New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-18
Now York Woman Fighting for
Release from Washington
Insane Asylum.
RESENTED LEGAL RULINGS
acted as Own Lawyer in Con-
test Over 100000 Estate
and Won Points Lawyers
Declared Hopeless,
IRON The T-.bono Bureau.

lexington. July 17.--Mrs Elizabeth c.
~ ,idow Of William Z. Pran jr, for
-. If New York. aided by three well
New Workers. is making a des-
TO FIGHT in the District Supreme Court
lone the insane asylum. although
- was testimony IN the lunacy pro-
s,,cs to-day to the effect that she
.,-estened to shoot two judges be
cause Of adverse rulings in litigation over
a 10000 estate.
Tho hearing began to-day before a jury
,,,cb will pass on the mental condition
~, Mrs PraI. who is handsome and
,,,.rrod woman. Clifford c. Roberts,
New York attorney, is leading counsel!
- ,1rs Prau. while one of the alicnists
g.. hor defence will be DR.. II. Il. Hum
r,rsys formerly of the New York State
,rospital for the Insane. Her cousin the
DIV lanes A. McCague, of No. 500 West
,,o.h street. New York City, pastor of
tbs bethany congregational Church. VIII
be a witness.
Three witnesses testified to-day about
.b-ssts Mrs. Prall is alleged 10 have made
ogs,nst the lives of Justices Daniel Thew
Wright and Thomas II. Anderson, of the
D;s+rict Supreme Court, and Clarence X.
wilson United States Attorney. tod OF
an implied threat to the effect that she
would take the law into her own hands
after the prosecutor had refused 10 pre-
sent 10 the grand jury a complaint that
Justice Anderson had forged decree
IN the litigation over the $4,000 estate.
Justice Wright Threatened.
The first witness was Attorney Robert
Il Mcneil. who characterized Mrs. Pra'l
as a brilliant and good woman lie
said that he had been appointed by the
court 10 represent Mrs. Prall i'm the hti-
cation when she became dissatisfied with
a decree awarding her One-fourth OF the
estate. He testified that Mrs Prall told
him she was willing to shoot Justice
Wright if he did not decide in her favor.
but that he had never seen her display
any violence of any kind except 10 en-
gage in heated discussions with him.
1t developed during Mr.. McNeilIs test-
mony that Mrs Pran distrusted attorneys
after Justice Wright had signed an adj
verse decree aud that she undertook TO
act as her own lawyer. MIR. Mcneil told
how she had studied law i'm his Office and
elsewhere and had taken an appeal TO
the Court Of Appeals on an issue that
several lawyers thought hopeless and had
won her case.
shes ID mighty good lawyer and a
brilliant and good woman declared Mr..
Mcneil, but she told mo several times
] did not know much law
Rrl secutor Wilson testified that about
two years ago Mrs. Pran came TO him
and urged him t. have the grand jury
indict Justice Anderson on q charge Of
forging d decree against her. lie said
his impression was that she was insane
at the time. because she became emo
tonsl.' lie said that she threatened TO
take the law into her own hands, but At
torney Roberts tried 70 impress upon the
jury the fact that she meant that she
would act as her own attorney in the
future
Harvey Given, chief clerk in the United
States Attorneys office. swore that Mrs.
Prail Informed him that she would shoot
Justice Anderson. lie said he believed
that she was sane at the time and that
she was still sane. His idea was that
Mrs. Prail was excited"
Another witness who testified that Mrs.
Pral made threats against Justice Ander-
son was Alfred G. Buhrman. deputy clerk
Of the District Supreme Court According
10 thurman. Mrs. Prdl told him that II
Providence did not remove the justice she
would before she would try her case be-
fore him again.