Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-16
TELLS Of RELATIONS.
OF HUTCH|NS FAMILY
William J. Dante Continues His
Testimony in Suit Contest
ing Will.
Asserts Millionaire Had Frequently
Declared He Was in Bodily Fear
of His Wife.

| Intimate details of the relations eX-
listing between the members of the
! Hutchins family were disclosed by Will
! liam J. Dante today, during the con-
| tinuance of his testimony in the case
| in which Lee Hutchins is contesting
| the will of his father, the late StilsOn
| Hutchins. Before Justice Anderson
and a jury in the Probate Court Mr..
| Dante today, in reply to questions from
counsel for Lee HutchinS, asserted that
| the late multi-millionaire had fire.
quently declared that he was in bodily
fear of his wife, Mrs. Rose Keeling
Hutchins, and that Stilson Hutchins
had also warned his son, Walter
Hutchins, that Mrs. Hutchins intended
to kill Walter, admonishing the son
to be on his guard against such pur-
poses of the stepmother.
MIR. Dante stated that in January of
1910, in the late Stilson Hutchins'
office in the Hutchins building, Mr..
Hutchins told his son Walter that Mrs.
hutchins intended to kill him oval
ter), and that she had purchased a re-
volyer for that purpose: MIR. Dante
said that Stilson> Hutchins further
warned his son that Mrs. Hutchins was
"a dangerous woman and that he
should constantly be on his guard
against her.
Gives Walter Hutchins' Reply.
To this, Mr.. Dante said, Walter
Hutchins replied to the effect that he
was not afraid of his stepmother, and
that no woman was able to shoot
straight with a revolver; whereupon,
Mr.. Dante said, Mr.. Hutchins repeated
his warning and manifested great anx-
iety as to his sons safety.
Further along in his testimony Mr..
Dante said that in April of 1909 Mrs.
HutcninS, after upbraiding him-the
witness-becaus OF the failure of ne
gotiations for Il loan at the Riggs Ma
tional Bank, had told him that sne had
personally notified the Riggs Bank that
Stilson Hutchins was crazy, and that
the bank was to have no dealings with
MIN.
The witness further testified that
Mrs. Hutchins at that time told him
she intended to give all the other
banks in Washington the same formal
notice. This declaration, Mr.. Dante
sajd, was made in the presence OF Still
son Hutchins.
Asked as to what reason Mrs. Hutch
ms gave for refusing to permit her
husband to see his son Walter, MIR.
Dante stated that Mrs. HutchlnS de-
clared that Walters influence over his
father was such that he could get
ANYTHING he wanted from his father.
The witness stated that Stilson
Hutchins for a number of years ap-
peared to fear both his wife and his
son Walter. The witness stated that
on numerous occasions Mr.. Hutchins
told him that his wife was forever
fostering" him for money. Witness
Dante said that he was a witness on
one occasion when Mrs. dutchlns re-
fused to attach her name to deed Tor
a parcel of real estate, deal for which
had been closed, until her husband
gave her S25. This occurred, Mr.. Dante
said, during a reception at the Hutch
ms residence on Massachusetts ave-
nue..
Alleges procession of Nurses"
Mr.. Dante related details of what he
called "a constant procession OF
nurses" during the latter months of
the life of Mr.. Hutchins. A nurse
named Trussell, whose home was in
Canada. he said. was dismissed against
the protests of Mr.. Hutchins, because
Mrs. Hutchins declared that the nurse
was spy in the employ of Walter
Hutchins, and that she was reporting
everything that occurred in the house
to the son.
This nurse, Mr.. Dante said. was in
the employ of Stilson Hutchins in
Washington for only a week or ten
DAYS. Other nurses that preceded and
followed her, the witness stated, served
only for approximately the same length
Of time.
Much of the morning session of court
was occupied by opposing counsel In
presenting to the court lengthy and
lmpassioned arguments as to the adj
instability or irrelevance of certain
questions and their replies. 1t was ex-
pected the direct examination of Mr..
Dante, who was for number of years
Stilson Hutchins' private secretary and
executive man, and who later was made
trustee of the estate and business af-
, fairs of Mr.. Hutchins, would be COM
pleted by the close of court this after
noon.