Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-19
BELIEVE MRS. PRALL
IS OF SOUND MIND
Specialists Testify in Lunacy
Proceedings Growing Out
of Suit Over Estate.

DR.. HI. r. Humphries. an alienist of
New York. was testifying yesterday aft
ternooD when Justice Gould adjourned
until Monday next the hearing before a
jury Is to the mental condition OF Mrs
Elizabeth c. Prall. who is contes.ing for
title to an estate claimed to be due her
deceased husband. DIR. Humphries de-
clared Mrs. Prall to be OF sound mind,
in his judgment. and u der no condition
a paranoiac. DIT. Charles NJ Emmons,
local specialist in nervous disorders,
was also of the opinion that Mrs Pran
is not insane
DR.. Humphries. qualifying as an eN-
pert. said he is consulting alienist to the
New York State Hospital for the In
sane: an instructor in mental and nervous
disorders in the New York Post-Gradu-
ate Medical School: examiner for the
State Hospital for Epileptics. and oc-
cupies other positions in his profession.
The physician stated he has known Mrs.
Prall for many years and had been her
physician. He examined her last week
at the government hospital. She told
him the story Of her property troubles.
but he had heard ohthing of the alleged
threats.
Denies Threats Were Made.
On cross-examination by Assistant
Corporation Counsel White. DR.. Humph-
ries said that IL Mrs. Prall had uttered
any threats she had no intention of
hurting anybody. He denied emphatic
ally, however. that she made threats.
and also denied that she was suffering
from delusion. and was. therefore. a
paranoiac. DR.. HUMPHREYS admitted
that Mrs. Prall may have made an error
of Judgment in the views and opinions
she had formed of certain matters and
people connected with her litigation
Witness did not think 1t unusual to
consult representatives or senator's. and
even the President, on matters of pri-
yate interest and said 1T was done al
most every day.
The court proceedings. as carried on
by Mrs. Prall in connection with, the
prosecution OF her suit were sane. ac-
cording to DIR. Humphries. who. hrw-
ever. admitted that they may not nave
been acknowledgement.
Testimony of DR.. Emmons.
DR.. Charles NJ. Emmons. who has tes-
titled in number Of 1unacy inquiries
here. said that he did not know Ms.
Prall until called into this case. He We II
to the Government Hospital and made
both physical and mental 'exaninations
of the patient. He said he, discovered
Mrs. Pra had remarkable knowled ;e
of real estate law.
Dr. F.mmons said that he understood
Mrs PralIs alleged deusion As TO her
title to all the Pralr estate left by deed
to the four children. to be based ON an
old Maryland law. which she presumed 10
be like the old English law which gives
an entire estate to the ,first-born soI.
Mrs. Prall eIoped with the son when he
was about seventeen years of age. He
is dead. and their child is dead. Only
the three sisters, Mrs Knorr. Miss Jen-
ME NJ PraH and Mrs. A. Fahnestock, sur
viye. -
DR.. Emmons then told about Ms.
Pralls version of the threats against the
Judges and her opinion Of lawyers, until
Attorney Johnson accused MIN of ram
bling along" Lawyer c. c. Roberts. de-
tending Mrs. Prall. objected and Justice
Gould overruled the objection.
Rev. James A. McCague, castor of a
church in New York city. and a cousin
of Mrs. Prall. testified fiiere IS mo truth
of insanity in the family history. He
considered Mrs. PraN to be Of sound
mind. -. -