New-York tribune., 1911-02-16
.lCK[RT NURSE QUZzED
o,ilIv Hard to Shake at Day
nS'|I onn Cross.Examinatlon.
GENERAL FOR ROOSEVELT
>, .rdant Says He Took Keen
,rterest in Politics-Wili
Contest Drags.

s,v,v the testimony in the contest over
SIN of General Thomas I. Eckert is be-
'le IND out in the surrogate's Court
Reilly. who was the generals nurse
E1noh' iuness. was again on the stand
in nis ,.os,erday. and he wandered off into
sH %, .cu.ers TO questions that in many in-
ne 20 based on conclusions or hear
IA he kept Surrogate Cohalan busy
say, or him. at the same time causing de
NV Nicoll, counsel for Thomas l. Eck-
',"t, = he chief beneficiary under the VIII
e. - I,srturbation But withsl he made
n''D illness for the contestant, James
''~ '.s,sn,n Eckert the testator'S elder son.
en- ;. was positive he knew thing
Nn'" as no shaking him. several times
'Ae'e laush,er by his replies TO questions
'S ~ unconscious indulgence in humor.
no I'm, declared he discussed politics with
a.rsral always taking the opposite
F ,.,r, that expressed by General Eek
:. BELLY put IT Ito liven him up In
% Nr. Nicolrs question. Did you
~" 18th him" Reilly said: We'll, the
F., did not have much of sense OF
Ekum5r. ~. 49,, it,,
.,,,,,e of Il the news from the race
v,hich the Western Union Tele-
companv. Of which General Eckert
a,.s the president. used to disseminate,
,be company 100000 a year.
Wanted Roosevelt to Win.
"a, t,ckert died last October, and in
.,,,v fall or late summer, when the
r..,i not was beginning 10 simmer. the
..-.l showed keen interest in the situa-
IN New York Stale, according 10
ts was anxious 10 see Theodore
...yslt come out victorious in his
-, with the "old guard said Reilly.
v,ou wanted TO know whether the
agreed with his patient. Reilly
Il = no. | picked other men; any
nc FOR an argument.
/ a-,4n, YOU think there was still virtue
,,a old guard? asked Mr.. Nicoll
4 atJe didn't think so, and ! didn't try 10
srsrade too hard.
ma ne think that Roosevelt was
sJdental possibility
aua said that IL ne beat the old guard
would stand q good show
Hare Surrogate Cohaian broke In with
AZ you trying to prove the general
,,t Of capacity. Mr.. NicollF'
III M, srother occasion. the witness testified
r.os-sl Eckert said 10 him that George
fc,sg rad advised him 10 put In his West
H., Union stock when the consolidation
H. the American Telephone and Tele-
,-,,s Company took place. and he said
IN. vas sorry he had not dcne so
IVr Nicon. in his cross-eNaminauon, re-
.rsi 70 the story told by Reilly Of Cen
Il ,l rckert's account OF the burial Of John
rwss Booth. who killed President Lin
- General Eckert was Assistant Secre-
ny a. War AZ The time Of the assassina-
a. of the Emancipator. and he used TO
the nurse stories about President Lin
N. He gave an account OF the burial
Roo,b in which he was said TO have had
mart Reilly said ne had read that the
r,al place Of Booth was secret and
hi he doubted some Of the statements OF
neral EckerL
You never learned from him exactly
,ers Booth was buried?' asked MIR.
con.
Reilly Wrote Some Questions.
n, told me several different stories
&0ut IT," said Reilly.
Eyr Nicoll brought out in his effort 70
owe that Reilly had been coached in his
vhnony that ne had written some Of the
ss,ions that Henry VI. Earle, counsel for
contestant. had asked him. one OF
y so was about a conversation that he
ard between General Eckert and his SON.
fbonas 7. Eckert. jr.. i'm which Reilly
" he younger son told his father that the
Der son cared only for his money. Reilly
tknovlsdged that he had written the
tgestlon which. however. did not seem 10
tfec. the weight Of the testimony
kNr Nicoli remarked that the witness had
oi suggested any question for him or his
socate Nr. Sullivan. 10 ask him. Reilly
fspl'ed: q told Mr. Sullivan that anything
Ia could give Rim would be to the
s,Finent OF his client
Nr Nic0n brought out by using the
buses chart. that Reilly had made a
siske when lie said that the general
l not slept well the night he signed his
l on August 30 last. Reilly examined his
art ana changed his testimony TO read
at it vas two nights before the will was
sned that General Eckert slept poorly.