The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-06-18
THE CONTESTED WILL CASE
Testimony of Witnesses Etc, Eft,

lot mOnTOc ealdlt, WAS Cdileu 10 lnc
stand by Attorney Fitzhugh. He was
asked il he had qualified as executor.
He said he had and had given bond for
$25, 900 and Mr.. Fitzhugh asked him
what property he had found for the es-
tate. He replied about 81, 900 in gold in
the home and personal property TO
value of $40, 800, four pieces of real es-
tate valued at $l4, 0c0, making a total
of $34, 800. When cross examined by At
torney Goolrick. said some burnt money
was found in the house in an old trunk
up stairs; that the money, amounting to
$s5, had been redeemed at u. S.
treasury. His testimony was virtually
the same as of Wednesday in cross
examination.
Mr.. w. III. Hurkamp was called and
was first witness for plaintiff. He said
he knew Mrs. Monroe well, had fire.
quently visited her place, that in the
past twelve months there had been a
great change for the worse in her men,
tai condition, thought that her mind
had been weakened by the loss Of her
liquor license. as the Byrd law prevent
ed women from engaging in the bust
ness. lie was not cross examined by
Attorney Fitzhugh.
Mr.. Spottswood Foster said he knew
Mrs. Monroe well, as he went there
once a month to collect electric light
bills; that once when he went in to
collect a bill Mrs. Monroe gave him all
the cigarettes she had in the store,
about 40 packages. On another occa-
sion he went in and presented his bill
and she looked at it and called him TO
come and read a note some one had
sent her, when she handed him back
the bill which he had just presented.
He thought there was something wrong
and came back later, when she gave
him a $40 bill. He went over to the
bank and when he came back with the
change she had forgotten all about the
transaction. He was not cross e&-
amined.
Mr.. James Monroe. Of Stafford. said
he was a brother of Mrs. Monroe's late
husband and that he had known her
for many years, had a number of trans
actions and her store was headquarters
for his fish trade here until year ago.
He noticed her mind was unstrung and
she was not capable Of transacting
business and that the last settlement
he had with her little Kate, now Mrs.
Mayhem. did the clerical work; that
the change in her mental condition
dated back to the death of Alice Lewis,
four years ago; that she would fire.
auently send for him and forget she
had ever done so.
On cross examination the only ques-
ton asked Mr.. Monroe was, "Did you
have visions of some Of your family
getting portion of Mrs. Monroe :
property" His reply was: What
do you mean by visions dreams?' and
then he stated that last August she
told him she would leave his son some
of the property, and if | had not thought
her mind unbalanced at the time
would have tied her up on that propo-
sition.
Court adjourned at | p. m. to recon
vene at 2:3O.
At the Thursday afternoon session
Snowden Thompson. a former employee
said he had worked for Mrs. Monroe
several months; that once she had &C
cuscu MN VI StSdliE bei thot va
in the house at the time; that during
the fair of 1909 she had attempted Il
collect s. from a roomer for night
lodging and $l4 from a couple that haC
taken breakfast.
J. w. Allison. Jr., said ne attempted
to transact business with Mrs. Monroe
in May or June Of 1909. He asked hel
to rent him her house opposite for Of
fee rooms. She said she owned every
thing on that side of the street; tina
finding he could get no satisfaction h
left.
K. G.. Stewart said: IL got night
lodging. was put in a room ant
shortly after ! retired Mrs. Monro'
came in and told me she wanted e
change my room. went TO room di
rected and in a short time she cam'
again and wanted to put me in another
| got up and went to that room. Sh'
came again and made another change
| locked the door Of this room and wa
not disturbed again. When | came Z
breakfast, she asked me whether
wanted coffee, tea or milk. said
coffee. She brought me a glass o.
whiskey and set it down at my plate
She came shortly afterwards and tool
it away and brought nothing in it
place.
Peter Murphy said he had known
Mrs. NJ. a number of years; that h
had seen her in May, 1909, and again il
September at the fair; that he noticed
her mind was weakening; that he tool
meal there and she gave him plat
with meat on it, then took the mea'
out of his plate with her hand and pu
it in the plate of another man at thu
table; that he had known her for tel
years and frequently left his none.
with her at the fair, but he was afraiC
to do so at the last fair on account o.
her condition.
SiIas Brown said he had known Mrs
M. for many years and in July, 1909
had sold her some fowls, delivered
them in the early morn and went bacl
later to collect the money. She count
ed the money several times, woulc
push it over to him and then take /
back. She finally gave it to him. Saw
that she was not responsible for he
actions. On one occasion saw Mrs
Corbin, who was working there, brin(
in lunch to a man, when Mrs. M
came in, took it back to the kitchen
Mrs. Corbin then went to kitchen ant
brought it back; that once he got
gallon of whiskey from Richmond ant
asked Mrs. NJ. to have a drink. Sh'
said she would and poured out a bee
glass full and was in the act of drinking
all of it when Mrs. Brown stopped her
Mr.. J. r. Watson said he had known
Mrs. NJ. for many years and ono
brought some beef to the city to sell
Mrs. NJ. sent out DR.. Webb and en-
gagged or 8 pounds. When the bee
was taken in Mrs. M. said she had no
ordered any; that ne had bought he
beef that morning.
James Patton said he delivered lO
pounds Of ice every other day. Saw
Mrs. NJ. when he came. Noticed he
actions were strange and she would FIRE
auently pay too much or too littl'
money for ice. Once she owed him 30
and gave him 500 in gold and 10c in sill
yer. She looked doped. Asked him Il
have something to eat; he took sea
at the table, and Mrs. NJ. went into tn
back room, sat down and forgot havinl
invited him; when reminded Of it Mrs
M. told the cook to give him something