Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-12
ALL USE ESPERANTO SPIRIT WILL BARRED
Delegates to Congress Speak Judge Refuses to Admit
Universal Language. "SIate- Writing" Document.
VANGUARD ALREADY HERE NAMED BROTHER EXECUTOR
Nine Foreign Nations Will Willing Accept Message
resented at Gathering. Given by Medium
FORMAL OPENING ON MONDAY HAD SOUGHT COMMUNICATION
by
81. Yemans-Sightseeng erk to
Trips Message on Deathbed.
Judge Refuses to Admit
"SIate- Writing" Document.
NAMED BROTHER EXECUTOR
Widow Willing to Accept Message
Given by Medium.
HAD SOUGHT COMMUNICATION
William n. Crowell, Former Gov.
eminent Clerk, Tried to Write
Message on Deathbed.

Justice Barnard in the District Su.
preme Court today refused to grant the
recognition of the law to a will written by
''slate-writing medium and purportins
to express the post-mortem wishes OF the
spirit of the late William II. Crowell. a
veteran clerk in the Office Of the sixth
auditor of the Treasury. regarding the
disposition of his property.
Review of the evidence i'm the case
brought to light one OF the most re-
markable will contests that has ever
been made a matter OF record in the
local courts.
The real point at issue In the proceed
ings today related to the appointment Of
an administrator to the Crowell estate,
and the court denied Mrs. Crowelis Pc
tition that her brother-in-law, Maj. W.
II. IL. Croweil, L. s. A.. of this city he
designated. Instead, Justice Barnard de-
cided that Mrs. Crowell and her step
son, william D. Crowell. should act to-
gether as administrators, each furnishing
bond in the sum of $1,000 before under.
taking the duty.
Tried to Leave Message.
According to the evidence presented,
William II. Crowell died June I. 1910.
soon after he lost his position in the sixth
auditors office. Mr.. Crowell was sixty
seven years old at the time OF HIS death.
and it was shown that his last illness was
superinduced by worry over losing his DO
Sition.
Mrs. Elida ]. G. Crowell, second vie
OF the deceased and MS widow, declared
to the court today, through her attorney.
Judge X. r. Doan That her husband trir "A
TO write her a message on his deaf Deu,
and several Lieces or tattered paper pur-
n no mi l.acf
nibited to the court.
The writing was iilegible, and il was on
this account Mrs. Crowell said, that she
went to spiritualstic medium to try to
ascertain from her husbands spirit what
was the nature of his last message. She
said she went to man who was de-
scribed as ''slate-writing medium
Mrs. Crowel said the medium ascer-
tanned what II was her husband sought
to write just before death, and she pre-
sented to the court a copy OF the letter.
which read follows:
Message From Other World.
Dear Elida: This is what / tried to
write on a slip of paper
% 1 want my brother, w. II. H. Crowell,
washington, L. S. A., my administrator
II / should pass away with my sickness.
Il have perfect trust in him. He is An
honest man. He will deal honestly with
any man.
II believe he will deal honestly with
my children. L have set aside SI.VeD for
the exclusive use Of my wife. She has
always taken good care of me from the
time OF our marriage. / am thoroughly
satisfied with all she did for me.
Give little Elizabeth and brother both
500 to put i'm the savings bank
'On the envelope I wrote this, Ida.
Please read over this and make any sug-
gestion privately to me.
Dear Ida, 1 made a will once but
think l destroyed 1t long ago.
Better let my brother come and look
over my papers and see how things stand.
He is all right and will do The right
thing by you all.
Il knew l was passing out, out I did
not suffer
Ruby met me. / have seen many folks
here. This is beautiful world. Is better
than the sixth auditors office They
(SigneD wv. III. CROWELL
Dated June :, 1910.
Ruby" 1t was explained, was a daugh-
ter Of the deceased, who died ten years
ago.
Could Not Decipher scrawl.
The torn pieces of paper, which were
to contain a duplicate of this
letter. were handed to Justice Barnard
but he could not decipher the scrawl
Neither could any of the attorneys and
the court accordingly declined to consider
the letter as the last will of William
H. Crowell
The three children of the deceased.
William B. Crowell, Mrs. Ell. zabeth Crow
ell Dunlop and Mrs. Louise Croweli
Lemieux, opposed the appointment of
their uncle, Maj. Crowell. as adminstra-
tor. They also opposed the appointment
of their stepmother.
Scorns Spirit Message.
Attorney Howard Boyd represented the
Crowell children. and he had only words
Of scorn for the alleged spirit message
He asked the court to name William a..
Crowell, the son of the deceased, as adj
Illustrator. Crowell is an attorney in the
solicitors office of the Navy Department.
In an affidavit supporting the last let
ter" Mrs. Crowell said she and Crowell
were married sixteen years ago and she
declared she had been "a faithful and
true wife, and aided and assisted him in
every way
end that both of US should be happy
she said. my husband often spoke Of
-hese things to me. i had some money
and property of mine, and | always felt
Tree to use ii for the comfort and pleasure
Of both CT us whenever il seemed neces-
sary SO to do. l kept no account of tho
money of mine I paid out for our mutual
benefit and pleasure.
THE day he died he called me to him.
He had some papers in his hand He read
to me what he had written. Herewith [
attach a true copy I have taken from the
papers he read to me. Having re-
spect for the dying request Of my beloved
husband, / will yield my right to admin
ster his estate to the brother he named
in his dying request William II. II.
Crowell, IL the court requests. other
wise l believe. all things considered
should have the preference of appoint
nent under section 2169 of the District
CODE
Afidavits of the Children.
In opposition to this affidavit there