The San Francisco call., 1909-11-05
.BARfS INSANITY IN
De LAv[AGA FAMILY
Priest Testifies That the Dead
Woman Showed Indications
of Unsound Mind
Says Aunt Believed That She
Was Dead and Demanded
to Be Buried

Miguel de Laveaga, contestant of the
Laveaga, considerably strengthened
his case yesterday. Testimony was
given by Rev. Andrew Gariga, an aged
Spanish priest, that the testatrix was
of unsound mind-weak, childish and
| undeveloped mentally. This is the
most formidable evidence yet intro
duced since the attack on the will, dis
posing of 100000 worth of property
was begun.
The priest went further. He told of
actual insanity in the family. Trinidad
de Laveaga, an aunt of the woman
whose will is being contested, was so
unbalanced that in her last days, while
sick, she believed herself to be dead,
and demanded that she be buried, said
Father Gariga. He said it was the
strangest case of alteration he had
ever encountered.
Father Gariga built the Gaudulupe
church, of which he was for years
pastor. and he was also assistant pas
tor of st. Francis di Assist. He is
now pastor of the church at San Luis
Obispo and made hurried trip to San
TIdHClSCO ycSlcIQdy TO testify. he
said he was acquainted with Maria
Conception de Laveaga from 1858 to
1891.
Attorney E. S. Pillsbury asked the
priest: DO you consider she had
sufficient capacity to make wilI?" but
Dunno and Lyons, attorneys for Mrs.
Cebrian, the proponent, objected, and
after several law books had been
brought from the library and consulted
4 T. til
Pillsbury was, however, allowed to ask,
What are your reasons for believ-
ing the decedent was Of unsound
mind?,'
ACTIONS LIKE A CHILD
Her actions were like those of a
child" replied Father Gariga. The
family took such great care of her.
The way she answered questions was
another thing. She would shut her
eyes and turn her face a little to one
side. She spoke very rarely. 1 be-
lieve she was not of complete mind
When spoken to she would lower her
head and. say one word perhaps"
In regard to the death of Trinidad de
Laveaga, the aunt, Father Gariga said
her conviction that she was dead was
SO firm that she refused to eat. Dead
people do not eat" she stated. 'They
do not talk either, and you are talking
a lot" the priest testified he said to
her. She said she could not under
stand why they did not bury her. This
occurred about three weeks before her
death.
To Judge Coffey the priest described
Miss de Laveagas mental condition as
that of a person. simple minded. short
of intelligence and childish"
The long, slow duel of wits between
Lawyer Pillsbury and Mrs. Cebrian, the
chief beneficiary under the will, was
then resumed. 1t was Mrs. Cebrian's
sixth day on the stand.
FAMILY BREACH WIDENs
Mrs Cebrian told of the making of
the will. testifying that Miss de La
yeaga called her into her room, Febru-
ary 15. 1893, and said, II have made
my will" Mrs. Cebrian and her nus
band witnessed 1T. 1t was wrapped by
Mrs. Cebrian in a large handkerchief
and placed in trunk, from which it
was taken last June, after the death
of the testatrix.
The feeling between the two families
seems to be growing extremely bitter
under the strain of the trial. One in
cident yesterday was illustrative of
this. A letter was being passed from
table to table, whe6Hl5dw Cebrian
son of the proponeHS an grily snatched
1t from the hands of j. V.sde Laveaga,
the lawyer. who is a son of the con-
testant. Laveaga flushed with vex-
alton, but made no other display of re-
sentiment.