New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-08

time' said the witness. the prepayment
oio not know the contents OF the will.
lie told Of asking young Eckert TO send
IN two OF the witnesses when the will
was about TO be signed, but he did not
believe that he told Eckert what the
| men were wanted for
Page said that his former employer
was president Of the Western Union un-
III 1902, but continued as chairman Of
the board Of directors with nominal du-
ties until 1909. In his later years Cen
eral Eckert was always ACCOMPANIED 10
MS once by nurse. The general had
told his secretary not long before he
died that he was eishty-nine wears old
The witness answered negatively the
question whether General Eckert was
deaf. He added: Il never had any diff
! f1culty in making him hear. He was
perfectly able to carry on an intelligent
conversation at ell times"
James Miles. the former houseman az
General Eckert's house, who was one of
the witnesses OF the will was again on
the stand Yesterday. Under the cross
examination OF Mr. Nicoll, he said that
the accident TO General Eckert hap
pened there after the signing Of the will,
and that when he read 10 the general he
had difficulty in making the old man
understand him.
When II became Mr.. Earles turn to
take the witness in hand he reverted to
statement signed by Miles. in which
he said that General Eckert was OF
sound mind and was not under restraint
when he signed his will. Mr.. Nicoll,
who produced the paper on Monday,
called attention 10 the fact that there
was notary's acknowledgment on the
paper. although Miles said that he did
not swear TO II.
Wouldn't Have Sworn, Said Witness.
Would you have sworn TO a paper de
claring General Eckert Of sound mind?'
asked Mr. Earle.
Before Mr. NicoI could get in his OBJ
lection Miles answered, mo, sir The
question and the answer were stricken
from the record Then Miles gave testi-
mony that was a direct contradiction or
that given by Mr.. Ennever on the hrst
day Of the trial, when he said that when
Page gave the general 2 blank piece OF
paper 10 practise his signature before
signing the will he pushed the paper
awav and said that it was unnecessary.
Miles said of that incident, in answer
to q question as 10 what the testator
said: He didn't say anything. Mr.. En-
never said il wasn't necessary. The
general looked kind Of blank and his
face twitched."
Miles said that after he had left Cen
ersI Eckert's employ he went to Elberon
one day and told Thomas T. Eckert, ir.,
that he was being followed. and that the
latter told him IT must be the other
crowd" Young Eckert asked Miles 10
come back 10 work. the witness SAID,
promising him an increase in wages II
he returned Mr. Earle asked Miles
whether he had talked with John Thorn,
another Of the witne9 es of the will re-
garding his own action in acting as
witness, 80 which Miles replied: ives.
sir. I said 10 him. John. this looks Ike
rum business. and don't want to have
anything TO do with IT
William Rowland. coachman for Cen
eral Eckert. told about driving his en-
ployer past Asbury Park one day in
1910. when the general remarked, moi
eating Asbury Park: There's Red Bank
over there Isn't il 4 lovely place.?
Rowland said that General Ecliert took
that drive nearly every day. on an
other occasion, said the coschman. he
saw the general crying on the steps of
the power house adjoining his Elberon
estate. Rowland said that he had heard
Page say last July that General Eckert
had been unable TO attend 70 any busl-
ness for year The goodman told of a
dispute General Eckert had with black
smith in 1909 The general wanted a,
horses hoofs cut down. The smithy said
that II would make the horse lame. But
General Eckert insisted, and after the
hoofs were cut, said Rowland, it was
necessary TO send the horse 10 Kentucky,
because II was lame.