The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-08-12
MESSAGE FROM DEAD
OFFERED IN COURT
Mrs. Crowell Produces Plea
Purporting to Be From
Late Husband.
Continued from First Rage9

Continued from First Rage)
ONCE of the Postofhce Departnent-
which is under the Treasury Depart
ment, died June :, last, soon after his
compulsory retirement under the age
limit II was said that grief over
this retirement FASTENED his death.
So far as can be learned by the
heirs he left no VIII. and il is because
OF that fact that the complex condi-
ton OF his estate exists The in
PRODUCTION or the message" by the
widow was intended for the purpose
Of showing that II was virtually his
last viii and testament and the
petition TO the court was to have #
recognized as such
In an AFFIDAVIT presented by VII
liam B. CrOwell, the son, he states
that hrs stepmOtheE had informed him
InaI ms IaIner mad tried 10 write MS
VIII rev hours before his death,
but that she could not read what he
wrote, and that after his death she
took the death scrawl to a slate writ
ing medium"
The name Of the medium" was
given as Pierre L .. Keller and his
place Of business as 1891 FairmOnt
street northwest She asserted that
she communicated with her dead hus
band and that the medium copied on
a SLATE what her dead husband told
her.
PurPort Of Message.
This message, she alleged ex-
pressed the viii Of her husband that
his brother. w H H CroweII- act as
his administrator 1t also stated that
h had set aside $1,000 for her excIu-
sIve use. and that he was well salts
fed With what she had done FOR him
in life
One paragraph Of thess ~message"
contains this remarkable statement
regarding the other world"
Ruby met me 7 have seen
many folks here. This Is a beau
IifuI world Is better than the
Sixth Auditors once. They can't
put me out here
Ruby" referred to is supposed TO
have been his daughter. who died ten
years ago The reference to the
sixth Auditors Office" and the dec
laration They can't put me out here
according 10 the widow, was regarding
his compulsory retirement from AIS
Office on account Of age shortly before
his death
rrhe entire message" is attached 10
an affidavit made by Mrs Grower. tne
A IN the case TO-DAY Ihe text OF
Mrs. CrOwelIs affidavit was
Her Affidavit
1T VIII be sixJeu years in Octc-
Der since married William -
CroweU. my deceased husband Dur
Ing all that time / have been faith
fuI and true as a wife 10 said de-
ceased in the discharge Of my mar
riaee vows. and aided and assisted
him IN every way within my power
10 do
Il gave the best years Of my life
10 the end that both OF US should De
happy. Nv husband often spoke
OF rbeS. fhiuzs to ne / had some
money and property OF mine, ana
I always felt free 10 use It for me
comfort and pleasure Of both OF Us
whenever It seemed necessary 20 90
so. I kept no account OF me money
OF riue 7 paid out for ourmutua4
beneft and pleasure
The dav he died or the day be
fore he called me 20 MN d z -
some papers IN his hand he lnen
read 10 me what he had written
I herewith attach true copy ] have
taken from the papers hereadt ONE
and 7 have marked A., ana mace
4 part OF my affidavit
Il am the owner IN fee simple OF
good real estate IN the DISTRICT OF
Columbia own a SInaH IaEIn ~
Ohio. and q rice and farm IN the
state Of Texas These properties
have managed and controlled IOr
years I am able 70 give such BOND
as the court may order IN the prem
ssFIaving respect for the dying re
quest Of my husband 7 VIII Aleld
my right 20 administer MS tSldte
10 the brother he named IN MS oS
fncr request W H H CToweli- II
the court so requests, otherwise
believe all things CONSIDERED
should have the preference OF ap-
pofntmeut under Section Z769 Of the
district code
Objections Entered
When Judce Dean presented the afr
davit OF Mrs CrOweIl, the widow and
asked the court for the appointment OF
her husbands brother, W H H
CroweT. an administrator, Attorney
Howard Boyd interposed Vigorous oo-
jectious to the recognition Of the mes
naEe from the dead" and produced the
affidavit Of William B. CrowelB the
SON setting forth that the message
was executed by Pierre l. O. Keller, d
SLATE writing medium" at 1901 Fair
mont street northwest. according 10 an
admission made 10 him by his step
mother
Mrs Croweu made TO mention Of the
"siate writing medium in her affidavit,
buf did hot deny in ourt that she had
communicated with her dead husband
through Keller who protesseo To have
interpreted. the scrubbed note written oy
Mr. CTOweu q few hours before ms
death and in addition communicated
with him IN the great beyond
Justice Curious
Justice Barnard expressed q curiosity
To see the death SCrayyl, as u was
called Of the dead man, and Judge
Dean produced the letter. which was
utterly iUeEibIe and somewhat tattered-
81 do not feel that / am bound to
recognize thaL2f Judge dBTEard Oh
served. handing il back to Judge Dean
Judge DOan then read a letter pur-
DOrred 10 have been written by the
-. d Hrsa-- Am 70
become administrator. and at the same
time asserting that his son was a poor