The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-01-07
PERCY BROWN IS
PLACED ON STAND
At CAPITAL CITY
SPRING HILL MAN TELLS or MEN
TAI CONDITION or MOTHER.
IN-LAW
JOINT DEFENDANT TO SUIT
Testified That Mrs. Jane PIunketi
Acted Peculiarly And That His
Wife Was Alarmed at Her Threats.
Wired Col. Swope.


Brown. of Spring Hill, was placed OF
the stand Monday as witness in the
suit of Mrs. Jane Plunkett. his mother
in-law, to set aside the decree placing
her under a guardian. Mr.. Brown Is
joint defendant to the suit which has
been on trial here for more than one
week. Mrs. Plunkett, who is one OF
the heirs to the estate of Col. Swope,
the Kansas City millionaire who re-
Gently died, has been confined in a
sanitarium here for mental treatment,
and the suit was filed for the purpose
of establishing her mental condition.
Mr.. Brown stated that he was a for
ester by profession and for number
Of years was employed by the govern
ment in that capacity. This employ
ment he gave up to return to the farm,
which he owns jointly with his broth
er at Spring Hill. Witness was mar
ried to Miss Gertrude Plunkett on
August 6, 1907, and their child was
born on November 1, 1909, He stated
that he frequently saw Mrs. Plunkett
at her home on Terrace Place and dur
ing the time she lived at Mrs. Barkers
boarding house.
Witness stated that following his re-
turn to Tennessee after his wedding,
ne spent much of his time at the Plum |
kett home and that his mother-in-law |
was frequently in need of medical at |
tention. He testified that on one oc-
casfon the attending physician left the
home during call and refused to see
Mrs. Plunkett further because she
would not take the medicine he pre- !,
scribed for her. On one occasion he
home and found his wife in
a very nervous condition owing to her
treatment at the hands of Mrs Plum
kett. This treatment he stated to be
threats made against his wife's life
BY Mrs. Plunkett Mrs. Plunkett at
The time was extremely irritable and
refused to stay in bed.
The day following the referred to in
,ident witness stated that telegram
vas sent to Col Thomas Swope, Mrs. .
olunketts brother, informing him of
Ter condition and suggesting that she ,
vas in need of immediate medical at
ention. Witness stated that he re-
moved his wife from Mrs. Plunkett's
lome on account of her broken down
ondition and secured a nurse for his
The same day Gel
iwope was informed of the condition
Mrs. Plunkett, Mrs. Brown wrote a
etter confirming the telegram, and I
frs.. Brown identified the time as in \
ebruary, 1908.
Witness testified that in March, e
sos, he and his wife took Mrs. Plum
EFT to New Orleans, where they re-
lained for ten days. Mrs. Plunkett,
lille on the train, stated that she
new the reason she was being taken 4
NOW OiiCohS WdS w SCI AAu VI uOL, II
nd that as soon as they reached New :;
rleans she knew they were going to -
esert her. .,
Mr.. Brown stated that they did leave -
RS. Plunkett with cousin in the Let =,
r city, where she remained for three =,
! four weeks. The next witness :,
lard of her was in Mobile, Ala. A n
tier addressed to the clerk OF a N,
tel in Montgomery was read and in =,
the information as to whether Mrs. =,
unket had registered at the hotel or a.
It was requested. Several other On
tiers passing between witness and 10,
g hotel company were introduced. ~,
illness stated that he next heard of 20
J mother-in-law when she arrived ~
ok in Nashville and took up her
sidence, with. Mrs. Burton on Vine
'eet Witness stated that he visited ~
r and sought to insure her comfort.
found her in small room and his
er to secure for her a larger room
d pay for 1t himself was refused.
Witness testified that at the time of
visit to her at the boarding house -.
erred to in the foregoing she talked .
him at length regarding her Difficult
s with DR.. Plunkett and held that
had cut her allowance down to such 80
low amount that her proper living IN
$ not insured. He stated that she ~,
,duced number OF letters which
read, but his testifying as to the
ltents OF the letters was objected to
the counsel for Mrs. Plunkett on ri
ground that they had been turned
n to DR.. Plunkett and destroyed by
l. Their contention was that their
should not be allowed to
placed before the jury when their hel
tents were recorded only through BIO
memory OF those who had read non
m.
! was during the discussion of this ecu