclair, n. J., Mrs. Shepard and
children, and DIR. Harold Foster of New
York are guests of z. N. Foster and
family on Grove street.
Frank Davenport of Providence was
a Putnam visitor Tuesday, in the aft
ernoon, making his annual appear
ance at the Woodstock fair.
Miss S. Elizabeth Clarke returned
from a weeks visit with her sister,
Mrs. f. Guild, in Windham.
Mrs. r. Sykes is entertaining her
father, Mr.. Roth of New Haven.
Mrs. Arthur King, Mrs. Smalley and
son. Clayton, of Hyde Park. Mass, are
guests of Mr.. and Mrs. King in Grove
street.
Miss Alice Hopkins has entered
80 n