The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-18
MRS. LAWRENCE LIKELY TO GET
 LARGE INCOME
Secret Hearing in New York at Which Fairfield Woman
 Appears in Person
Takes Stand to Disprove Con tention of Judge Banks
 That She is Crazy

Mrs. Julia Watt Curtiss-Lawrence of Fairfield and New York, one of the three equal benefciaries under the will of Mary G. Pinkney, who left a 50,000.000 estate, and who is fight ing in the courts to have her con- servators removed, spent more than three hours last Friday afternoon be- fore Supreme Court Justice Gavegan of New York in a private hearing to prove her contention that she is sane. It was the first time in several years that Mrs. Curtiss-Lawrence had ever attended hearing. Heretofore she has been represented by her Counsel. The fact of the private hearing be- came known yesterday when her counsel, l.. Laflin Kellogg stated that Judge Gavegan would render a de- cision within a few days.
 "I believe the decision will show her to be as sane and as competent other shrewd business woman," add ed Kellogg.
 Thus will end four-year fight waged in New York and Connecticut courts to restore to Mrs. Curtiss-Law- renee her share of an estate, this share being an income of about $400,- 900 a year. The secret hearing before Justice Gavegan put an entirely new light on the whole case. It was the first time in several years that Mrs Lawrence had appeared in person in court.
 Mrs. Lawrence was adjudged men, tally incompetent following a hearing ing held in the Fairfield probate court in 1907.
 One of the few auditors at the hearing says that Mrs. Lawrence gave every evidence of sanity under long n ipC ho Yod I. fred Lawrence. an alienist, who has often appeared at the hearings in this city ande in Fairfield held before for mer Judge of Probate Edward P. Nobbs testified that his wife was mentally competent. Dr. lawrence had been Mrs. Lawrence's adviser be- fore, their marriage
 The hearing resulted from contra dictory contentious by Kellogg and counsel for Probate Judge Fillmore s. Banks. Banks. as conservator of the person and estate of Mrs. Lawrence, sought to collect sS1,0 belonging to her which has been in the Mount Morris Bank for more than two years.
 Kellogg told Justice Gavegan that an action was pending in this state in which Banks right to continue as conservator was challenged. Kellogg said his client was as sane as any body, so the Justice adjourned the case until he could satisfy himself of her mental state.
 'The proceeding in which she was declared incompetent was instigated by the eldest son, who retained Judge Banks as his lawyer" said Kellogg. GAS MT. Banks could not act as judge under the circumstances, he referred the case, to Probate Judge Nobbs of Judge Nobbs, deciding merely on the facts presented to him without seeing Mrs. Curtiss, adjudged her. mentally incompetent and ap- pointed Judge Banks one of two con servators. From that day to this except for a few months when the Supreme Court of this State ordered them to pay her $500 a month-they have not paid Mrs. Lawrence one cent of her income"
 When counsel for Mrs. Lawrence before Judge Bradley in the Probate Court in Westport. Conn.,, yesterday to continue an action be- gun July g. the case was adjourned for two weeks to give counsel for Banks time to file briefs.