New-York tribune., 1911-02-15
KNEW JOHN WILKES BOOTH
But Gen. ECkert Left ASSaSSin'S
End Mystery for All Time.
TWO CONFLICTING STORIES
Will Case Recalls Lincoln's
Death-Evidence as to
Testator's Sanity.

James Clendenin Eckert. the elder son or
the late General Thomas r. Eckert. for-
mer president OF the Western Union Tele-
graph Company. who is contesung MS
fathers will, which left him small part
OF the estate. seemed to make great prog
ress yesterday in the Surrogate's court
where the second week OF the trial was
hfgun before Surrogate Cohalan
Mr.. Eckert contended that his father
was not of sound mind when he made his
will in August. 1870 two months before MS
death. and that he was Influenced In MS
distribution OF his estate, which was preJu-
dicial 10 the elder SON. by Thomas l. Eck-
ert, jr., and his secretary. Ncharo W.
Page jr The witness yesterday was
Thomas Reilly, a nurse who attenueu 'ne
general in his last Illness at Eloeroh' ~ '''
and who before that case had acteo rs
nurse TO Russell Sage.
Reilly did not seem TO know much apou'
the kind Of testimony that was Hu'ii'es,''o
IN n court OF law In the state Oh NC"
York. and II was necessary seVerai 'iihe'
70 check him. but he had good fnen'o' .
and he was able TO tell OF some happe"
,rrs in the time he nursed General tckei'
that seemed to go a long way TO es'aoiis"
sone Of the allegations made by 'ho
elder son. ., be
The witness told OF a conversation "0
heard at the Eckert nome Al
tween General Eckert and MS SON .,,,
n Eckert the younger son. anu t"e r
cinal beneficiary under the VIII, III -
Thomas T. Eckert. jr.. toiu HIS 80,
&c slenderin Eckert only "ah'eu '''.
,,.o,.y and made other statements
h,s brother that would have tehoeu ~ .,,,h
,a,oos C1endenin Eckert In disia'o'
the general. .,eod 20 some Of the ap-
,orontIv irrational things Hene'" al Itch
d,d while Reilly acted as MS "u' ,Ianrv
ooyored a period of about t"o - n
II Earle counsel for con'ea ,ba.
,,r,hor of charts on hama III
po,,Iv kent Of the condition Oh 'i, ,no
d ,boea were used to suiiiui"'o Wv
memory Of the nursc.
As to Lincoln's Assassin
,--,.s-. uas Assistant Secretary y
n. War when President LAilcoll 49,. rnev
and was said to be the last mo-, 80 ~
,oeitivelv what became Oh u" =, ,bo
Iohn Wilkes Booth. the dSs<A -,
nartvr President. There "as "'S ,,o,,or,
,ho. n r,acazine had offered HeIie a. ,,ia
an extrayagant price for ms SUI iotod
connection with the affair. hei"G .aId
,.ostordav what General EcKeI' Ia
hin, of the disposition OF the nouy Vi ,o,',
Tho nurse was telling on the s'ai''
the generals memory IA pa,,,v
nj memory was very bad, SAID heiny
..,yo usod 20 talk over the war teieei api
,e-ns and his activities in the Nv" wa
tI.t,ld the same happenings one way oi'
TO-, and another the next suPpH'N
a,.sing names of generals, pdt'ieS ""u
,aaos lie would go over the uetdils VI
oa,,,,,ro ~ Booth. told him / didh
! - thare was a man alive who sa" MN
,os a,d ne told me where lie was
| buried" ,o,,r,i,ed ths
| peulv said General Eckert recognized t"e
/ bodv Of Booth by splints arouho piohei
Iimb. and also by his pictures Kehly saio
| that after General Eckert had toid MN
| tho bodv OF Booth had been buried ana 'le
| s,,rnosed Mace Of burial he told nm on
| another occasion of taking Booths oody
ont on Delaware Bay with three olhe'
| mon and throwing 1t into the bay. General
! Eckert said he was the last 10 survive oi
tho four men who took part In the secre'
| task.
! General Eckert executed his will on
August 30 last, and. according 10 Reilly II
was IN the latter part OF that month
| tba, he heard Thomas T. Eckert. jr.' speak
| djsparagingly to his father about his elder
brother. James Clendenin Eckert.
Mr.. Earle asked the witness whether ne
! remembered the conversation